Right folks this is the one The Cambridgeshire sporting championship.
On rolling out of my bed Sunday 13th May I thought this is the day we all look forward to drawing back the curtains, I thought what rotten luck its dark, cloudy just like the forecast said but didn’t see any rain yet. Anyway, left home with all my waterproofs taking my camera and not my gun, thinking at least it won’t be wet in the club house.
Getting to the ground still no rain in fact it looked a bit lighter, the club house was full of happy shooters all raring to get going and it wasn’t long before the time came and they started to make their way to the nominated stands to start.
Seeing the top man of the week Richard Bunning, making his way up the very high hill to start I decided to take my camera and go and join the squad. That was an eye opener seeing him shoot the stand straight, a tricking rabbit going down the hill just in front and a long L to R looked miles away. He did make them look easy and I thought I know who is going to be High Gun today.
I spent most of the day wandering about from stand to stand. I watched a lot of top class shooting, it was a pleasure to be there.
I came across some squads of Colts who were for the first time shooting a new format of 50 targets for the Cambs Championship Trophy. They could if they wished shoot the full 100 but the Championship was over 50 targets, this was a follow on from the training giving by Cambridge Gun Club working with the Cambs CPSA Committee.
Seven Colts were in attendance. As we were lucky to get even one in previous years it was good to see. Well done to all Cambridgeshire new colts for entering the competition, great to see.
Out of the seven Colts Sam Halls came out on top shooting 40 from the 50 and with Ami Hedgecock breathing down his neck with a 37 the young lad became Cambridgeshire Colt Champion. Not to be out done Ami carried on to finish with 69, taking the Cambridgeshire Ladies Championship from nine other ladies, so a well earned Championship for Sam and Ami.
If I reported on all the super shooting going on that day, it would take more than this magazine could cope with.
I came across, who seems to be, the Cambs permanent Champion. He has won it so many times its remarkable. He makes it look easy and I guess it perhaps is for him and if he could bottle it he would become a very rich man. And so, Philip Gray shot 97 to become 2018 county Champion again. And as last year Justin Bladen was runner up and Senior Champion with a 93 also super shooting.
Michael Fryer went steadily on his way to a super 88 to take the Vets title. The juniors went to Taylor Hedgecock with a super 88 again top shooting worth going just to watch.
Final Results :
Cambs Champion Philip Gray
Senior Champion Justin Bladen
Vets Champion Michael Fryer
Ladies Champion Ami Hedgecock
Junior Champion Taylor Hedgecock
Colts Champion Sam Halls
The classes AA Phil Gray 87
A Justin Bladen 93
B Chris Morris 89
C Mark Adams. 75.
Many thanks to Cambridge Gun Club for their support as usual.
Allan Wright