151st Imperial Meeting – September 2020

151st Imperial Meeting – September 2020

Following the closure of Bisley ranges in late March due to the Corona virus pandemic, the NRA worked tirelessly on special government approved procedures to enable safe, socially distanced shooting to commence again in late May.

Initially limited to single individuals shooting on electronic targets, the restrictions were constantly reviewed over the next three months, eventually enabling the NRA to announce a shortened Imperial TR Meeting to be held between 11^th and 20^th September.

Shooting with only two to a marked target, WPRC fielded a squad of seven members. Alistair Bullen, John Cade, Ashley Coleman-Cooke, Bob Jackson, Colin Skellett, Tom Stevenson, and Nick Verduyn.

Team Shooting

With restrictions to groups of six, and no coaching, all team matches were cancelled apart from the Mackinnon and the National matches.

Individual Shooting

Prize list places were achieved by most of the squad over the nine days, with some notably outstanding successes.

Tom Stevenson. 12^th in The Lovell
Bob Jackson. 45^th in the Conan Doyle
Ashley Coleman-Cooke. 45^th in PW Richardson, 58^th in Daily Telegraph
Colin Skellett. 26^th in Alexandra, 32^nd in Lovell, 56^th in Daily Telegraph
Nick Verduyn. 5^th in The Wimbledon and 8^th in The Corporation, followed by securing his X status again, both with a 48^th position in the Grand Aggregate and with a top twenty finish of 19^th in the Queens Prize final.

Alistair Bullen. 6^thin the Admiral Hutton and then a 2^nd place following a tie shoot against Commonwealth multi-medalist Ian Shaw, in the 300-yard Times competition. This was followed up with another 2^nd place in a tie shoot, this time at 1000 yards in The Corporation against four times Gold Medalist Parag Patel who prevailed.
Ready for the start of Queens
Receiving Instructions from the RCO for the Corporation Tie Shoot
Game over!

We were all able to enjoy shooting in hot dry conditions, in famous competitions held each year since 1860 which have only ever been stopped previously by a World War. This feat in 2020 was made possible by some amazing organisational efforts by the NRA for which we were all very grateful.

Now that WAS one to remember!