Old Sedberghian Rifle Club – Public Schools’ Veterans 2024
Century Range Bisley – 18th July
The OS Rifle Club met for our annual shooting match at Bisley in Surrey against other school alumni rifle clubs. The match is held immediately after the Schools’ Ashburton Shield Competition which gives all those attending a chance to see today’s Sedberghians in action on the range.
In recent years we have entered 3 teams and this year did not disappoint with a total of 16 firers turning up along with several OS spectators. Team selection does not always reflect the scores, not least because those attending are particularly modest about their shooting. There is also an added challenge in that some of the younger shooters have often not shot for much of the summer, preferring to focus on exams and this may be their first shoot for some time which can lead to variable results. Others arrive having not shot for many years and still manage to make respectable scores with borrowed equipment. This means that the best scores are spread throughout the 3 teams and not in the “A” team which would have been placed 2nd had all the best scores not been spread across 3 teams.
The “A” team comprising: John Warburton, Peter Bromley, Will Squires, Harriet Bramwell and Sarah Rorison scored 240.24v and in spite of having two scores of 50 the team was placed 18th only 8 points behind the leaders Old Epsomians.
The “B” team was selected from the “young guns” of Harry Welch, Freddie Cade, Lewis Smith, Ollie Christy and George Wood scored 238.26v close on the heals of the “A” team and were 8th in the 2nd team competition only 7 points behind the winners, Old Bradfieldians. The “C” team was made up of a combination of age and youth, including: Mark Wrigley, Toby Lehmann, Charlie Anyon, George Cordle and Keira Butler scored 230.18v and were placed 6th, 10 places behind the Old Greshams “B” team.
In addition, Robbie Morton, who the Captain somehow managed to leave out of the teams shot as an individual.
The 3 teams contributed to the score for the Veterans Aggregate and were placed 5th.
In conjunction with the main competition is the hotly contested McMullen Trophy presented to the highest Old Sedberghian score on the day. John Warburton and Peter Bromley both had scores of 50.6 but were beaten by Ollie Christy with an excellent 50.7. Ollie was also placed a creditable 4th in the Schools Veterans Individual Tankard.
Once the shooting is over, we have always headed to a social event and this year we all met up with the School Team at the RAF Club for a BBQ, which was kindly put together and cooked by Ian and Hayley Christy aided by Will Peters (OS), supporting his daughter Tatty. We were joined by Guy Trembath, James Ogilvie Robertson (supporting daughter India), Charlie Cowan, Katherine Fleck, Will Ross, Rowan Piper and Carmen Alverez De Toledo. This event is a great opportunity for Old and current Sedberghians to meet in a social setting after a busy day on the range, with tales of life at Sedbergh and universities to be swapped and the occasional discussion about the days shooting. Shooting is a sport that does not differentiate between age or sex, and the many of those attending the evening went on to compete against each other throughout the NRA Imperial Meeting, with OS advice and guidance available for the School shooters competing in the meeting.
This shoot happens every year and we are always keen to hear from any OS Shooter who would like to attend. Given the numbers and level of interest in shooting from younger OS, we are always looking for ways to support those making the transition between shooting at School and then being able to carry on shooting while juggling studies or new jobs, not always in easy reach of ranges.
Toby Lehmann (SH 72-77)
