I refer to the international forms of Trap shooting, OT, UT and Ball Trap. The problem for the taller man is that he is shooting at a target exiting from the ground only 16 metres in front of him. The taller he is the steeper the angle of the gun downwards if he places it on the mark, creating a number of problems related to both vision and posture.

As I am tall myself, this is a conclusion I have reluctantly come to over the years but not until recently articulated. The obvious person to discuss this with was another tall shooter who, standing 1 metre 90, is also the reigning Olympic Trap champion – David Kostelecky. If my ideas were completely wrong then Kostelecky would be the best person to explain to me why; I rather hoped this would be the case but instead he agreed with everything I had to say: “Everything is more difficult for the tall man” he said. “Our arms and necks are longer and generally it’s more difficult to make the gun be a part of you. Because we stand so high above the mark we look down rather than out, and we see the target later which requires more body movement. When I began shooting Trap my stance was very similar to people much shorter than me, but there came a point when, to improve, I had to change”.

Kostelecky and I agree that the problems for the Trap shooter begin when he addresses the trap. The most comfortable and satisfactory way to mount a Trap gun is by keeping the barrels parallel with the ground and simply raising it to the shoulder and then lowering the barrels onto the mark. This sounds by far the best solution but for the tall shooter it is not quite that simple. To place the gun on the mark only 16 metres away still requires having to bend from the waist. A little too much bend and when you move the gun laterally you are scooping not swinging.

The other option is to put the gun on the mark and then place it in the shoulder, but to do this the tall shooter must first adopt a more head forward position and also begin to incline his body forward over the front foot. From that position when he calls for the target he is in danger of exaggerating this lean as he starts to move the gun. On angled targets this can cause him to again scoop the barrels rather than swing them, rather than move the gun laterally as from a more stable position. This also causes the shoulder to drop. At the time all this is happening there is also every chance his face will lose contact with the stock. It all amounts to far too much body movement which, as Kostelecky says, can result in all kinds of mistakes.

If, in desperation, you are determined to stand upright and simply place the barrels on the mark, you will almost certainly find your weight will shift back onto your heels and you need a very different kind of gun fit. This question of balance is something Trap shooting coaches well understand but they may not always appreciate how much more easily these problems can arise in the case of the tall shooter.

When researching for this piece I tried to identify some top tall shooters who really made the grade in terms of international competition – Olympic, World and European champions. Out of all the shooters, I could find only two over six feet: Don Haldeman, the American soldier who won the 1976 Olympics inCanada, and Marco Venturini. Both men were 1.86 metres and while I saw Haldeman shoot only once, Venturini’s hunched style with his head almost lower than his shoulders is familiar to many of us. Venturini was a truly great Trap shooter, but with a posture no coach would recommend. A three times World and European champion and an Olympic bronze medallist, his total medal haul, including World Cup events, amounted to a total of 16, but as to his height and technique Marco was very much the exception that proves the rule. As for other all time greats, four times World champion Michael Carrega, Michael Diamond, Giovanni Pellielo and Miroslav Bednarik, none of them is taller than 1.74 metres. 

With the exception of Kostelecky, only Jesus Serrano of Spainand Giovanni Cernogoraz of Croatia just make 1.84 metres (6’). Are we to conclude that the tall shooter is doomed to failure? I don’t think so. The very fact that we are above average height means there are fewer of us to begin with, plus we can all name tall shooters including David Kostelecky who are very competent.

In Kostelecky’s case, when he addressed the problem of his height, he first stopped trying to make himself shorter by dropping his head – instead he decided to stand up straight and to get a gun stock to shoot his more upright head and posture. For that he looked no further than Perazzi who made him aMonte Carlostock. Nothing new in that, this kind of configuration was first introduced to provide a more head-up position for live pigeon shooters when shooting with a pre-mounted gun. It is not, as some mistakenly think, to make a shotgun shoot higher – as with a conventional gun stock it can be made to place the aiming eye at any height in relation to the line of sight (rib). Rather, it is to accommodate a more head-up position which creates a greater distance between the shooter’s shoulder and his face. What it also helps to do, by keeping the head upright, is to discourage the Trap shooter’s natural inclination to drop the head forward which, being a very heavy part of the anatomy, will also shift his balance in the same direction.

This brings us to the Tony Busvine gun stock and the conversation I had with its designer that provided the catalyst for this piece. As an engineer by profession, Tony brings an analytical approach to his shooting and as I understand from his stock maker Ladbrook and Langton, he is constantly trying to create a stock perfectly suited to his requirements as a Trap shooter. The latest development, which I had the opportunity of both looking at and using, seems to address a lot of the problems some tall men encounter with the international forms of Trap shooting. The dimensions, all of which complement Tony’s shape and physique, should in no way be considered definitive – it is the configuration which is of interest. It is a fullMonte Carlowith a lot of stand angle, the difference in measurements from the trigger to the toe and heel being only 3mm. When I first shouldered the stock it was even less, but Tony has altered it since. Nothing then that is revolutionary but what it does provide Tony with, a tall man at 1.86 metres, is the ability to stand upright with a comfortable head-up position and his gun on the mark when shooting Olympic Trap. When Kostelecky changed his posture to a more upright position, the stock Perazzi made for him had the same affect. As part of this he also changed his gun hold – raising it above the mark.

On the question of gun hold however I did ask Tony to make some calculations as to the angular difference of the eye line between a short and a tall shooter when both place their guns on the mark at 16 metres.

TRAP SHOOTER ADDRESS POINTS

FIXED VIEW POINT
Height                  Angle of address        Distance from trench
168cm (5’6″)                   5.00%                          3 metres
175cm (5’9″)                   5.25%                          3 metres
183cm (6’0″)                   5.50%                          3 metres
191cm (6’3″)                   5.75%                          3 metres

ADJUSTED VIEW POINT
Height                     Angle of address        Distance from trench
168cm (5’6″)                   5.00%                          3 metres
175cm (5’9″)                   5.00%                          4 metres
183cm (6’0″)                   5.00%                          5 metres
191cm (6’3″)                   5.00%                          6 metres

As you can see it’s less than a degree, but it still makes a considerable difference in reaction time if the tall shooter uses the short shooter’s visual pick-up point. The second table shows how the short and the tall shooter share the same angular eye line and therefore potentially the same reaction time when he adjusts his gun point a little higher.

It would seem then there are two key areas for the tall shooter to address if he wants to put himself on equal terms with his shorter rival. The first is gun fit – for him to manipulate the gun as efficiently as a shooter with a shorter and more compact physique, he must have a gun stock with the configuration and dimensions that will complement both his height and his more erect posture. This will help him to move comfortably and freely. In the matter of vision, again gun fit plays a part in positioning your head in such a way you look out rather than down. With a new stock, a different posture and a higher gun hold don’t under-estimate the time and practice required before you see the benefits, but for some of us it’s the only logical option.  Like David Kostelecky, to be successful we may have to change.

Lets say that we are a C class shooter and we are going to move up to become a “B” class competitor. When? This year? Next year? When the first lady Pope is elected? We need to be more specific than this. “I will get into B class by September 2012” would be a better statement of intent.

Our goal also needs to be realistic, achievable. If we average 40% per cent at registered shoots at the moment, it might be better to aim for a 60% average by September next year.

Next we need to assess our strengths and weaknesses; for instance take an honest look at our gun mount, gun fit and technique. If we cannot mount the gun consistently, have not mastered all three methods, have a particular problem with battues or teal or driven birds, we will need to address these.

It’s also important to think about how much time and money you are prepared or able to devote to achieving your goal, can you afford the time and money to shoot a 100 bird registered shoot once a week, shoot 100 practice targets a week and have some coaching sessions with a professional instructor? Your objective will be limited to a large extent by these factors. A friend of mine always says he “shot away a house getting good”. How committed to success are you and your family?

Once we have honestly considered the above, we can formulate a plan. An example might be:

Objective – To become a  B class shooter by September 2012.

Strategy – To shoot 3 X 100 registered shoots a month, shoot  400 practise targets a month and have one professional lesson a month. To achieve an average score of 70 % by 1^st June 2012, and an average of 76% by August 30^th 2012.

Tactics – Buy new gun in January 2012. Have first professional lesson in January and shoot 400 practise targets. Have gun fitted in February 2012 and perfect the maintained lead.

Continuing a strategic plan like this throughout the season will make you far more likely to reach the goals you aim for.

Next month we will start on the hard work necessary for success.

So, warm up (indoors) with a little gentle exercise before shooting – walking on the spot, shoulder rolling, gentle (and slow) arm and neck exercises. A hot drink will help too (alcohol will not). High tech clothing alone may not prove adequate to prevent problems. Wear layers in cold weather. They need only be thin, but are more effective than bulk alone. Use a singlet vest under a thermal one for sub zero conditions.  Shirts should be warm and offer good movement. The British Army Norwegian Winter Warfare shirt is near ideal as an extra layer. You can wear long Johns (I usually don’t though because they may restrict movement). Good boots are important – I like Brasher Supalites or Dubarry with thick socks. You will choose your own jacket, but arm movement again is paramount, a thin quilt inner may be useful too.

Finally, hats and gloves. A lot of body heat is lost through your head, so wear a hat! I like trilby, but whatever you opt for, you’ll want something more than a cotton baseball cap. Gloves are essential. I wear quality, thin leather ones – and wear them year round. Don’t change gloves with the seasons – the right ones will fulfill all tasks. They are not just for keeping the hands warm, they also help in holding the gun – cold weather reduces grip purchase.

Clothing thickness will affect gun fit. If you end up looking like the Michelin Man (and you shouldn’t) you will need a significantly shorter stock, but even well conceived clothing may require ¼-1/2” less stock length in compensation. The easiest route here is to use interchangeable pads, or, you may opt for winter and summer stocks. Some shooters however just have spacers that they put in for the summer months and remove for the winter.

Don’t forget cold weather may also bring poor light (making focus tougher) or glare from the low sun. Both may be minimised with the right shooting glasses, so this must be taken into consideration.

The entry form is available here, so get yours in now to be sure of the chance to compete in the event of the season!

It is widely known among clay shooters that colder storage and conditions of use can change cartridge velocity, slowing it down a little. This is because in some cases, the cold can make some powder types burn less efficiently, producing a slightly lower velocity; this is a variable situation, but is generally in the order of 50 feet per second or so. This reduced efficiency of the powder is not the main reason for the velocity reduction however. In the warmer months, an extra 50 feet per second at the muzzle does not make a massive difference to the breaking power of a shotgun pellet.  

The primary reason for the lowered pellet speeds is the colder temperatures themselves, quite apart from any other mitigating factors.

When the winter temperatures plummet, the general cooling down increases the density of the air – making it heavier. This is because the colder air is thicker and more viscous than when it is warmer, making it much harder for the pellets to maintain their velocity. This extra braking effect on the pellets slows them down faster. 

The effects of this velocity drop can be compared to walking along a flat surface at a steady pace, then attempting to maintain this same rate of progress whilst climbing an incline. Either a greater effort is has to be made to continue at the same pace when going uphill, or if this is not possible (as in the case of a shotgun pellet), the walker’s pace will have to be slower.    

It is in fact a very similar problem in principle (although not to the same extent), that the much lighter non-lead pellets (such as steel) have – the air resistance slows them down much more quickly than the heavier lead pellets.  

The velocity chart shows these effects and the potential solutions to the problem. Using a top of the range clay target load containing hard 5 per cent antimony alloy lead shot, its performance has been adjusted for both air temperature and a slight cold weather muzzle velocity loss (50 feet per second).

In fairness to the manufacturers, this does not mean that any particular cartridge will automatically suffer this loss, but it can happen if cartridges are stored in cold and unfavourable conditions.

The effects of the colder weather can be seen to slow the pellets down more rapidly than in warmer conditions – dramatically cutting their target-breaking potential and ultimate ranging power. The actual loss in range varies a little, but generally speaking a drop off of five yards can be expected. The colder air also increases the pattern spread over and above that achieved in warmer conditions, so a tighter control of the pattern spread is definitely advisable, even at the reduced ranges.

To restore the lost target breaking power, increasing the velocity is simply not a practical option, as it would need an additional 230 feet per second to make up the losses caused by the colder air at 60 yards, with an increase in recoil of 50 per cent! Going up a pellet size from a number 7.5(2.3mm) to a number 7 (2.4mm), does the job, but unfortunately this solution also lowers the number of pellets in the load: 28grams of number 7.5’s (2.3mm) has approximately 403 pellets, whereas 28grams of number 7’s (2.4mm) has approximately 343 pellets. To help us counteract this, an increase in choke of a quarter (or perhaps even more if it is very cold), is probably also advisable to maintain the pattern quality at long ranges.

The clue is in the name really, Krieghoff’s sponsorship of the event, organised by Alan Rhone and supported by the factory adds real gravitas, and the commitment shown by Krieghoff to the event is an indication of just how highly regarded the British DTL market is by the German manufacturer.  There are few shoots anywhere in the world that offer the kind of payout on offer over the five days of this festival of shooting, with an opportunity for the overall winner to become a factory sponsored shooter.

The format is a winner as well, the Wednesday being practice, followed by a 100 bird competition on Thursday, while on Friday things start getting serious with the Lucky Numbers event. This sees 100 targets shot with a draw made at the end of the day to see who goes through to have a chance at winning the cash prizes. For those who aren’t familiar with how it works it really is very simple: Numbers are drawn out and if say a 7 is drawn then all those whose score finishes with a 7 i.e. 287, 297 etc take part in a shoot off in their class to find the 4 finalists (plus a wild card finalist) to go head to head for the money. This offers a real chance for the shooters from the lower classes to get a share of the £3,000 prize fund, with C class shots having taking the honours for the last two years. 

The climax though is of course the two days of the main event, each producing a finalist to battle it out in front of the crowds for the ultimate prize in DTL. 

Another key piece of the jigsaw is the venue at Mid Wales, the ground is always very well presented and the staff on site led by Jonathan and Arthur Williams always manage to make it one of the friendliest events of the year. A real party atmosphere always prevails even if the Welsh weather does occasionally try its best to upset things!  That unpredictable weather though can make for a very interesting event, and in past years heavy rain and high winds have at times meant that the daily finals can see a few form book surprises which adds to its appeal 

There are however limited entries this year to ensure everything goes to time. The shoot will not start until 10am each day and entries will be limited as follows:

 Thursday 240 entries

Friday  360 entries

Sat/Sun  480 entries

 So make sure you get your entries in early!

All in all it adds up to a package that’s hard to beat and with entries now open, expect this year’s entry to make it another memorable event, though don’t forget that the date has moved a week later this year because of the changes to the Bank Holiday. The action kicks off on Wednesday 30^th May through to Sunday 3^rd June, click here for more info.  See you there!

Remember the days at school when you looked out of the window and daydreamed to the point that your teacher shouted at you? Daydreaming is a form of mental imagery – although daydream sounds a little less formal – it is a way of imagining being somewhere else.

As we move into the New Year, January is always the time for new resolutions: for many it will be about getting fitter or losing weight, and others will set new goals and look to create new habits.

In the last two issues we have looked at goals and at training schedules, so in this article we will look at a practical exercise for you to begin developing your mental clay shooting skills.

Mental imagery is about being able to rehearse certain skills and situations, but not practically taking part. The imagery is imagining competing in a competition or completing a task, it is about the touch and feel of that situation or experience. A simple example is to ask you to imagine sucking on a slice of lemon – what is your bodily response to this thought?

If by thinking about sucking on a slice of lemon leads to your mouth salivating, what impact can it have on you imagining taking a shot or competing in competition? The answer is simple: it will make you a better shot, if you do the right things. The key with clay shooting in any discipline is getting it right and attending to every detail.

There are two types of imagery: the first is external imagery – this is where you see yourself as if you are watching yourself on a video. The second is internal imagery – this is where you are looking through your own eyes and experiencing the imagery through your body. The best form of imagery is internal imagery, this is so much more real, although external imagery is still beneficial.

If we are going to make this work, we need to work on an exercise to show the benefits. Imagery can be done by simply closing your eyes, or better still combining the exercise with dry mounting – I always recommend dry mounting with your eyes shut or even with a blindfold on.

The aim of any imagery exercise is to feel the actions and to feel the responses, be those responses physical or mental, although together the actions can be emotional.

Exercise 1

Do this sat down in a chair; imagine you are going to shoot a crossing target.

The target is a left-to-right crossing target. If you were to shoot this as a following pair, what would you do?

• Write down how you would prepare as you step onto the stand
• Now imagine putting your cartridges into your gun
• Go through what you would do prior to calling for the target
• Now close your gun and call for the target

What did you feel by doing this exercise?

• How did you feel as you stepped onto the stand?
• What responses did you feel?
• What were your thoughts on shooting the target?
• What happened when you called for the target?

Exercise 2

If you were to shoot a pair in a competition – such as the Clay Shooting Classic or the British Open, where there are other people watching and a big prize up for grabs – how would this impact you?

You are now in a shoot-off: you have one pair to win the competition in your class – what are your responses to this?

• Does your heart rate increase?
• Do you feel sweaty palms?
• Are you feeling anxious?
• Have you hit the targets?

Imagery is one of the main components of a clay shooter’s mental and technical edge.

When you use this kind of mental imagery you can refine and improve your shooting technique and your mental approach. My friend Carl Bloxham talks about practicing for competition and how he takes the time to imagine shooting certain targets – particularly those targets that you don’t see too often. Carl takes the time to practice in his mind and also when dry training, on shooting targets overhead or those challenging targets shooting below you.

As with previous years, there will be two 50-bird courses, each set over seven stands; the A course providing a challenge for A teams (individuals aged between 14 and 19) and old pupils; and the B course for B teams, ladies, cadets and scouts. Both course will be designed to present an enjoyable, balanced array of targets, making in the competition challenging yet fun for all who take part.

A separate course of 32 birds will be set as a prep school challenge, designed for shooters under 14 years of age, made up of four pairs each on four stands.

Spaces are limited, so please pre-enter your team as soon as possible. And don’t worry, individual names within teams needn’t be confirmed until the day of the event, making team selection easier and more flexible.

Last year’s event saw Warwickshire’s William Allan take the top prize, receiving the Clive Stanton memorial trophy presented to him by Wes Stanton, publisher of Clay Shooting magazine, in honour of his late father. The Kineton pupil shot a 44 ex50, impressive considering the windy conditions which toughened up the courses.

Rosie Brumby came out top on the B course, as well as taking the Ladies High Gun on  48 ex50, followed in joint second place by Ben Prescott, George Everett and Amanda Murray, who all scored 45.

As for the team events, the trophies returned to their previous winners. Cokethorpe wont the A course for the third year running, with Strathallan School just one point behind. Millfield continued their winning streak with the B team event, with Bilton Grange successfully defending their prep school title.

Following the same format as last year,  teams on both course will shoot in squads of six, to be staggered throughout the day to help everything run smoothly. Each team will be allotted a stand on which to start and a start time. They will then move around the course in numerical order.

The top team on each course will receive prizes along with the top prep and ladies teams. individual prizes will also be up for grabs, being awarded to the highest overall score, the highest score on each course – including the prep course – as well as the highest scoring lady gun, former pupil, scout and cadet.

This year the entry fee will be £19 per gun for prep entries and £22 per head for the main event.

Schools and individuals who have entered in previous years will receive entry details through the post, or you can print off an entry form by clicking here

Arthur leaves his wife, Sharon, children Danielle, Vernon and Louise, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A well-known character on the clay scene, he will be missed by all who knew him.

A funeral service will be held at Wells cathedral on Monday 6th February.