2024 South West DTL Championship – Bradford Shooting Ground 10/8/24

I had a good crack at winning the 2024 South West DTL Championship at Bradford Shooting Ground yesterday, but it wasn’t to be.

A well shot 98/294 isn’t enough when you have top class shooters from the South West and beyond in form!

The day had all the feel and buzz of a major event, even though there were only 8 squads, and at halfway it was so tight that the title could have gone to any one of 9 shooters depending on how things played out.

Simon Ede, Stuart Taylor, Colin Chidley, and Phil Morgan (who couldn’t take the trophy home to Wales, but could still take the High Gun spot and the class win) were all on 50/149.

Behind them were Mike Webber, Matt Rowland, and myself on 147, and Chris Smyth right behind us on 50/146. Richard Chapple and Barny Jackson were next on 145.

And it wasn’t just the top shooters going well either. Conditions were near perfect, if a little damp and humid, and the overcast grey sky made the targets shine like beacons. Even the lower classes were turning their fair share of targets to dust!

By the end of round three the leading group had thinned out a bit.

Stuart was leading the way on 75/224, with Simon and Phil 1 point behind him on 75/223. Chris, enjoying and gelling with his new Browning ProTrap rather nicely, was next on 75/220. I’d missed my second target by then and was tagging along with him on 73/219.

With the leaders shooting as they were, it felt like Chris and I were just a bit too far behind to challenge them, especially since Stuart looked really comfortable and like he was going to go the distance.

Unfortunately, perhaps because he saw the winning line, or maybe because the pressure of those chasing him bubbled just a bit too much, he missed two whole targets and barrelled four others in his last round, dropping 10 points to finish on 98/289.

The battle between Simon and Phil went Simon’s way in the end. He finished with an excellent 100/298, pipping Phil to the top spot by 1 point, and is South West DTL Champion for 2024.

Phil took 2nd in AA class with his 100/297.

Chris finished with a solid 100/295, but as there wasn’t a prize for third in AA he, like me, had to fall back on the satisfaction of a decent score well shot.

Not much wrong there - but DTL is all about fine margins!

Richard did enough with his 99/292 to win the South West DTL Veterans title, and Matt’s 98/288 won him the Juniors title, and B class by a single point - Keith Woolcock took 2nd in B with 97/287!

Completing the set of trophy winners, Tina Hill won the South West DTL Ladies title with an 86/252.

Mike won A class with his 99/291, Colin took 2nd in A with his 98/290, and 3rd in A was Stuart - at least he he didn’t walk away empty handed after shooting so well!

The C class win went to none other than Al Dungey who shot a 97/282 (he’ll be moving up soon if he keeps putting in scores like that!). Mike Bolt took 2nd in C with 93/276.

Thanks to Matt at Bradford for holding the shoot for us, Dick who helped with trap filling duties all day, and to everyone who took part for making it a really good, close, and fun competition.