After a successful Christmas Cup Shoot on 27th November, our annual BUCS Tournament was to follow on 3rd and 4th December. With club members gathering from far and wide, we arrived on Friday, to the finest Travelodge in Shropshire. We then efficiently established ourselves at the Shrewsbury Battlefield industrial park pub for some non-alcoholic beverages. Over these non-alcoholic beverages, the shooting club members rejoiced about past shooting club antics, a fantastic catch up with our two placement students van Raalte and Taylor, and of course ex club captain and ex club chair, Simon Bell. After waking to the sight of Benney and Sutton in full spoon, and with an unparalleled £3.99 industrial park pub breakfast in our tummies we departed for the Tournament hosted by West Midlands Shooting Ground.
Despite his hasty and erratic driving style, Kamal was the only club member to arrive late to the tournament, being pulled over by the constabulary for using his phone at the wheel (naughty). Once all members had congregated, we armed ourselves with 12 & 20 bore shotguns, Barbour jackets and red trousers (for me) in preparation for the worst speech in documented history, given by myself. Considering most of the BUCS team members are new to the clay discipline this year, and enduring an appalling pre-tournament speech, there was fantastic shooting by all. As expected, Stacey and Sutton came away with top-notch scores, 83 and 92 from 100, respectively. Well-done them. Other notable results included myself and Benney’s, with identical scores; I’m not sure who should be more offended. Unknowing of how we had performed, with other universities still to shoot, we left the ground.
Back at finest Travelodge in Shropshire, stocking up on non-alcoholic beverages en route, the preparation for the evening began. Once the make-up had been coated, top knots perfected (yes I’m looking directly at you Anthony), and personally drowning myself in Acqua Di Gio in a shockingly obvious attempt at impressing a certain club member, we were ready for the evening ahead. Posterior to non-alcoholic Ping Pong games, the club arrived at Shrewsbury’s finest Weatherspoons for the annual BUCS celebratory meal. It was at this point, we had our first casualty of the evening. The member who won’t be named (Adam Baci), was tired of all the shooting-related activity so made the decision of heading back to the Travelodge. Good decision. With only a few near-misses in the evening; namely Sutton climbing the Leaning Tower of Shrewsbury, Sutton again walking into the path of vehicle in full motion, and myself being asked to leave the Buttermarket due to a disagreement with another patron, the evening was a full success.
After consuming another £3.99 breakfast, we returned back to Bath, all equipment and cars away by 1600hrs GMT + 00. It was at this point the full results had been released. Emma Stacey had won the Women’s Individual Championship, and Ben Sutton finally winning the Men’s Individual Championship after failing for the previous three years. In addition, University of Bath Shooting Club had placed 3rd overall for the Men’s Team Championship, behind Harper Adams (shock) and RAU (shock). Highest contributing scores for the Men’s Team from Sutton, May and two of the identical scores from Philbedge, Benney, Jacobo and Pelayo.
Huzzah. A triumphant weekend.