Young Shots team at Scrainwood, Northumberland. From left to right Oliver Gillingham, Ben Buckley, Tom Skillen and Cain Stewart.
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) North Region has a thriving Young Shots programme of which we are their co-ordinators for Northumberland and Durham. Many young members have enjoyed some great experiences and wonderful days out in the British countryside in recent years as a result. The aim is to help young people promote shooting sports and the conservation of the countryside and to give something back to the people who, through their unfailing support, help the Young Shots programme. Our excellent, award winning, fully qualified coaches, enthusiastically support the programme in many different ways.
Like rugby, shooting encourages traditional gentlemanly behaviour, shaking hands when greeting people, and remembering their manners is expected, yet we have never had to explain that to young people who come from all walks of life, they want to shoot and be involved so much, they are always on their best behaviour!
When learning to shoot, young members are always closely supervised and the coach remains in complete control of the guns we use. We firmly believe that if young people learn to shoot safely and competently following BASC codes of practice, it equips them with the right skills which will serve them well for the rest of their lives ensuring both their own safety and those around them. Accidents involving properly trained individuals in shooting are exceptionally rare thank goodness, and the phrase ‘safe shooting is no accident’ is an accurate one. Shooting is one of, if not the, safest sport around.
Many parents ask at what age their offspring can learn to shoot clay pigeons. Please give us a ring and have a chat, our coaches will ensure they only start to learn at the right stage of their development as safety is always paramount and we want them to thoroughly enjoy their first shooting experience.
We are very enthusiastic about bringing young people
into shooting sports once they are old enough, they are the future of the sport. Shooting teaches them so many positive character traits, concentration, self- discipline, lateral thinking, tactics, safety and respect for others amongst many. It also gives them a sense of responsibility at an earlier age than they perhaps otherwise would. The BASC Young Shots receive many outstanding unsolicited positive compliments on their behaviour wherever they go and their maturity belies their ages. They are a credit to BASC, shooting sports and their families, and we often have a good laugh with them, interesting characters indeed!
We are very fortunate to have some outstanding young people coming through the BASC Young Shots programme including:
Cain Stewart
Northumberland County Colts/Junior Skeet Champion 2018. Bywell, Northumberland 18.11.18
BASC Young Shots Ambassador.
BASC North Young Shots shooting team.
Team GB/British Shooting Olympic Pathway, 2016 – 2019. Gun supplied by Beretta and supported by Northumberland Sporting Clays together with our friends at Bywell Shooting Ground, Felton, Northumberland. NE65 9QQ. (www.bywellshootingground.co.uk)
Class winner, British Grand Prix, South Wales, (Olympic Skeet) 2017
North of England junior English Skeet Team member (Bronze medal winners, British Open, Doveridge, 2016)
North of England Colts Champion, English Skeet, 2016, covering Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Teeside, Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
Gold medal winner ATEO junior rifle shooting Regional Finals, Highclere Castle, Newbury, Berkshire 2013.
Silver medal winner, ATEO junior rifle shooting National Finals, Weston Park, Shropshire. 2013.
Gold medal winner ATEO junior rifle shooting Regional Finals, Lowther, Cumbria, 2012.
Silver medal winner, ATEO junior rifle shooting National Finals, Weston Park, Shropshire, 2012.
8th November 2012 – Appeared in a ‘Sporting Kids’ feature on him on BBC Look North programme following publicity in the Morpeth Herald newspaper regarding shooting achievements. Filmed and interviewed extensively whilst clay pigeon shooting with Northumberland Sporting Clays in, Northumberland aged 9.
Becky Clarey
North of England Junior English Skeet team. Bronze medal winners British Open, Doveridge, 2016.
Oliver Gillingham
BASC North Young Shots shooting team.
Ben Buckley
BASC Young Shots Ambassador.
BASC North Young Shots shooting team.
Thomas Skillen
BASC North Young Shots shooting team.
Amy Brown
Team GB Olympic Pathway.
BASC North Young Shots team.
Erin Brown
BASC North Young Shots shooting team.
Conor Thorman
BASC North Young Shots shooting team.
Lewis Westall
Becky Clarey and Lewis Westall
BASC North Young Shots Ambassador.
Murray MacGregor
BASC North Young Shots shooting team
Sam Dunlavy
BASC North Young Shots shooting team.
Parents or family members interested in introducing young people to the wonderful world of shooting sports, please just give us a ring and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have and supply any advice you may need.
Contact Northumberland Sporting Clays on 01670 774380.
