Tag: NSRA

Welsh shooters keep English honest at ESSU Championships

by adminin Competition News

Welsh shooters represented at the English Open 50M Championships at NSRA Aldersley this weekend, following in the footsteps of Liam Webster’s Open Championship win last year.

In the 50M Prone, Alun Evans of Tondu and Richard Hemingway of Rugeley qualified 3rd and 4th with 616.5 and 616.2 respectively. Also making it to the Championship shoot were John Moore of Penarth and Adam Gabrys of Torfaen. Steve Gurner and Mick Crook were eliminated in the first stage.

In the Prone Championship match, English competitor Shelbie Marsland ran away with the win, scoring 620.1. Behind her was a six-way battle for the remaining medals, with scores between 615.5 and 616.5. Richard and Alun placed 5th and 7th respectively. John Moore placed 13th and Adam Gabrys 14th.

Top scores in the Prone Medal battle:

COmpetitorscoreposition
Shelbie Marsland620.1Open & Confined Champion
Sean Bett616.5Open & Confined 2nd
Kosta Loukas616.3Open 3rd
Simon Green616.0Open 4th/Confined 3rd
Richard Hemingway615.9Open 5th
Matt Dixon615.7Open 6th
Alun Evans615.5Open 7th

The meeting had further Welsh involvement, being supported by the WTSF through supply and operation of the Megalink target system.

2025 National Meeting

by Web Teamin Competition News

Wales was present again at the NSRA National Meeting at Bisley this year with a tent and teams contesting the Home Countries matches.

The Weekend Aggregate saw Richard Hemingway place 19th in X-Class, whilst RM Davies took 12th in A-Class. Chris Nunan placed 4th in C. In the Grand Aggregate, Fred Brown won the WH Watkins Challenge Cup for Leading Welsh Competitor.

A group of smiling people pose for a group photograph on a shooting range. The three at the front are seated. They wear tops bearing the emblem of the Welsh Target Shooting Federation.

Wales contested the Home Countries International Mixed Team of 10 and Men’s Team of 5, placing third in both matches. Congratulations to Chris Nunan, Colin Pearce and Dave Parfitt who all received their first cap for Wales in the process.

Competitor50M100Ydaggregatemen’s team of 5
R Hemingway193189382Y
F Brown190187377Y
C Nunan189186375Y
J Holmes190183373
L Webster188183371Y
E Jones189180369
C Pearce181185366Y
R Beard183183366
D Parfitt186180366
S Day181180361
Team Totals37061871

In the British Long-Range Prone Championship (the Earl Roberts), four Welsh shooters qualified to the second stage – Richard Hemingway, Fred Brown, Chris Nunan and Judith Holmes. In the second stage, Richard qualified for the Final where he placed 10th and earned the Western Mail & Echo Cup as leading Welsh competitor.

Two smiling men stand in a tent, one is holding a medal they have been awarded. It bears a red welsh dragon and the words "Welsh Shooting".
David receives his first Welsh cap
Two smiling men stand in a tent, one is holding a medal they have been awarded. It bears a red welsh dragon and the words "Welsh Shooting".
Chris receives his first Welsh cap
Two smiling men stand in a tent, one is holding a medal they have been awarded. It bears a red welsh dragon and the words "Welsh Shooting".
Colin receives his first Welsh cap
A group of smiling men pose for a group photograph on a shooting range. The three at the front are seated. They wear tops bearing the emblem of the Welsh Target Shooting Federation.
A man kneels next to a plotting board on a shooting range. He is holding an unloaded target rifle and wearing a red and green shooting jacket. The board is titled "Earl Roberts Final" and the shots on the target have been marked by a spotter along with estimated scores for the benefit of spectators.
Richard with plotting board after the Roberts Championship
Two smiling men stand holding silver trophies. One is in a casual white shirt and black jacket. The other is suited with a red and green tie and a black blazer bearing a red and green badge. The badge reads "Welsh Target Shooting Federation" and is embroidered with the Prince of Wales Feathers. They stand in front of a table covered in a blue cloth, on which stands a huge silver trophy. Behind the table the Union flag and other flags are hung.
Fred & Richard – leading Welsh competitors in the Aggregate and Roberts

Dave guides GB to historic win

by Web Teamin Competition News

David Phelps of Llantristant Rifle Club guided Britain to a historic win on Friday as Coach to the GB Roberts Match Team.

Bringing to a close 12 months of selection trials and training camps, Dave fulfilled his final duties leading the wind coaches on Century as GB fought USA for the Earl Roberts Trophy. Britain had pride to regain, having lost at home in 2017 when the Roberts was last contested, and also losing the 2013 and 2021 editions of the reciprocal Pershing Match in the USA.

Friday 15th August was a scorching day. Starting out calm in the early morning, the wind picked up slightly to give light but unstable conditions for the 1pm match start, with temperatures touching 30C with punishing humidity. It was reassuring that the Americans also found it uncomfortable!

A man sits on a plastic chair on a shooting range firing point. He looks over this right shoulder to see the behaviour of wind flags behind him and any incoming gusts. A scope is mounted in front of him on a tripod, allowing him to watch the movement of mirage. Blurred red and yellow wind flags are visible in the distance.

Starting at 50metres, American Sarah Beard set the individual pace, with an outstanding 199/200. 197 was the highest GB score from Adam Fowler, Lina Jones and Lenny Thomson, matched by Nick Mowrer and Mike Carter of the US. At the halfway mark, the score was 1937 to 1947 in favour of Britain.

At 100yards, the wind picked up and Dave’s calm recitation of conditions and incoming gusts proved it’s worth as the majority of the GB team kept above 190. Sarah Beard again had the best of it with a score of 197/200, but scores across the remainder of the US team tumbled dramatically.

By the end, GB had dropped 84 points at the longer distance, but the US had dropped 116.

The final result was a definitive GB win, with a 42 point lead being one of the largest margins in recent matches.

Great Britain – 3863 – 3821 – United States

The Roberts and Pershing matches feature teams of ten shooters, each firing twenty shots at 50metres and 100yards. The only difference between the two being that local targets are used. American targets have a larger ten-ring than the British, meaning it is not uncommon for top-flight shooters to go clean, and for ranking to be done by counting back inner-bulls. Each match takes place once every 8 years, on a 4-year offset. GB will travel to the US in 2029 to compete the Pershing Trophy once again.

Three smiling men stand on a shooting range. They wear black caps with the word "Eley" on it, and hold a box of Eley Tenex match ammunition. They wear shirts bwith the words "Roberts Match GB 2025" on.
Dave with GB Team Captain Mike Arnstein and Adjutant Chris Hunter

2024 National Meeting Report

by Web Teamin Competition News

Wales was well represented at Bisley 2024, with a Welsh tent for competitors and a strong Welsh entry to the Aggregates and Earl Roberts Championship.

Notable results include the Weekend Aggregate where Sian Corish placed second in X-Class, and Andrew Tyler placed third in D-Class. In the Grand Aggregate, Judith Holmes placed third in C-Class.

In the Earl Roberts Championship, Sian Corish qualified for the Final, from 8 Welsh shooters who made it to the Second Stage.

Wales was represented in the Home Countries by a Mixed Team of 10, and Men’s and Women’s Teams of 5. All three teams finished third.

Full Results at the NSRA Website

A group of smiling people pose for a group photograph on a shooting range, with a Welsh Flag held by those sitting.
Welsh Men’s Team of 5, with Captain and Adjutant
A woman poses in front of a plotting board with her target rifle and young child. The board reads "Earl Roberts Final"
Sian and Emma after the Earl Roberts Final
A group of smiling people pose for a group photograph on a shooting range, with a Welsh Flag held by those sitting.
Welsh Women’s Team of 5, with Captain and Adjutant
A group of smiling people pose for a group photograph on a shooting range, with a Welsh Flag held by those sitting.
The Welsh Mixed Team of 10

GB Caps for Hemingway and Corish

by Web Teamin Competition News

Welsh shooters Sian Corish and Richard Hemingway were selected to shoot for Great Britain on Saturday after excellent performances in the Dewar Match Trials held at Appleton Rifle Club.

Scoring 789/800, Richard finished top of his squad to qualify for the team. Sian placed fourth in the same squad. The top five from each of four squads made up the team of twenty.

The Dewar Match is an International Postal against the United States, with South Africa and Australia also entering in some years. Following the Trials, the team shot their cards – the scores of which are embargoed until the other teams have shot their end of the match. Liam Webster also qualified for the trials, but missed selection from his squad after a difficult shoot at 100yards.

Gold for Team Wales at British 50Metre Championships

by Web Teamin Competition News

The WSRA team won the Home Countries 3-Position Rifle Match at the NSRA British 50Metre Championships this weekend, pipping England by just three points – 1655 to 1652. Congratulations to team members Richie Bray, Alun Evans and Aidan Healy.

The team honours were matched with individual success – Alun won Silver and Richie took Bronze in the NSRA British Mixed 3P Championship.

An athlete in a wheelchair receives a medal from a match official in front of a podium and white backdrop.
Richie receives individual 3P Bronze
Three people are on a shooting range holding medals. All wear red and white shirts bearing the logo of the Welsh Target Shooting Federation. The young man in the middle is flanked by two men in wheelchairs.
Richie, Aidan and Alun win Team 3P Gold
An athlete in a wheelchair receives a medal from a match official in front of a podium and white backdrop.
Alun receives individual 3P Silver
Athletes on the firing point at the 2024 British 50Metre Championships. A row of shooters are firing from the kneeling position on a covered firing point looking onto an outdoor range. Photo: Eleanor Shorey, https://www.nsratheshorey.com

2023 National Meeting Report

by Web Teamin Competition News

Wales had a great turnout at Bisley this year with a strong performance in the Home Nations. A number of first time shooters braved it onto Century Range and promotions were earned. Dave Phelps won the W H Watkins Trophy (top Welsh competitor in the Aggregate), whilst Sian Corish won the unsquadded Women’s Bisley Championship and placed third in X Class.

For the Home Countries matches, the Tartan Dragon trophy came south. The trophy is a Scottish Quaich which has traditionally been awarded to the highest scoring Welsh competitor in the Aggregate at the NSRA Scottish Meeting. As the Scottish meeting continues to be in abeyance, it has been decided to award the Quaich to the highest scoring athlete in the Welsh team for the Home Countries match. Congratulations to the 2023 top scorer Sian Corish, and to first-time caps David George and Asia Hoile.

Five Welsh athletes qualified for the final of the Earl Roberts Championship (British Prone Championship). Being the Centenary edition of the Roberts Championship, 1923 rules were used, with 40 finalists qualifying rather than the usual 20. Congratulations to all five, who fought through some extremely challenging conditions in what turned out to be a tight final, with a great deal of counting back and just a couple of points separating 6th from 26th.

Wales’ Roberts Finallists were:

  • Dave Phelps – 15th, top Welsh competitor in the Championship
  • Rich Hemingway – 20th
  • Sian Corish – 22nd
  • Liam Webster – 34th
  • Mark Parry – 36th
A target shooter aims from the prone position on an outdoor range. They wear a red and white shooting jacket to help support the rifle. They lie on a red mat on a hard firing point, shooting out over a grassy range.
A smiling man stands on the firing point of a rifle range. He wears a red jacket bearing the logo of Team Wales and the words "Glasgow 2014", referring to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
A tarmac strip runs into the distance under cover of a green awning. Competitors hold targets as they go forward to change targets between details at the NSRA NAtional Smallbore Rifle Championship. On the floor, rifles stand on shooting mats.
Change Targets.
Photo: Richard Hemingway
A group of people pose for a group photo on a shooting range. They are arranged in two rows, with the front row seated and the back row standing. The front row hold a Welsh flag. They all wear red and white team colours.
Welsh Team at Bisley 2023
A group of people pose for a group photo on a shooting range. They are arranged in two rows, with the front row seated and the back row standing. The front row hold a Welsh flag. They all wear red and white team colours.
Welsh Ladies Team at Bisley 2023

All photos credit Eleanor Shorey except where otherwise indicated.