How To Enter

Simply turn up at the advertised venue on the day of the event. There is no need to book in advance, although there are limited places available for each of the two sessions so it's best to arrive early to avoid disappointment.  If you are travelling a long distance to get to the event, you may contact the organisers to reserve a place for you.  Spectators are also welcome, although we cannot guarantee that all of the course will be open to spectators for safety reasons.

What does it cost?

The cost of entry for any of the competitions is £4 for Adults and £2.50 for juniors (14 and under) The entry fee does not include the cost of badges as not everyone will win a badge and not everyone may want a badge. So this seemed the fairest way to price the competitions.  There may be a nominal fee ( normally £1 ) for spectators to cover insurance.  All visitors and guests must report to the Stats office to sign in before being allowed onto the course.

Who can enter?

The events are open to everyone although an adult (21 or over) must accompany shooters under the age of 17. The shooter does not have to be a member of NEFTA or the BFTA but will be required to sign in on the day for insurance purposes.

What equipment is needed?

Any legal limit (12 foot/pound or under) airgun may be used to enter the competitions. It's that simple – as long as it is under 12 foot/pound it can be used.

The Day of the Competition – a run through

OK – lets run through a basic competition day. There will be 2 start times for each competition. The first round of competitors will start at 9am and the second round will start at 11-30am. Lets assume you have decided to shoot the first round (9am) it would be advisable to aim to arrive at the venue around 1 hour before the start time (8am). This will give you plenty of time to find your bearings and get everything sorted before the competition starts.

Booking in

Once you have parked the car the first job is to find the Stats office and book in for the competition. If you have any trouble finding the Stats office just ask someone – they will point you in the right direction. Once at the stats office you will be asked for your name and then you will be allocated a lane number. The Stats person will give you your scorecard, which will have your starting lane marked on it – just in case you forget. Put the scorecard in a safe place until you are ready to shoot the competition. If you are not a member of NEFTA or the BFTA then you should mention it to the Stats person and they will get you to sign in for the day to make sure you are covered by the insurance.

Plinking or Food

This is a little like the advert – Daddy or Chips? – There is no right answer - Some people like to go back to the car, get their gun and head for the plinking range to check the gun is still working as it was the last time they shot it. Other people decide to go straight for the Bacon sandwich option. Once you do get to the plinking range you will find targets set out at all different ranges. You may get straight on to the plinking range or you may have to wait until a space becomes available. You shouldn't have to wait too long before you can test your pride and joy. Right – it should now be about 8-45am and you have 15 minutes before the comp is about to start. You have checked that the gun is working as it should be and you have booked your place in the competition.

Final check before the comp.

Now is the time to return to the car and make sure you have everything you will need for the comp. If your gun requires compressed air then fill it up – the stint on the plinking range will have used some air and its best to start the competition without the worry of running out of air halfway round the course. People shooting self-contained guns (Spring guns etc.) can grin to themselves and feel a little smug at this point - Time for an equipment check – make sure you have the following items :

• Your gun – fully charged and ready to go.
• Pellets and whatever you plan to carry them round the course in.
• Your scorecard from the stats office.
• A pen to fill the score card in.
• Your cushion (if you plan to use one)
• Some people like to take a small bottle of water / pop with them.
• Any extra clothing you plan to take round with you – if it's a hot sunny day it would be wise to take a hat.

The Safety Briefing

Just before the comp starts there will be a safety briefing to remind all competitors of the rules for the day. All competitors must attend so when you hear the call make your way (with all your equipment) to the briefing.

Shotgun Start

Once the briefing has ended everyone will be asked to make their way to their lanes. This is the lane that was allocated to you at the Stats office when you booked in and should be written on your scorecard. Follow the crowd of people onto the course and find the correct lane to start on – they will be clearly marked but don’t be afraid to ask if you feel lost. Three people will be assigned to each lane so you will have two people to shoot the competition with. Introduce yourself and agree what order you will shoot in. If this is your first competition make it known and the other people will give you pointers along the way to help you settle in.

The first shot

The competition will start once all competitors have reached their lanes and the marshals give the all clear signal. Each competitor in your group will take 1 shot at the target in your lane. While one competitor shoots another will mark his scorecard and the other will just try to be of help to the current shooter (pulling up targets or passing the gun to a prone shooter if required etc.) Once you have all shot the target it is time to move onto the next one. If you started part way round the course then you will return back to target 1 when target 30 has been shot. Once you have shot all 30 targets you have finished.

They think it's all over

At this point your group should check all the scorecards and add up the totals. Once they have been agreed and written in the correct box the cards must be signed by one of the shooters in your group (you cannot sign your own card) and returned back to the stats office.

What if there is a problem during the competition?

There will be marshals dotted around the course and these will be able to help with any problems that arise while you are shooting the competition. If you have any concerns or problems please ask for a marshal.