Rugeley’s first ever Pistol Youth Team made their mark at Ellesmere College during the heats of the Schools Pistol Championships.
As a Youth team (run parallel to the School teams), Olivia Caswell-Wedderkopp, Max Taylor and Andrew Coward achieved 3rd place and each qualified to shoot individually for the February finals at Cannock Leisure Centre.
Additionally, Olivia made it to the final 8 on the day, finishing 6th. A great result for her first 10m pistol competition and final. Phillippa Watterson also qualified individually in the intermediate girls
Three Rugeley juniors were honoured this evening with presentations of their GB colours following selection to the GB Team for the Drew International Postal Match.
Presented by Club Match Secretary Dave Glover, Alex Buttery and Izzy Ward received colours for selection to this year’s Mixed Drew team of 10. Alex was also a reserve for the Men’s team of 3.
Helen Robinson belatedly received her colours following her selection as a Reserve to the 2024 Drew Ladies team.
After a slow start in elimination, he picked up the pace to score 616.2, placing third in his squad and qualifying fourth overall for the championship shoot.
After lunch, he opened strong, and shot consistently in a tightly fought contest. Shelbie Marsland of Appleton streaked ahead to win the Open and Ladies Championships with 620.1, but below her was a tight battle for the remaining medals with six athletes within a point of one another. Sean Bett took silver on 616.5, Kosta Loukas placed third in the Open category with 616.3, whilst Simon Green was third in the English Confined on 616.0. Richard placed fifth, a single tenth behind on 615.9 followed by Matt Dixon on 615.7 and Alun Evans on 615.5.
The ESSU Championships were held at Aldersley for the first time in decades following the closure of the Malcolm Cooper Range at Bisley. Although the reorganisation of the facilities in the Lord Roberts Centre do represent a loss of amenity at present, it has resulted in matches seeking new homes outside of Surey. We look forward to seeing more opportunities for smallbore athletes to compete at a high standard in the West Midlands.
Rugeley members Izzy Ward and mum Carla medalled at the West Midland Open Championship this weekend. On Saturday, Izzy set a new PB of 607.5. In aggregate with her Sunday score of 605.2 she became West Midland Junior Air Rifle Champion.
In the 10M Air Pistol, Carla also PB’d with a 529, winning a silver medal in C-Class. With her Sunday score she won the C-Class aggregate. Congratulations to both!
Ryan Cockbill has won three medals in three days at the WSPS (World Shooting Para Sport) Grand Prix in Novi Sad, Serbia.
In the Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2 (R4) on Thursday, he qualified second in a competitive field, and maintained his composure to hold his place in the final. No sooner had he finished the R4 final and he was called to the line for Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2 (R5). Qualifying second again – close behind the Italian who had also led R4 qualifying, Ryan finished third to collect a Bronze medal.
After a day off, he came back to the 50metre range on Saturday for the Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH2 (R9), qualifying second again behind Austrian Josef Pacher. After his first string of 5 shots he was joint second, but after the second string had taken a 0.5 point lead, which he held for the remainder of the final, finishing on 248.7 – a full 2.2 points ahead of silver medallist Gianluca Iacus of Italy.
Club Captain Richard Hemingway became the first Rugeley member to qualify in the top-20 for the British Long Range Smallbore Championship Final since Martyn Buttery in 2013. Shooting at 50metres and 100yards, Richard finished 9th in his first stage squad, comfortably qualifying for the second stage where he finished 12th, with the top 20 progressing to the final.
Richard started the final strong with a 199/200, placing him narrowly in the lead after his first card. Changeable winds caused a struggle in the middle with a pair of 191s, managing a 193 to finish joint 9th, ranked 10th on count-back.
Concurrent to the British Championship, Richard was also the highest ranking Welsh competitor, earning him the title of Welsh Long-Range Champion and the Western Mail & Echo Cup.
Richard had previously qualified for the final of the 100th Roberts Championship in 2023, when 40 finalists were taken forward as was the practice in 1923. He finished 27th.
Richard & Club Chair Martyn before the matchRichard with the Western Mail & Echo cup for leading Welsh competitorRichard with plotting board after the match
Rugeley collected a table of silverware at the Staffordshire Smallbore Rifle Association’s Championships on Sunday.
Richard Hemingway retained his title as County Long Range Champion, winning the double dewar match by four points thanks to an excellent set of 100yard cards. Dave Glover was second, and claimed the County 50Metre Championship, pipping Richard at the shorter distance.
Paul Baron became Staffordshire C-Class Champion. Phoebe Haughton – Rugeley’s 2024 Young Gun champion – was Staffordshire Junior Champion and also Staffordshire Ladies Championship.
Steve Rowe of City of Stoke RC was Staffordshire Veteran Champion, whilst Olivia Kirkland of Altrincham Rifle Club was Open Ladies Champion.
Martyn Buttery and Dave Glover won the Pairs competition. Rugeley’s team won the Astor Tankard for best club team.
At the start of the prizegiving, Richard – Staffordshire’s County Captain and representative to NSRA Shooting Council – presented a special service award to County Treasurer Judith Simcock of Market Drayton Rifle Club. Judith has served on her club committee for over 15 years and became Treasurer to the County in 2010, which makes this year her 15th anniversary in post. In addition to committee duties, Judith has been the supervising scorer at the County Championship for 8 years.
Alex Buttery and Izzy Ward both earned spots as reserves for the main mixed Drew team of 10, earning GB colours. Alex was also selected as a reserve for the men’s team of 3. Both earn their GB Colours.
Two selections is growth from 2024 when Helen Robinson was selected as reserve to the Women’s team of 3. They will shoot their cards later in the year, after which scores will be shared with the US, Australian and New Zealand teams.
Shooting in the Welsh Confined Prone Championship on Sunday 22nd June, Richard took second, following friend of Rugeley Liam Webster who became Welsh Confined 50Metre Champion for the first time.
The afternoon saw the wind pick up in time for the Three-Position match where Olivia was pitted against a number of GB Pathway athletes. Maintaining a steady shoot in difficult conditions, Olivia finished with a score of 564, edging out Alun Evans on 562 and Louis Norman on 558.
Rugeley Rifle Club earned a close win against Hampshire-based Alton Rifle Club in a friendly today. Shooting on their home ranges, Prone and Benchrest teams shot Shoulder-to-Shoulder over two cards each, with the best five scores to count from teams of up to seven.
The prone teams fought a close battle, with Alton slipping ahead by just three points. Alton’s J. Mullins took the highest individual score of 198/200.
In the Benchrest, S. Forster of Alton was the only shooter to go clean, but Rugeley benefited from depth, with a lowest counting score of 197, which saw them take a decisive lead overall.
