Bisley Spring Meeting 2022

Match Report

As comes the start of May, so follows the Combined Clubs Spring Meeting at Bisley. The National Rifle Club of Scotland was well-represented, with 14 Scots taking their place among the 76 competitors. A convivial dinner on Friday night in Elcho Lodge, skilfully catered by Silke Lohmann, kicked off the weekend and provided an opportunity to build some team spirit, to rival - or, some would suggest, surpass - that being fostered among the Woomera team elsewhere on Camp.

This was the first Spring Meeting to take place under standard procedure since Covid struck, but not all was quite as normal: the overheated global ammunition market meant that many people’s usual bullet of choice was unavailable, with Lapua 220s and Berger 210s among the options stepping into the breach. Despite the potential for difficulties, Scots quickly demonstrated that they were up to the challenge of embracing Match Rifle’s experimental roots.

Amid reasonably gentle fishtailing winds on Saturday morning, Zoe Woodroffe was one of just four possibles at 1000 yards, while Iain Thomson was one of only three at 1100. By the time we began shooting at 1200, winds - now from the right - were fast changing, dropping to zero before jumping back up in a matter of moments. Mike Buchanan put in the highest score on the range, 74.12. As match riflemen and women of all nationalities assembled in the garden of the English VIII for a reception after shooting, Angus McLeod led the Scots, on the satisfying score of 222.22 - in third place overall, divided from first and second by a handful of Vs. Only one V behind him was Iain Thomson, while three more Scots followed in the top 10: Ron Scaglione on 221.27, Mike Buchanan on 220.29, and Zoe Woodroffe on 220.26.

Dinner in the Surrey on Saturday night to raise money for the GB Match Rifle team’s tour to Australia in the autumn was an excellent occasion, as the charity auction gave some Scots an opportunity to demonstrate their generosity (or perhaps their shrewd eye for a bargain).

Sunday morning saw some higher scores, whether due to gentle conditions, or cobwebs successfully swept away on Saturday. Ron Scaglione, Jon Sweet, Guy Blakeney, Will Meldrum, Jim McAllister, and Keith Baxby provided six of the 11 possibles - Ron, Jon and Guy all with 11 Vs. This was to prove a false guide to the rest of the day, however. Already at 1100 the winds were picking up and proving more challenging, so that Jon Sweet’s 75.08 was one of only two possibles, while Angus McLeod, Guy Blakeney, Ron Scaglione and Will Meldrum provided four of the five 74s on the range. At 1200 things were harder still: with fast-changing winds at times coming from behind the firing point, all competitors were stretched and challenged. Only five shooters managed to break 70, among them Will Meldrum on 70.02 - cementing a solid performance all day, and winning the Martin Smith Challenge Cup for the Sunday Aggregate, a point ahead of 2nd placed Guy Blakeney.

Once the overall scores for the weekend has been added up, Scotland’s success was clear. Ron Scaglione came second overall, his 439.47 11Vs short of winner Nick Tremlett. Ron therefore also won the Scottish Eight Cup, followed by Iain Thomson on 436.43 and Mike Buchanan on 435.51. Mike placed second in the LD Ranken Memorial Trophy for the 1200 yard aggregate, five Vs ahead of Will Meldrum who took third. Zoe Woodroffe came second in the Powell Ladies’ Trophy, with 428.46. Ron, Iain, and Mike were joined in the top ten by Will Meldrum (435.37), Angus McLeod (432.46), and Guy Blakeney (430.44): an excellent result, and a promising sign for the rest of the season. Six out of the top ten, not much room for the English, Irish and Welsh!

Thanks to the English VIII for their organisation and to all at Bisley for ensuring the Meeting was not just good shooting but good fun as well.

Thomas Nightingale