The 153rd Bisley Imperial Meeting 2022
"HM The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Imperial Meeting"
This year saw the return to a full programme of competition shooting. The programme began at the end of June with Civilian Service Rifle followed by F-class, Match Rifle and Schools and ending with Target Rifle, culminating in HM the Queen's Prize on July 23rd.
At least that was the plan.
As the competitions progressed, the weather turned very dry and exceptionally hot. A wildfire sprang up on 5th July in the danger area behind the Stickledown butts. A strong wind spread the fire over several days towards the butts and behind Melville and Century ranges. All shooting was stopped from 6th July and the Match Rifle competitions were abandoned. Fortunately many MR shooters had not yet travelled to Bisley as their competitions were due to start on the 8th.
The fire reached the Stickledown buttstop, destroying about 75% of the target number boards and threatening the target stores. A night-time rescue party was arranged to move targets to a safer area. Fortunately the fire was stopped before it could advance up the range. Had it done so, then, with the exceptionally dry ground and strong winds, it could have run its course into the camp and caused seriously more damage.
Repairs were immediately put in hand to replace the target number boards so that shooting could recommence on July 11th with the start of the Schools Meeting. This work was completed on time despite the very hot weather, and the remainder of the programme was run as intended.
Match Rifle Results
As mentioned above, the Match Rifle competitions were cancelled.
Target Rifle Results
The target rifle competitions started on Friday 15th July and the weather was already hot with variable winds. The grass on the range was parched and on hard ground. The Admiral Hutton at 900 yards was the first challenge. By Monday warnings were being sent out about the heat and how best to avoid heatstroke. Competitions were being reduced to 2 sighters and 7 to count to reduce the strain on shooters and markers alike. On the Tuesday, the temperature was 36C for the First Stage of the St. George's Vase. Back home in Nottingham the day's maximum reached 40C. Thereafter the temperature subsided a little; but conditions for shooting were still difficult right through to the Queen's Final on Saturday, 23rd July.
Daily photographic reports are on the National Rifle Association Facebook page. Scroll down a long way to find the July entries. You may have to log in to your own Facebook account to see the earlier posts.
Fifteen Nottinghamshire shooters competed in the Queen's Prize and thirteen in the Grand Aggregate and fourteen in the St George's shoots. Highlights are listed here with links to our detailed reports below. The total entry for the Queen's Prize was 714 (613 in 2021), and for the St. George's Vase 686 (629 in 2021). The Grand Aggregate attracted 654 entries (588 in 2021).
In the Grand Aggregate, the top Notts. shooter was Mr RSF Shouler at 30th place on 557.65v and second was Mr RW Ramage on 548.41v in 110th place.
This year the top place in most competitions eluded our shooters: the exceptions being the Duke of Cambridge 900 yards shoot which was won by Mr DAJ Talbot with 35.7v. The GMK Sighters Aggregate was won by Mr RSF Shouler with a total of 119.15v.
Leading places (top 20) were achieved by the following:–
- Mr JA Bullock: Daily Mail 6th with 75.11v.
- Mr JRJ Kennedy: St Georges I 16th 35.5v.
- Mr JT Kennedy: Duke of Cambridge 19th 35.5v.
- Mr LA Reid: Conan Doyle 15th 50.6v, Duke of Cambridge 19th 35.5v.
- Mr RSF Shouler: Daily Telegraph 17th 75.7v, Duke of Cambridge 4th 35.6v,
St Georges Final 7th 148.23v, Schools Veterans Individual tankard 2nd. 50.6v. - Mr SD Shouler: Howard Wilkinson 3rd 98.10v and an NRA Bronze Medal.
- Mr DAJ Talbot: Duke of Cambridge 1st 35.7v.
There were fourteen Notts. entries for the St. George's Vase and eight qualified for stage II: Mr JRJ Kennedy, Miss LIS Stewart, Mr RW Ramage, Mr LA Reid, Mr JA Bullock, Mr EJ Harris, Mr RSF Shouler, and Mr TJ Bullock. Of these the following secured a place in the final: Mr JA Bullock, Mr TJ Bullock, Mr RSF Shouler and Mr RW Ramage with just two points separating them all. The final places and scores were: Mr RSF Shouler 7th 148.23v, Mr TJ Bullock 35th 147.16v, Mr JA Bullock 46th 146.19v, and Mr RW Ramage 68th 145.16v.
Of the fifteen entries for H.M. the Queen's Prize, six made it to stage II: Mr RSF Shouler, Mr MR Rewston, Mr RW Ramage, Mr EJ Harris, Mr JPS Bloomfield, and Mr JA Bullock. The stage I cut-off was at 101.10v. In stage II, two succeeded in reaching the final, Mr RSF Shouler with 148.13v and Mr JPS Bloomfield with 147.15v. The four who missed the cut were not far behind.
In the final stage Mr RSF Shouler made 31st place with an aggregate score of 287.26v and Mr JPS Bloomfield 95th on 276.23v. The outright winner of the Queen's prize was Miss AP Good of Cambridge University with 293.37v (ex 300.60v). The scores recorded on the National Rifle Association website for the final stage illustrate how difficult the shooting conditions were on the day.
Nottinghamshire TR shooters' individual scores.
Nottinghamshire TR shooters' scores in aggregates.
The Nottinghamshire County Fullbore Team entered the County Championship Long Range and Short Range Senior competitions, coming 9th and 12th respectively and 7th in the combined Victor Ludorum aggregate. Surrey were once again the top scorers with Norfolk second and Northants, Leics and Rutland third.
l-r: RW Ramage, TJ Bullock, EJ Harriss, Mrs LE Haley, RSF Shouler,
LA Reid, JA Bullock, DAJ Talbot, Miss LIS Stewart (reserve)
The 9th place in the County Long Match hides a record score for Notts. of 299.45v (ex 300.60v) putting the team in the lead after 900 yards; but only by two V-bulls before West of Scotland on 299.43v and Devon third on 299.42v. The next best score in the last ten years was 292.28v in 2014. Then, unlike this year, the 1000 yard score was 294.31v to secure 2nd place overall.
Nottinghamshire County Team scores.
Mr RSF Shouler was selected to shoot in the England team for both the Mckinnon and National matches. England won both matches.
The full listings on the National Rifle Association website.