Page 5 - RCS Brochure 2016-17.indd

intRoduCtion to Ripley SpoRting
by Frank Boddy

I am often asked what do I enjoy about running a shoot. It certainly does have
its challenges but these are soon forgotten once in the company of like-minded
people from all walks of life and the real characters driven game shooting seems
to attract! One aspect of the shoot I really enjoy is to plan a new drive and to
see it work, it may take a few times but we normally get there! I have quite a
number of new drives planned for our new season.

There is no doubt that driven game shooting is increasing in popularity and am
delighted to see more ladies and young people are taking up our sport.

So what is different about our Shoot. Although we welcome full teams, we
particularly cater for single guns and small parties. I encourage novice guns
to join us providing they have had some clay shooting experience and have an
experienced shot or one of our loader/instructors standing with them. I would
be disappointed if an individual gun joining us for the first time did not feel at
home within a few minutes of arrival.

Planning the days is a challenge in itself as everyone seems to have quite different priorities. I plan each shoot day just
how I would expect it to be if I were in the line of guns. The following is how I would hope our shoot days will be but
as always anything can happen!

For the shoot to be hosted in a relaxed no rush manner with refreshments throughout the day.
To shoot with a convivial team of like-minded people.
Once on your peg not to have to wait ages for the birds to show. A mix of pheasant and partridge achieves this.

To be presented with challenging birds but not impossible, spread over the whole line of guns on each drive.
To have fellow guns who are selective and respect their neighbour’s birds.
To be able to work my dogs at the end of a drive without the birds already being vacuumed up by the pickers up.

To experience a full days shooting with four or five drives and achieving an excess over the target bag without being
charged an overage.
To have a tasty lunch with decent wine not cheap plonk!

There are many other aspects of a shoot day but if we can achieve these I am sure everyone will go away happy.

I hope this gives you an idea of what to expect. However we must never forget we are always faced with our unpredictable
weather and wild creatures. So some days will certainly be better than others!

Bonny Bea Bella
MY GIRLS

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