Suffolk shooter Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Catamong, As the game season draws to a close and the clays beckon again and also as you seem to be the most proficient of shots on here, question (s): - I joined the CPSA a couple of years ago with the intention of eventually shooting skeet at the Olympics (pipe dream really, but we've all gotta aim somewhere). I shoot at local grounds, such as Drinkstone, Badwell Ash, Lakenheath where they have registered shoots, but have never been asked for my card or number?!?!?! I have asked at Lakenheath about lessons specifically on Skeet and even bought a miroku from Jimmy Ling for that express reason. But no real joy in terms of the instructor(s). Even had Pete Usher's son before he went to the states. So....... Why don't I get asked for my card or number?? Can you recommend anybody in terms of Lesson(s)?? (Parkford not to far away and I know Alistair Ford (Top Bloke by the Way), but he always seems busy and I can't do the day he does lessons). It always seems to be a bit of a closed shop when I have asked people, even emailed Grahm Cave, Suffolk CPSA x5, but got no response. Getting abit down about it, only really get to shoot Skeet now with Martin Cavie, or other guys when we meet up for a round rather than in competitions. Like most of us on here who take up one discipline or another, started off really well, carding 21/22/23/24 ex 25, but seem to have lost it because I don't shoot it that often now. (The real secret I know is practise, practise, practise). I am just looking for a bit of guidence that's all. Would dearly love to shoot the English open, but at the moment, I haven't even got a class to shoot in?!?!?!? How do you get picked for England selection, it seemed rather hard to do, when I did check out the CPSA website and to be honest a bit elitist (Especially if you want to shoot the Olympics), with all the listed competions to shoot and costs that seemed to be involved i.e Cartrdiges, Petrol, accomodation on long trips to grounds etc. If you could give some pointers on the above, I'd be grateful, or for that matter anybody else on here. Cheers SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 SS, Perhaps you've set your sights a bit too high by trying for the Olympics in Skeet, because if you're serious you'll have to abandon the wife, kids, your job, relationships with anybody other than people you meet at the range, and shooting must take priority over absolutely everything in your life. That's not a practical proposition for most people, however there's no reason why we can't all achieve good results in shooting if we work hard at it. You don't explain if you've entered any Registered competitions, if you had, you would have been asked for your membership card and your score would count towards your average, which is re-calculated every 6 months. You've obviously been in touch with some serious skeet shooters, I know both Pete Usher and Jimmy Ling (who's also a good sporting shot), and to be honest they have forgotten more about Skeet than I will ever know, I'm surprised that they can't coach you, or at least point you in the right direction. Have you thought about John Bidwell at High Lodge? There are plenty of DVD's around produced mainly by the yanks about Skeet shooting, as it is a very mechanical process, Tod Bender is one guy to look out for, perhaps they will help. If your scores are not what they should be, have you checked your gun fit, it's absolutely vital it fits you perfectly, have you gained or lost weight which could affect how your cheek sits on the comb? With regards to England Team selection, it's a very fair process, anybody can get in provided they are a CPSA member and shoot the relevant selection shoots. In Sporting, all you have to do is turn up and shoot all six area shoots, you then put your best scores in from 4 of the 6, one of which must be the English Open. The system works on points away from the winning score, i.e. if a shoot is with a 95 and you shoot a 90, you get 5 points, you need to achieve 20 points from the 4 best shoots to be guaranteed a place, but some years people get in with up to 30 points off 4 shoots. My advice is to keep plugging away, shoot plenty of Registered events to get classified, and yes, it does cost time and money, but the effort required to make the England Team is absolutely zilch compared to what you need to do to make the Olympics..!! Good luck, Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted January 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Cheers Cat, I realise that the Olympics is the ultimate, other than say the world individual, but as I stated we must all have pipe dreams. I have entered registered shoots at Drinkstone and Lakenheath, but for some reason I can never find my score and having sent emails, never get a reply. The gun fit, question is that no I have never had any of my guns fitted and I know with my Sporter/Game Gun, it is a problem. again its the cost of getting it done and done properly. I am aware that Jim SPalding is fairly local to me and that he has a great reputation for this, but I need a try gun to be able to get the measurements and for this I am only aware of Radcliffes in Colchester having one. But I will endevour to get down there. Peter Usher is always busy when asked, always get the feeling that there just going through the motions at Lakenheath as well, and Jimmy Ling, nice bloke, but I am told that his eyesight has deteriated somewhat to the point he can't see the clays (Only what I have been told, mind you). Highlodge would be good, especially John Bidwell, but the cost of going to him and the distance (believe it or not it would take well over an hour to get there even though I am in the same county, because there are no main roads in a direct line only country roads. Saying that, having 2for 1 lessons at Highlodge curtesy of Sporting gun a few years ago I had Paul take me out and give instruction, and to be honest I got the impression from the start that this was a guy who wanted you to excel regardless of whether you were a novice or a pro and was friendly and only too willing to help, so I might go back there. As somebody else put on here recently Books and DVD's are all well and good in terms of reading or seeing how its done, but there's no better experience than getting out and shooting the targets as you quite rightly said with somebody behind you pointing out where you are missing and the reason for it i.e. Stance, head, gun fit etc. What I need I think is 1) Get the gun fitted to me. 2) Find somebody near by who wants to shoot skeet regularly and 3) Is willing to point me in the right direction and if all else fails, enjoy life and shooting, because all too soon it could be over. In terms of Registered shoots, Confidence has a lot to do with it, and because nobody I shoot with wants to enter Registered comps, travelling on your own to enter isn't something I feel I want to do at the moment. Thanks for the advice though Cat. Anybody out there fancy a regular skeet partner? Cheers SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonsey Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 SS You could contact Grant Dorrall at CPSA HQ. His email address is grant@cpsa.co.uk. I’ve always found him to be very helpful but you’ll need to give him the dates you shot both of those registered shoots so he can investigate. When you shoot a registered competition the ground owners enter all shooters details and scores into a computer program which then gets sent to the CPSA who upload it all onto their website, so the ground owner may have kept those files from that particular shoot so you could investigate it yourself first with them. I’ve had to investigate scores before for Wiltshire shooters and Grant has always sorted it so I’d go straight to him first. I know what you mean about having the confidence to go somewhere on your own and I can tell you I’ve done it a couple of times, only for Skeet mind you. I’m not quite brave enough to shoot sporting on my own yet. As you are squadded with people it’s easy to make a friend. I was lucky enough to be in a squad with Neil Faulkner (England Skeet Team) at Barby in Rugby last year and he helped me quite a lot. It was very interesting watching him shoot so I chatted to him after the 2nd round and picked up a few pointers. He was on for a 100 straight but then dropped low 6 on the final round I couldn’t believe it. I looked out for him at the British Open and made sure I went to talk to him. Anyway be brave, book yourself in for a registered competition and chat to people, you’ll be surprised how willing people are to part with information, everyone loves to help. Buy a few cups of tea and perhaps ask them when they’re next shooting. Also find out from the Suffolk CPSA committee who shoots skeet regularly in your area and see if they can get you in contact with other members. The Suffolk CPSA Chairman is **** Hallis and his number is 01449 766259 give him a call and see if he can help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted January 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 I've chatted to Dixie and to Jed Welham and Frank Welham. Jed was helpful when I met him over at a young farmers shoot and gave a couple of pointers on the sporting. Frank was/is a mechanic at the company I used to work for and he's approachable. Like you said when you get squadded and the others all seem to know each other and shoot together regularly, it is intimidating. Don't know many of the guys who shoot Skeet though I'm not overly concerned about the previous rounds i've shot, but i remeber the computer being setup at the Drinkstone ground on all the occaisions I shot the registered shoots. (Have to say I hate Drinkstone Sporting, can never seem to get on with the sporting layouts at all. By the way BTMS, cheers for the PM. We'll speak soon, I just have a couple of things to sort out concerning my ex syndicate over the next few days and then I'll have my head clear for the rest of the season. Cheers SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTMS Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 SS, Free next Sat afternoon or anybody else fancy a round or two of skeet at Parkford? Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markio Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 SS, I may barking up the wrong tree and slightly drunk but have you considered the Clacton club. I'm sure we talked about that place being CPSA registered. There's always a Doris tapping scores and such like into a compatamathingy. Could be a good place to get graded etc. Sorry if my details are a bit vague as i'm currently focusing entirely on training for the beating Olympics. I shall check on this threads progress once i've been outside and polished my beating stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted January 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 BTMS, Sorry, I can't need to earn brownie points as I am Ferreting with MC and FB and FG.22 on Sunday, so better spend some time with the missus And the following weekend shooting clays at Wattisham on the saturday. But will definately sort something out. Knowing my luck it will be at Lakenheath, hey I could spond all day shooting skeet whilst the rest of you fight it out on the sporting Markio, I wish there was a beating Olympics so then we can see how good you really are "Polishing your beating Stick", come come now markio, this is a family site. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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