Catamong

Try Sunglasses for Sport, they have a genuine offer on at the moment for a set of their Evolution Ocean 3 lens interchangeable sets, down from £39.95 to £23.97. These are very good quality glasses, and the service and delivery from this company is exceptional, my set were delivered free of charge the day after order was placed. Cat.

Perhaps they've nicked that too..? Cat.

The downside to prescription lenses is that they may become useless over time as your eye prescription will change as you get older. I would also avoid the Photochromic from Optilabs, they're too dark for most situations, I was disappointed with the pair I bought. Cat.

Not everybody will get the paltry £155 per week, I've paid full NI contributions for nearly 44 years but I will get probably no more that the ex forces Guy who's paid only 35 years, many people have not made the necessary contributions so will not get the full amount, particularly women who have given up work to raise a family, sad isn't it..? Cat.

I also think you are correct, I don't believe you can draw on a Regulated Pension Fund until you are 55, but I think a lot of the posters on here who now claim to be living the good life at the ripe old age of 39, have in fact simply given up work on health or other grounds and are probably claiming disability benefits, or other State handouts..? It all depends on ones lifestyle, I don't want to see my standard of living drop when I retire, so am still putting a big chunk of my salary into Pension funds, it's a no-brainer if you are a higher rate taxpayer as HMRC effectively add 40% to every pound you invest in the plan. I could probably give up full time work tomorrow, but I do actually enjoy my job, (at times), and, like most Company Pension schemes, I would lose around 25% of the monthly payout if I were to take it now, instead of when I turn 65. As for the State Pension, I will get the Princely sum of £155 per week, (flat rate), from my 66th birthday, amazing considering the amount of N.I. I have paid over the last 40 odd years, but what's even more amazing is that's all most people in the UK have to live on when they retire....how do they do it, it wouldn't even buy you 1000 carts..? Cat.

A good number of the farmers in my area, (South Herts), are not growing Rape this year due to damage by the Flea Beetle. In theory, that's good news for Pigeon shooters as there will be less Rape around and they will concentrate on the farms that are growing it. However, I've noticed that it looks like being another good year for Acorns, the Pigeons food of choice throughout the Winter in this area. In past years this has resulted in the birds not seriously hitting the Rape until well after Christmas, if at all.. Cat.

I had a couple of the WAGBI supplied Sid Semark flappers, which I bought in the '70's, but got rid of them once the battery operated versions came along. I modified both of them by fitting a Fuji zero friction ring to the timber section but the damn string still used to break on many occasions, despite me using a no-stretch braided nylon. To be honest they were a pain in the rear end to use, the dogs were forever tripping over the string when out retrieving birds, and to an incoming pigeon the vigorous backwards and forwards motion of the right hand of the shooter must have looked like somebody jerking off inside the hide... They are best consigned to the Fieldsports section of the Science Museum, and labelled, "Good in their day, but now obsolete thanks to a faster flapping battery operated version". Cat.

Yes, I quite agree, but i'm not sure you'll get much sympathy from the CPSA on that one..? The sponsors matter more than the shooters, and they want to see a super final, with Diggy et al there, that'll be their line..? Cat.

Yes, I would second that comment about "Wet & Forget" from Costco, you just spray it on at a dilution level of 1:4, a bit stronger if really heavy algae growth, then leave it. Sounds daft, but it really works, I was well impressed, but you do need to leave it several months to work properly, don't get impatient and take the jet washer to it..! Cat

In fairness, the qualifiers for the final day were not published online by the CPSA until about 8.30 Saturday evening, it would be not possible for them to check to see if everybody who had qualified was going to turn up, and even if they did, they would probably be in the situation where some that said yes might have subsequently changed their minds..? We were 2 people light on my squad, it meant that the 3 of us were on first more often than a squad of 5 or 6, which can be a bit if a disadvantage, but, hey ho, that's the way it goes sometimes. Cat

I tend to agree that the Super Final format doesn't suit everybody, but the CPSA have tried it all ways over recent years, I think their view is that is the way the sponsors want it..? At least they're making progress in some respects, now everybody starts on stand 1. I had quite a lengthy exchange of e-mails with one of the previous CEO's of the CPSA, when I argued against the "shotgun start" on every stand, and the double squadding that went with it, he maintained that it simply wouldn't be possible to run it any other way, the ground owners wouldn't like it and you couldn't get enough guns through. Well, I do believe he was wrong, as the now smooth running of recent events have proved. Cat.

Thanks ehb, glad you too enjoyed the shoot. It was definitely a "soft" shoot for most, when compared against say, the English Open at Hodnet, I did a 95 there, (79.2 percent), as opposed to a 107 at the British, (89.2 percent). My current average in ESP is 86.1, so I shot well above my average, which is unusual for a "major". Weather conditions were not a factor in either shoot, it was simply a case of the targets being a tad "softer" at the British. Cat.

I did a 107 yesterday, I thought it was quite a "soft" layout, but a pretty good morale booster for the average shooter. That 107 was good enough for me to qualify in the Vets, so i went back today for the 75 bird final, again, in my opinion, not a testing layout, (I shot the whole course with Skeet and Quarter choke), I did a 66, missed a few silly ones, but they soon mount up. I was with last years winner, Steve Brightwell, a nice Guy and a very steady shot, his worse stand was a climbing close Teal, followed by a left to right crosser off the Tower, he dropped 3 there, I straighted it, he still finished on a 69. Arnie Palmer was in the squad in front, he did a 70, but I predict some big scores to come oin when the AAA boys go round. Cat.

You've now had more comebacks than Nigel Farage..? Welcome back, and don't take life on this forum too seriously, keep those toys well and truly in the pram in future.. Cat.

Well, you won't see much during daylight hours, apart from possibly migrants running across the motorway that runs alongside Calais, they can be a real hazard and several have been knocked down, so watch out, as they don't appear to care and seem to expect the traffic to stop for them. It gets a bit more lively after dark, but the police are there in big numbers, and they don't mess about. Cat.

Why is it potentially a wasted trip, did you seriously expect to win it..? Every outing to a major event such as this should be an opportunity to learn more, and try and analyse where you went wrong. I'm looking forward to shooting it on the Saturday morning, Biddy always puts on a good layout. Back in the 90's I did have illusions about winning it, in fact I tied for 1st place, there were 6 of us on 88 ex 100, it was a tough shoot, with over 1300 entries, but I lost a sudden death shoot off and had to settle for the Silver medal.. That was at Biddy's old High Lodge, (Henham Park), a super ground with real character, shame he had to vacate it.. Good luck, and stay positive.. Cat.

A straight question........a straight answer.....absolutely not. Cat.

But it doesn't end there, woe betide you if you have to park your car in the station car park, that'll set you back around another £7.50, rip off Britain at its very best..! Cat.

I'm sure you'll do OK, but be prepared for it to be a tad on the warm side, take plenty of water with you to each layout. I know what you mean about the "novelty factor", I get that feeling every time I leave the UK to shoot abroad..! Cat.

Sadly I won't be there, work commitments get in the way and I'm doing 2 shoots in France over the next month, the Arras FITASC Grand Prix on 31 July, followed by the FFBT FITASC Championships at Solonge SG, south of Paris. I've heard the venue in Italy is a great ground, so enjoy yourself..! Cat.

Doh..I didn't realise the OP was an expert shot, like the Guys you've mentioned..? I certainly wouldn't recommend a Trap Gun as being ideal for a novice shot over decoys, they are too tightly choked, fact. Cat.

Most people don't use a trap gun for shooting over decoys as they are generally too tightly choked, also they tend to be on the heavy side, you want to minimise the amount of weight you have to lug around. Cat.

This is now sadly a typical day with Eurotunnel, as I am typing this I am stuck in a delayed queue to board a Shuttle train. The rolling stock is now over 20 years old and completely knackered, breakdowns and delays are commonplace, The quickest way to cross the Channel is now via the ferry. Cat

Sounds a brilliant idea for anybody considering buying a Krieghoff, these guns have come on so much in recent years, from being a dull and heavy "scaffold pole", to being light, responsive and fast handling, so many of the top Sporting shots now use one. The Hull carts are also pretty good, I think Ed shoots the Pro-One's, which are very soft on the shoulder and also reasonably priced, it should be a good day, particularly if you can get a trial fitting thrown in. Well done Ed.. Cat.

I was at the Devonshire Cemetery near Mametz on the Somme at 7.30am on 1st July 2006, the weather was superb that day, bright and sunny, very hot by mid afternoon, not so this year by the look of things. I'm going over on the 2nd this year , for a clay shoot at Arras, but will call in and pay my respects to the fallen at one of the many cemeteries in the area. Cat.