Clay Shooting May 2021

This issue marks the end of an era, both for me and for this magazine. This is the last issue of Clay Shooting that will be published as a standalone magazine. From next month we are combining with the excellent Sporting Gun magazine – where you can follow your favourite writers and regular features that are transferring across. Contributors such as Matt Hance, Rhys Plum, Becky McKenzie, Jasper Fellows and James Simon will be appearing in Sporting Gun each month, with clay shooting features including clay gun and cartridge tests, articles on clay shooting technique, reviews of clay grounds, and much more. Sporting Gun editor Matt Clark is an old friend and colleague, and I know he will do an excellent job of catering for dedicated clay shooters as well as the…

First the bad news: this is the final issue of Clay Shooting magazine. The good news: we are merging with Sporting Gun – where you can continue to get your fix of clay shooting news, tips and kit reviews, and follow many of your favourite contributors, including Becky McKenzie, Matt Hance, Richard Atkins, Jasper Fellows and James Simon. If you have a subscription to Clay Shooting magazine, it will automatically be transferred to Sporting Gun, so you don’t have to do anything – your subscription will continue with the issue dated June 2021, which is on sale from 4 May. We’re writing to subscribers to confirm the details, but if you have any queries you can contact the team on 0330 333 1113, or email help@magazinesdirect.co.uk. Clay Shooting editor James Marchington said…

Clay grounds in England should be open for business by the time this issue goes on sale! After weeks of lockdown, the government announced that clay shooting and other outdoor sports could reopen on 29 March, as the next step in the ‘roadmap’ of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Clay shooting was permitted earlier in Wales and Scotland, albeit with restrictions on travel. At the time of going to press, Northern Ireland was in national lockdown. The sport’s governing body for England, the CPSA, said “We are pleased that our members can return to the sport they love We had hoped for an earlier date, but we are thankful that shooting grounds and our sport can open up in the first phase of lockdown easing.” “In line with the latest government guidance, shooting grounds…

Mike Brunton, who played a huge part in the development of clay shooting and of this magazine, died on 3 March at the age of 73. Shooters paid tribute to the man who staged Clay Shooting Classic events that are still talked about today. George Digweed MBE said “Mike was a top man, with top values, and the shooting world will be a far worse place without him. He will always be remembered for the Classics, but he did a lot more behind the scenes for shooting than people will ever realise.” Keith Fisher, who worked closely with Mike on Clay Shooting magazine, says “Mike’s interest in clay shooting was sparked by taking his boys to straw bale shoots on a Sunday morning, having himself started taking lessons from David Olive…

The Game Fair has been given the green the light to go ahead on its planned dates of 23-25 July at Ragley Hall. The fair’s managing director, James Gower, said “Having been in continuous talks with the local authority and Public Health England, we were already very confident, but a public statement such as this is incredibly important. Exhibitors and visitors have shown their optimism too, as trade stand and tickets sales accelerated immediately following the BBC’s live press briefing which confirmed the news that had been earlier announced in Parliament.” Rob Fenwick of EJ Churchill was thrilled too. “At last, we really are heading to a summer celebration,” he said “What an exciting event to look forward to for all the countryside. EJ Churchill will be in full support and…

Ian Coley Sporting is planning two big shoots in addition to their regular CPSA registered Sporting on the first Wednesday each month. There’s the rescheduled 50th anniversary 120 bird competition on 2-4 June at their ground near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. There are minimum guaranteed class and category prizes, as well as spot prizes, including limited edition 50th anniversary cartridges. The Ian Coley Ladies Open Sporting Competition returns on Saturday 11 September. “With cash prizes and over 3,000 Eley cartridges to be won, this is a date not to be missed,” they say. See iancoley.co.uk for details.…