Sixteen prize lists, multiple medals, and just a few whiskies later, it’s safe to say that the OSRA exceeded itself at the 150th Imperial Meeting. 

The Imperial began for OSRA with the remarkable success of the Schools Veterans. With two full teams entered, all the OS were looking forward to reuniting at Bisley. What the seasoned OSRA marksmen could never have expected was for Harry Pawlik (2013 M) and Harriet Aburn (2018 L) to steal the show, both scoring a Highest Possible Score (HPS) of 50.6 (ex 50.10) respectively. Harry won on countback, claiming the OSRA Veterans Champion shield, but both Harriet and Harry should be immensely proud of their performances. Overall, the B team scored an incredible 245.20, positioning fourth in the Second Team Aggregate, whilst the A team scored 240.20 (ex. 250.50).
In the main Target Rifle Meeting, OSRA entered six Old Suttonians: Tom Fermor (2009 L), Chris Pawlik (2011 M), Chris Dale (2007 C), Ted Ervine (2019 H), Chris Youngman (2016 M) and me. The main meeting is comprised of 11 shoots, all individual competitions in their own right, that, in turn, make up the Grand Aggregate, which is often considered to be the most challenging competition at the Imperial.

Despite challenging conditions at times, there were nevertheless some particularly impressive performances amongst the Old Suttonians. Chris Pawlik, proving that he prefers long range to short, found the bull at 900x in the Duke of Cambridge, coming 38th with a score of 49.6 (ex 50.10). Chris Youngman and I came 100th and 55th respectively in the Times with scores of 48.4 and 50.5, whilst I also had a good Conan Doyle shoot with a 49.7. Ted Ervine, shooting in his first Imperial, met this high standard by scoring a 49.4 at 600x in the Wimbledon match. For such a young marksman – and indeed for any marksman – this is exceptional shooting.

As part of the Grand Aggregate, there are also two major competitions – the St George’s and the Queen’s – that have further stages, should competitors meet the high standard. In the first stage of the George’s, which was a 2x15 shoot at 300x, I scored an HPS of 75.9/75.15, whilst Chris Youngman and Tom Fermor scored 73.8 and 73.5 respectively. This meant that all three of us went forward to the second stage.

In the second stage, held at 600x, I managed to score a 73.7, whilst Chris and Tom scored 71 and 69.5 respectively, as they struggled with some challenging wind. With my aggregate score of 148.16, I was through to the final. I finished with a 72.7 in the George’s Final, which landed me at 90th overall – admirable for a first final.

In the Queen’s, one of the most prestigious target rifle competitions in the world, the first stage is a 2x7 at 300x, 500x, and 600x. On the day, with remarkably difficult fishtailing winds, there were some uncharacteristically low scores even from the very best shooters. With a final score of 102.11 (ex 105.21), I was tasked with waving the OSRA flag in the second stage of the Queen’s.

The second stage – 2x10 at 300x, 500x, and 600x – was much simpler, with considerably more consistent winds. I finished with 147.16 (ex 150.30), which, due to the conditions, put me right on the borderline of getting through to the final. After a nerve-wracking tie shoot, I was through to the final. 

The Queen’s Final is one of the major spectacles of full-bore rifle shooting. I had to provide a scorer, Tom Fermor, who plotted my live shots on an A3 scoresheet behind the firing point. With an audience made up of my family, Durham and Exeter University shooters, and, of course, OSRA, I certainly felt the pressure to perform. I was nevertheless able to put on a show for my onlookers, scoring an HPS of 75.9 (ex 75.15) at 900x. The 1000x shoot was more difficult, at which I scored 71.7. Overall, I came 70th in the Queen’s, an excellent first final for me, and for OSRA. 

This commemorative Imperial is a landmark achievement for OSRA. All of the Old Suttonians who shot in the meeting this year should be proud of their achievements – I have seen a remarkable amount of potential that I hope to tap into in the coming year. Most importantly, though, the team spirit, echoing that of the SV Shooting Team from bygone years, was infectious. This is what will continue to drive the club forward to future successes, and this is why I am proud to be the OSRA club captain.