The 155th Bisley Imperial Meeting 2024
The 155th Imperial Meeting began in mid-June with Service Rifle competitions, followed by the Match Rifle meeting from 12th to 18th of July, overlapping the Schools Imperial, and after that the Target Rifle Imperial on 19th July, culminating in the King's Prize on the 27th.
Match Rifle Results
Friday 12th to Thursday 18th July
There were six Nottinghamshire entrants to the Match Rifle competitions. Three were from the Hopton Supper Club and three from Old Nottinghamians. There are seven individual competitions and nine aggregates making up the meeting plus a number of national team matches. The total numbers entering each competition varied between 105 and 132. Not everyone entered all the aggregates: about 70 entered most of the minor ones and 105 the Hopton, which covers all seven individual competitions. The number of entries overall were up on last year.
The leading Notts. scorer was Mr SJ Whitby who came 23rd in the Hopton Aggregate. He was followed by Mr R Whitby in 38th place and Mrs F Day in 47th. In the individual competitions, the members of the Hopton Supper Club switched round places, the highest being achieved by Mrs F Day at 6th in the Halford. Mr SJ Whitby was the leading Nottinghamshire scorer in all the aggregates bar the Martin Parr when he was second to Mr R Whitby.
Mr SJ Whitby also shot in the TR Grand Aggregate and was placed 6th in the Maxwell Aggregate which combines the MR and TR aggregates.
The Elcho Match was again won by England. The team included Mr R Whitby as Adjutant and Mr SJ Whitby as one of the two Coaches.
The Hopton Supper Club includes several Notts. shooters and over the years their team in the FW Jones match has led the way. After 6 years of winning, they came 3rd in 2021. There was no match in 2022, and they were back in the lead in 2023; but could only make 4th place this year.
Nottinghamshire MR shooters' individual scores including team matches.
Target Rifle Results
Friday 19th to Saturday 27th July
Daily photographic reports are on the National Rifle Association Facebook page.
The Nottinghamshire contingent of ten riflemen shot for the prizes in the TR matches comprising the Grand Aggregate. Mrs LE Haley joined them for the King's Prize competition. Highlights are listed here with links to our detailed reports below. The total entry for the King's Prize was 742 (781/2023, 714/2022), and for the St. George's Vase 709 (742/2023, 686/2022). The Grand Aggregate attracted 646 (679/2023 654/2022) entries.
In the Grand Aggregate, the top Notts. shooter was Mr SJ Whitby at 40th place on 761.81v and second was Mr JA Bullock on 760.87v in 50th place. Third was Mr RSF Shouler in 66th place with 758.90v.
Leading places (top 20 in the Prize Lists) were achieved by the following:–
| Mr JA Bullock: | Daily Mail 20th 50.8v Aidan Reece Agg 20th 251.35v Century Range Agg 17th 669.78v Friday Agg 17th 146.17v Gurkha Appeal 8th 75.12 Hobson Agg 11th 223.29v Tucker Agg 12th 320.36v |
| Mr TJ Bullock: | Conan Doyle 16th 50.8v |
| Mr RSF Shouler: | The Times 7th 50.9v Fulton Agg 15th 399.53v Hobson Agg 20th 222.30v Lord Tedder Agg 17th 364.46v Marjorie Kier 9th 257.13v< Northland Agg 19th 177.22v/td> |
| Mr SD Shouler: | Daily Mail 13th 50.8v< Donaldson Agg 16th 179.23v Short Range Agg 15th 209.27v Stock Exchange Agg 18th 149.19v |
| Mr SJ Whitby: | Alexandra 14th 50.7v Conan Doyle 6th 50.9v Daily Telegraph 3rd 75.10v Chairman's O class 5th 143.18v Clementi Smith Agg 6th 175.23v Donaldson Mem I 10th 195.24v Elkington Agg 13th 145.15v New Zealand 13th 199.27v OTF Long 20th 146.19v Palma Agg 8th 195.24v Saturday Agg 4th 175.25v Stickledown Agg 15th 242.29v< Weekend Agg (TR) 9th 322.42v/td> |
There were nine Notts. entries for the St. George's Vase and eight qualified for stage II: Mr JA Bullock, Mr SD Shouler, Mr JT Kennedy, Mr RSF Shouler, Mr TJ Bullock, Mr M Rewston, Mr SJ Whitby and Mr RW Ramage. Four, namely, the two Shouler's and the two Bullock's qualified for Stage III; but could not beat the winner's score of 150.22v achieved by Mr J Corbett, who carried off the Challenge Vase.
Of the eleven Notts. entries for H.M. the King's Prize, five made it to stage II: Mr SD Shouler, Mr RSF Shouler, Mr JA Bullock, Mr MH Shaw & Mrs LE Haley. The stage I cut-off was at 102.8v. In stage II, only Mr RSF Shouler with 148.20v survived the cut and went on to make 65th place on 290.34v. The winner was Mr DC Luckman on 298.42v.
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 11th and 10th respectively and 9th in the combined Victor Ludorum aggregate (the same position as last year). Surrey were once again the winners of all three competitions.
Messrs RSF & SD Shouler entered the Families competition and came 2nd by one point behind the winners CJ Watson & JA Watson. Mr RSF Shouler partnered Mr CJ Watson in the class X Fulton Pairs and came 3rd with a total score of 501.60v (ex 510.102v)
Mr SD Shouler took part in the Opening Shot team shoot and collected an NRA Gold Medal as one of the winning team. Mr RSF Shouler was in a team for the Parting Shot and did likewise.
Team scores for County Championship, Families, Fulton Pairs, Opening & Parting Shots.
The full listings on the National Rifle Association website.