White Rabbit Posted December 22, 2009 Report Share Posted December 22, 2009 Evening all, The recent debate over PDLM and claysporting.com has brought alot of things back into my thoughts again. I've been shooting clays for 20 years, starting off at a local small local club. I allways treated it as a social thing and abit of practise for the real thing. (my real passion) In my early 20's i decided to have a go at registered. I reasoned if i was going to do it i should do it properly. I was earning good money and living at home at the time so my money was my own. Afew mates joined me and we travelled every weekend. Sometimes shooting at two grounds in the same day. All ESP. Living in the north east meant we had to travel serious distances to do this but i guessed the expense would be worth it. The targets were harder than i was used to but yes, i did improve and reached A class. What sickened me was the "click" of people that frequent these shoots. On hearing our accents we didn't seem worth talking to. As i said earlier, I achieved A class after starting in C yet in two years of shooting i never won a class! How come i could shoot a respectable 70ish in C class yet a supposed C class shooter had won it on a 90ish! Must be alot of very talented people shooting up the classes i thought to myself! I gradually realised that registered sporting seemed more about money and time than anything else. People with alot of time and money on their hands can travel the country and the world and some may shoot very well but it's because they've had the time and the money. After two years i'd tired of the expense and the rather blatant fiddling that went on. In two years i saw it all. Like i said earlier, big scores winning low classes every weekend, referees being bullied or being abit generous with shooters they knew. I was shooting better and better but I just tired of the whole scene. After reading the recent PDLM thread i went on claysporting.com and it all came flooding back. In fact, it made my blood boil! who do these people think they are! I couldn't believe what i was reading and all i can say is thank god i'm out of it all. Showing off, bitching, chewing on about how much money they've got. Makes me sick! They seem to think they're above everyone else. Even Richard Faulds it seems! To cut a long story short, I rejoined my small sunday club. Shoot my 40 sporting, trap and tidy up then go for a pint and thoroughly enjoy my morning with good friends. Thats the real clayshooting. When the idiots i have mentioned have dissappeared up their own ***** the little man in the little club will still be there and i'm all for it! Sorry if i've ranted on. Just wanted to give you my thoughts. I don't want to start any arguments. Leave that to those idiots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter De La Mare Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 (edited) Thank you for your post WB, I completely agree with what you say, apart from the clique part. Although I'm still doing the registered route in a small fun way, rather than an obsessive way, if you know what I mean. I guess the other site's participants can't see what they/it looks like from our perspective, they being far too far into it thus creating a fairly warped view of what is right and wrong in there. **Edit, missed the Clique part** Edited December 23, 2009 by Peter De La Mare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 White Rabbit, If that's what floats your boat, then fine, stick with your Sunday morning straw balers, after all, that's how we all got started in this game. How can you rant about not having the time or money to shoot Registered events......who's fault's that..?? And please don't tarnish all Registered shooters with the label of cheat, or even "clicky", come to that, because you're certainly not right there, there's absololutely nothing wrong with wanting to achieve something in the sport of Clay shooting, and you can only do that by shooting Registered events. Clay pigeon shooting is one of the few sports that us Brits actually do well at, we can beat the best that the rest of the World can put against us, and long may it continue. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Where you from WR.... shaun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 I'm just starting out on the registered circuit after 4 or 5 years club shooting. I am aware that there are cliques in the sport and even some dubious practices (though not a lot, I don't think) but overall it doesn't bother me too much. I can ignore clique members as rudely as they ignore me, probably better in fact . I've found most people on the circuit very nice, even a few of the cliquey ones . There are a few *****, but I think you get that in any sport, and there a plenty of them at club and haybale level too. I don't have the cash to go several times a week, so I'll just plug away at it until I get fed up with it (if I ever do). I believe I could just about scrape into AA class one of these years (not yet) but that'll do as a target for now As for Claysporting.com, I don't think that site is representative of the sport. The gobby ones aren't all top shots actually. There's a bloke on there who's always got plenty of abuse to throw about, who puts his CPSA number in his signature. His scores are **** - worse than mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 I'm just starting out on the registered circuit after 4 or 5 years club shooting. I am aware that there are cliques in the sport and even some dubious practices (though not a lot, I don't think) but overall it doesn't bother me too much. I can ignore clique members as rudely as they ignore me, probably better in fact . I've found most people on the circuit very nice, even a few of the cliquey ones . There are a few *****, but I think you get that in any sport, and there a plenty of them at club and haybale level too. I don't have the cash to go several times a week, so I'll just plug away at it until I get fed up with it (if I ever do). I believe I could just about scrape into AA class one of these years (not yet) but that'll do as a target for now As for Claysporting.com, I don't think that site is representative of the sport. The gobby ones aren't all top shots actually. There's a bloke on there who's always got plenty of abuse to throw about, who puts his CPSA number in his signature. His scores are **** - worse than mine :D He must be ****!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 He must be ****!! ******* students Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAsh Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 I dont think there was ment to be generalisation about reg shooters by the previouse posters, just that on the other site there are a select few who be-little all who are not AA, cannot comunicate with others below that status, demand their say and that you should respect their bigoted views, and the posts were really directed towards them To make matters worse the site owner supports them and then wonders why his site has few posters. I imagine all people who aim high in a sport, have people who are very single minded and may seem uncommunitive and at the same time have very friendly helpful members, hope fully more of the second to the first, but a bit dull if all the same Hope I havn't offended and other posters by appearing to speak for them, bu just my understanding of the difference between the two sites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbly Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 White Rabbit How can you rant about not having the time or money to shoot Registered events......who's fault's that..?? Excuse me......what the **** are you trying to say.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 White Rabbit How can you rant about not having the time or money to shoot Registered events......who's fault's that..?? Excuse me......what the **** are you trying to say.. Here we go, you'd be very much at home on Claysporting.com with comments like that. I'm actually trying to say "How can you rant about not having the time or money to shoot Registered events......who's fault's that..??" Do you understand it a bit better now..?? Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbly Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Sorry for that........unfortunatley not born with a silver spoon in my mouth.....time I've got.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Sorry for that........unfortunatley not born with a silver spoon in my mouth.....time I've got.. Apologies accepted, we can't all be brung up proper like wot I've been. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicky T Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Fair play to you White Rabbit; you're entitled to your opinion and fair enough if registered shooting isn't for you anymore. Personally I'm more than happy to travel around the country enjoying registered shooting as the competitive element that it adds to shooting makes it worthwhile for me. To be honest it doesn't actually cost a lot on top of what i'd be paying to just shoot for fun at my local club; just takes a few likeminded individuals to travel together and jobs a good'un Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Keep it nice chaps, it's nearly Christmas . ZB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjobill Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 I know someone who was AA standard, and he, on a registered shoot against Digweed beet him by 2 points, that was when he was hot. Recently i beat him on a flush, and they put mine in upside down. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anni Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 I'm with Mr T on this one The registered competiton gives me that added bit of excitment that makes me shoot abit straighter (Or abit closer ). Cant say I have come across people who look down on a diffrent accent yet Every shooter I have come into contact with has had some sort of accent. Yeah I have seen a few bellends on shoots but thats life As for "Clique's" people shoot with who they feel comfortable with, it is a competition at the end of the day and you have to try and stack everything in your favour. Although I allways feel its me against the clays, or me against me And claysporting I just dont bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 I know someone who was AA standard, and he, on a registered shoot against Digweed beet him by 2 points, that was when he was hot. Recently i beat him on a flush, and they put mine in upside down. BB Good Shooting!! Especially with your cross eye dominance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 I shot a fair number of CPSA events years ago. Never found any problems. I actually preferred re-entry sporting shoots where they also had a pool shoot. The pool shoots were my real favourites. Usually fairly hard clays - you got a lot of practice on the same birds and I won a lot of them. If you want to shoot for your County or Country, then CPSA is the only way to go, but very few people have that ambition. I accept England badges are not easily given, but have seen numerous people with County shooting badges on their vests, who were pretty average or worse. I never shot with the aim of winning a particular class, I went to win. The re-entry shoots I used to frequent attracted the likes of :- Jim Stafford - British Open Sporting Champion and top shooter John Stafford - World DTL Champion Colin Foden - 2nd in World FITASC Brendan Frost - 3rd in World FITASC Kevin Mayor - British Sporting Champion These were hardly "straw bale shoots" There is room for both. As Mungler has pointed out more than once, if the clay shooting world relied upon CPSA membership, we would be in real trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Good post White Rabbit. You will have to ignore Catamong, he still suffers from the AAA class arrogance even though he's just a run of the mill AA class shooter now The CPSA elitests love to knock and look down their noses at the straw balers but straw balers is where all the shooters are, which in turn makes the CPSA very unrepresentative of clay shooters. Irony, it's like leady and tinny. One way or another the CPSA is done for - it's all just moving deckchairs around on the Titantic now. I say leave them to their back biting and squabbling - it's what they enjoy and it's a free country; just don't expect anyone outside AA or above (i.e. normal or in the majority) to give a monkeys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beretta Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 each to there own and gordon, showing your age if you remember jim stafford shooting and colin doing ok in fitasc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Rabbit Posted December 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Hello Folks, Like i said earlier, just sharing my thoughts on the subject to see if anyone else felt the same. I 've got no axe to grind re.registered shooters and yes, there are some great guys out there. As i said earlier i reached A class after starting off in C but the whole scoring/classification thing just didn't seem to work in my eyes. Why are the lower classes won with huge scores? Sure some one might have a really good day or a new member is improving rapidly and climbing the classes but it seems to happen far too often for that to be the case. I imagine a fool proof system doesn't exist as people will allways manipulate it in some way to their own ends. A bit sad really. Over the years i've realised that enjoying what i'm doing and the company i am with is by far the most important critera to a days shooting. Be it clays or game. I'm now in the position of shooting well or badly i don't really care as long as the cracks good! If i've shot well i can wind people up, if i've shot badly it's me that has to take the stick! Perhaps my views would change if i never shot well! Re.CPSA Like all organisations it contains a core of very passionate people but that seems to be it's downfall as alot of these people do seem to suffer from AA syndrome slightly and they all think they know best and all want to be heard. Sorry, just my opinion! Re.Claysporting.com I read some of the threads and was gobsmacked. Surely all these people are best mates and are just having a laugh? Richard Faulds on the eve of a big competition had to defend his wife after some nugget said she deserved being sent filthy texts as she sits on his lap and wears skimpy clothes!!! It's beyond belief!! Lucky lad is all i can say! Unfortunatley he shot badly in the competition and had to put up with sarcastic comments afterwards. Is this the face of registered clay pigeon shooting that we portray to sponsors and the public?! Straw bales all the way for me i'm afraid! P.s Anyone ever actually been to a clayshoot that use's straw bales? I haven't for years! Noone makes them anymore! Regards WR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Beretta - definitely showing my age. I shot against Jim Stafford - mid eighties to early nineties and beat him the odd time or two. Top shot and top bloke. The first time I met him, people kept saying his eyes had gone and he was over the hill. Never noticed to be honest as he was capable of kicking anyone's backside. Those non-CPSA shoots were as competitive as any CPSA event I ever went to. They had a Pennine Championship at Kelbrook, which Jim won. I was ahead of everyone until the last stand - it had to be shot seated - long crossers. I hit the odd one - it might have been zero or even two, but I sank from the results. All the game shooters were straighting it. I have never shot sat down, nor have I since. I had to kneel down at a shoot at Overton Gun Club. You had the choice of one knee or two. Jim reacted badly to this - I agreed with him on this, but still beat him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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