25 Jun 2024 SHROPSHIRE ACF CLAY SHOOTING TEAM

A record number of cadets took part in Clay Shooting in 2024.

A CPSA Shotgun Skills Course and Familiarisation Shoot took place at Venning Barracks and Buller Range, at Donnington, over the weekend 24-25 February.  Successful cadets where awarded their CPSA Shotgun Skills and Discover Clay Shooting Certificates.  Cadets who had fired before[1] and those who had shown potential from the Familiarisation Shoot subsequently attended one of two Clay Team Training and Selection Shoots at Buller Range on Saturday 23 March and Sunday 14 April.  From these shoots eleven cadets were subsequently selected for the Shropshire ACF County Clay Shooting Teams.  Two squads of five Cadets competed at the Annual County Inter Service Cadet Clay Competition, held at Buller Range on Sunday 2 June.

The cadets, based on their performance, were then selected for one of the three teams, of four cadets, to go on to shoot at the National Inter Service Cadet Clay Competition held at Cambridge Gun Club over the weekend 8-9 Jun 24. Nineteen cadet teams took part, drawn from across the UK.  The Shropshire cadets performed well against some very experienced and skillful shooters.

To their credit Shropshire ACF won the following prizes:

Down the Line Team: Shropshire ACF B Team 4 x Bronze medals.

Down the Line Individual: Sgt C Hall – Bronze Medal out of 63 competitors.

ACF High Gun Individual: The Gareth Jones Memorial Trophy – Sgt C Hall – Gold Medal

ACF High Gun Team: Shropshire ACF B Team – 4 x Gold Medals

Flush Competition:

– Shropshire A came 20^th

– Shropshire B came 16^th out of 20 teams

Sporting Competition:

– Shropshire A came 4^th

– Shropshire B came 5^th out of 16 teams.

This was a very credible effort for such a new team.

In 2025 it is hoped to invite the Telford Police Cadets and Adams Grammar School CCF to come and train alongside Shropshire ACF and compete at both the County and National Inter Service Clay Competitions.