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Whilst there is an increasing emphasis on team shooting, rifle shooting is normally considered to be an individual sport. There are competitions throughout the year across the world - it is possible to shoot in a different country almost every month of the year. Despite the number of competitions, Bisley in Surrey, UK remains the 'Mecca' for shooters worldwide. The photo to the right shows some of the elaborate and priceless silverware that is shot for annually at the NRA Imperial Meeting held at Bisley in the UK. There are so many different competitions that here we have only covered the most coverted - those that entitle the winners to initials after their names (you may have wondered what they meant in the team list, so here you can find out!). |
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The wire badges that are presented to individuals representing a team in the 'Big 5' Matches.
The Queen's Prize is generally regarded as the most coverted prize in the shooting world. It was first shot for in 1860 when the Sovereign (Queen Victoria) gave a prize of £250 for the winner. This amount has remained unchanged to this day although in the original days, it was a considerable sum. The winner earns the right to have the initials 'GM' after his or her name (as you may notice in our team list). As detailed in the section below, there are three stages to the competition, the winners of the second stage earn the initials 'SM'.
The final stage is shot on the last Saturday of the NRA Imperial meeting held in July. As the climax of the week, it is the most popular day with spectators as shooting becomes a spectator sport. Each of the 100 finalists has a board behind them showing where their shots have gone. A large score board at the top of Stickledown range keeps everyone up to date with the leader as the competitors shoot through the afternoon. After the winner is presened with the Gold badge (pictured below), he or she is chaired off by fellow team mates to the tune of 'See the Conquering Hero comes' following a military band and the range officials.
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Three people have won the Queen's Gold Medal on three occasions - AG Fulton, A Marion and TA Ringer. |
The Queen's Prize has three stages with only the top going through to the subsequent one. In most years well over 1000 competitors start off shooting 2 sighters and seven to count at 3, 5 and 600 yards. The top 300 qualify for the Second stage where they shoot 2 sighters and 10 rounds to count. From these 300, only 100 make the final stage. In the final stage, the shooters scores from the second stage are added to the scores they make shooting 2 sighters and fifteen to count at each 900 and 1000 yards.
The Grand Aggregate is a competition that can only be won by consistent shooting. The competition takes place during the Imperial Meeting in July at Bisley and spans a week. The winner and runner up both earn the right to the initials GC (Gold Cross) or SC (Silver Cross) after their names as well as receiving the appropriate medals. Those who make the top 50 win a bronze cross and this also qualifies them to shoot in the NRA's 'X' Class classification.
Jimmy Spaight is the only person to have won this competition 4 times. Of those who have finished in the top 50 of the Grand on more than 5 occassions, Simon Belither currently has the greatest number (22), there are 11 members of the our team in the list.
The Grand Aggregate is made up of 13 competitions (3 of which are the H.M. Queen's Prize first stage). There are 3 shoots at 300 yards (160 points), 3 at 500 (185 points), 4 at 600 (210 points), 2 at 900 (100 points) and 1 at 1000 yards (50 points). These give a total maximum score of 705.
Jane Messer, one of the top ladies in the sport (where men and women compete on equal terms), with her collection 