8 • Pillars of Country Sport


What a blast I


t’s a glorious summer’s day. I’m sipping coff ee on the terrace of an ivy-clad mansion, looking out


over a manicured lawn dotted with trees and shrubs, thinking what a perfect spot this would be for a picnic or a game of croquet. T en a loud crack rings out and a wisp of smoke rises from behind a hedge, and I’m reminded that this leafy, 150-acre corner of Middlesex is very far from being the genteel country retreat it fi rst appears. I’m soon joined by Mark Heath, the


manager here at the West London Shooting School. In the clubhouse he kits me out with a peaked cap, shooting vest and ear defenders (no need for safety glasses as I’m wearing specs). I’m then ushered into the gun room, where I’m handed a 12 bore over-and-under — the fi rst real gun I’ve ever seen, let alone held. It’s a strangely moving experience, and with its ornately engraved stock and polished wood butt, I’m struck by how something so lethal can be so beautiful. With my gun ‘broken’ over the


crook of my arm, I’m feeling every inch the country squire as we crunch our way along the gravel path to the shooting range. T e ground is littered with fragments of exploded clays (they’re actually made of bitumen, the same material that covers our


T e Countryside Experience • Sunday 12 August 2018


Chris Horton heads to the West London Shooting School for his fi rst ever clay pigeon shooting lesson


roads). I pick up an undamaged one. Resembling a miniature black frisbee, Mark tells me the school gets through more than two million a year. We’re soon at the fi rst ‘stand’ —


one of around 80 shooting stations, each partially enclosed by a low fence. Around 20 metres in front of us is the trap. Mark explains how varying the trajectory of the clays can simulate the fl ying styles of diff erent game birds. Pressing a button on a handheld controller, a clay zooms towards us, passing a few metres overhead; seconds later another whizzes past on the other side. Before I can start taking potshots,


I need to learn how to hold the gun. Mark gets me to rest my cheek against the stock. “Don’t hang on for dear life,” he says. “Hold the gun gently and tuck it into your shoulder. T ere’s no need to squeeze the thing!” I’m also told to stand less side-on, so my shoulder is better able to absorb the recoil. Mark then breaks open the gun,


loads a cartridge into the bottom barrel and sends a few clays overhead to get my eye in. “T ese are teal that are coming up from the river bank and gently fl ying towards you at about 20 to 25mph,” he explains. It’s time to get shooting, so I try to release the safety catch, but it won’t budge. It’s not just my sweaty fi ngers and nerves that are to blame, the ear defenders are having


Continued on page 10


GUN BOXES & SAFES SECURITY WITH STYLE


100’s of exhibitors


2 full days of events!


Indoor & outdoor activities for all the family


29TH & 30TH SEPT 2018


DONCASTER EXHI BI TI ON CENTER DONCASTER RACECOURSE, LEGER WAY , DONCASTER DN2 6BB


Established in 1997


Craig Mac Niven saw a gap in the market for contemporary, traditional yet practical solutions for the shooting industry. Combining his passion for cabinet making and country sports, Balindore was born. Each individual commissioned piece is handmade in our workshop based in the heart of Scotland, and our handcrafted


gunboxes exhibit the same hallmark of quality & style established in our interior furnishings. All materials are of the highest quality and Balindore prides itself on sourcing around the globe, bringing together the fi nest timbers and leathers such as Walnut, ostrich, shark, crocodile and elephant to produce timeless goods that can be passed down through generations.


Kingask Farm, Cupar, Fife, KY15 4PN, Scotland. T: +44 (0) 1334 653898 M: 07949 215865 E: info@balindore.co.uk


To see our extensive range of hand crafted traditional & contemporary furniture visit www.balindore.co.uk


EVENT SPONSORS: @balindoregunboxes (Instagram) EST 1970


BASC trophy measuring service each day


SAS Veteran


Pete Winner to do a talk on both days


COMPETITION BOTH DAYS Prizes each day to 3rd.


40 BIRD SPORTING


SAVE £’s, book your tickets online... WWW.SOUTHYORKSHIRESHOOTINGSHOW.COM


Check our website for full list of exhibitors.


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