FT Blog: Bye Bye Winter

By the time this blog comes out, the Summer GP FT season will nearly be on us and the winter champions will be crowned. As it happens, it’s already done and dusted with a few players! Mark (Berty) Basset has put in some very high scores in Wales over winter, and, now he is back using his Steyr and has all but secured the Welsh title. Yes, Jack Harris did not do the whole series, but in the last Welsh shoot I saw him, Berty pumped him by four targets! Justin Wood has secured another winter series win down south and Andrew Gillott has made it five Midland Championships, only as I was not doing them of course!

Winter leagues

The winter leagues have seen a drop over the last few years in numbers competing, perhaps due to the weather or more so the economy? Travelling costs are getting steeper and steeper. Fine if your region is not so spread out, but some involve hundreds of miles and that’s off putting for most. Being one who is not so put off, I don’t mind putting in the miles for a good course. Trouble is, I am finding that many do not now come up to my own high standards that I have built into my own Oaktree course; 80-targets and nice flat firing positions with no mud! Might be an age thing, but I no longer enjoy sitting on a wet and muddy firing line and having to wash a bucket of mud off my kit when I get home! Yes, it’s a field sport, but a few simple slabs, chippings or even wooden boards can turn a swamp into a civilised seating position from which I can enjoy my shooting. As opposed to sliding about while trying to shoot!

So, my own winter travels have been cut back somewhat this year as quite frankly, I have not fancied going back to quite a few grounds, not when I have far better options just 15 miles away! I have however done four of the six CSFTA rounds, starting back last October with a few days away on the Isle of Wight. Nice little ground and the trip made a great family break, with a shoot on a Sunday morning; perfect! Indeed, bar the mud at North Oxon, I have found the CSFTA enjoyable enough to make me plan on doing winter 2018 down south myself? Nice bunch of people and mix of equipment and it is good to see the cards randomly (most of the time) being picked out for shooting partners, as it should be!

 

Standard course?

So, if winter is over nearly, it’s time for the BFTA season to start. That of course means hundreds of miles of travelling to some not very good grounds! Least its warmer! I have to say, some of the GP grounds in the last couple or three years have not been to my standard, but the trouble is there is not one! Perhaps it is time the BFTA set a course setting guideline and rules? More so, have them inspected by a top shooter and more importantly experienced course builder? Set one to catch one etc? At least then we could have some confidence that the next GP course will not have a boring amount of 50+ yard shots and have shooting positions Eddie the eagle could fly from!

 

Looking ahead

So, who will win in 2018? That’s easy, all the same ones from 2017! Watching the winter results there is no one that stands out as really improving in the last 12 months. it’s a bit sad that we don’t have any more young or new to sport shooters coming to mix it up with the establishment, but I just don’t see it.

CSFTA champion Justin Wood is planning like myself on cutting back a bit and not doing the whole BFTA GP series but will still be a contender when entered.

Dave Schofield has had a good winter in the North West. Andrew Gillott will lead the Midlands charge when attending, with James Osbourne in hot pursuit. Sadly, Scottish FT seems to have almost disappeared bar a few marauding Celts heading South for the summer, be nice to see them.

Puff Powder (Neil Hague) has once again dominated the N.East, but those boys want to expand their winter to 40 shots and add some wind to their courses! The best are in the west, Welsh west of course. As mentioned, Mark Basset is much harder to beat with his Steyr than he was with his Anschutz 9015, and could be leading the Welsh challenge from Jack Harris and Doz Falconer. Sadly, SWEFTA does not have a home contender but with a wandering Hungarian now settled in the region, Andras may be making the numbers up. Is Dan Eley still the S.East’s best shot? Not had it all his own way but usually makes good in the big pond. Simon Ayres and Nathan Reeve are the Fenlands top options, and both can win on any ground.

 

My predicted 2018 GP Top 10.

1. Jack Harris
2. Mark Basset
3. Red Gallagher
4. James Osbourne
5. Neil Hague
6. Ian Taylor
7. Simon Evans
8. Justin Wood
9. Dan Eley
10. Andy Calpin