At Pellpax, we put a lot of effort into our unique delivery service. Over the years, we’ve honed the service, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and effectively. We know that we’re doing a pretty good job, because our customers are telling us so!
A Pellpax van in YorkshirePellpax vans ready to goPellpax van in Lincoln
“The delivery guy caught me eating my tea!”
We’ve all waited in for a delivery that didn’t come – or that was late. In fact, it’s a sad fact that many of us now expect to be let down at this final stage of purchase.
So, when one Pellpax customer was given an estimated delivery time, he … well, let’s just say, he didn’t take it seriously.
Our customer, however, was pleasantly surprised when the Pellpax van arrived bang on time.
“The delivery guy caught me eating my tea!”
“They went above and beyond to sort it”
Occasionally, there’s a problem with an item that we send out. This happened to a customer who has made numerous purchases from Pellpax over the past five years. As always, we did our very best to sort out the problem to the customer’s satisfaction.
This customer was kind enough to leave a review.
He says that Pellpax, who are “always exceptional in their customer service,” ended up swapping the rifle for a much better one.
“The staff are more than happy to answer any queries, both by phone and email. They went above and beyond to sort it.”
“Superb, quite excellent old-fashioned service”
A large proportion of Pellpax staff are experienced shooters. Several are expert gunsmiths too. So there’ll always be someone at the end of the phone who can help with queries and problems.
“Pellpax always answer the phone in under 10 seconds, sometimes less, and the team are always available and happy to give you the most up-to-date help and advice when you call them.
“I have got to know some of the delightful gentleman who drive the iconic white Pellpax vans; they always have a smile on their face, and I cannot criticise them in any way.
“I would strongly and thoroughly recommend this company to anyone purchasing outdoor shooting equipment and accessories, and I have absolutely no intention of ever changing.”
“The delivery of my order was exactly as promised”
Chris working with The Pellpax Map
At Pellpax, all office staff and drivers work very hard to ensure that deliveries are on time. This weekly operation is orchestrated by Logistics Coordinator, Chris, and supported by a trusty visual aid – a large map of the British Isles, studded with colour-coded drawing pins.
This customer wrote a review after purchasing from Pellpax for the first time.
“You can imagine how delighted I was, both with the professional support of the staff, and with the excellent quality of the merchandise. The delivery of my order was exactly as promised, even down to the time.”
Contact us on 01263 731 585
If you’d like to speak to one of our advisers about our delivery service, or if you would like information about any of the products we sell, give us a call on 01263 731 585 or email [email protected].
Pellpax is, primarily, an online retailer. Customer service is something we take very seriously, and this is reflected in numerous positive reviews and a lot of repeat custom. Face-to-face contact with customers, therefore, is a rare treat, and this weekend, at the Northern Shooting Show in Harrogate, it’s like all our birthdays have come at once!
Keith
Keith is a middle-aged man from Middleton, in Yorkshire, looking to buy a summer deerstalking jacket.
Not so long ago, Keith suffered a heart attack. In the interests of his health, Keith knows that he has to slow down a little, and so he’s decided to take up an enjoyable, stress-free pastime. He’s chosen deerstalking.
With an Environmental Health Food Hygiene certificate, Keith is permitted to butcher deer carcasses and to distribute the meat. I say ‘distribute’ rather than ‘sell’, because Keith makes no attempt to make money from deerstalking.
“I give venison to the old people in the village,” Keith tells me. “I’m actually one of the youngest people in Middleton.”
A particularly charming feature of Middleton is the Annual Village Feast.
“I’m a keen fisherman,” says Keith. “For years, I’ve provided salmon and trout for the Feast. Now I provide venison, too.”
Colin and Marie
A tall, bearded young man approaches the stall. He’s wearing torn jeans and an orange hoodie; his arms and neck are heavily tattooed; his ears and nose are adorned with metal studs. The young man’s heavy brows are drawn together in a frown as he peers into a glass cabinet at the Umarex pistols.
When he speaks, his voice is gentle, and his face melts into a smile. “I’m looking for a birthday present,” he says. “For my nan.”
A petite lady of advanced years (yes, I mean old) grins up at her grandson. “I’m taking up target shooting,” she says. “Colin’s teaching me.”
Colin’s grandmother, Marie, tells us about her life-long ambition to shoot.
“There never seemed to be a good time. I brought up six children, and somehow got involved in bringing up their children! Then my mother was really poorly and needed a lot of care. She moved into residential care, where she died seven years later, shortly after my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.”
Colin’s long arm wraps around Marie’s shoulder. “Granddad died earlier this year,” he says.
Colin, a trainee architect, has been shooting for about five years.
“I’ve picked up a few medals in local competitions,” he says, “But I’ll never make the big time. I’m concentrating on my career. But I really do enjoy target shooting, and I’m looking forward to teaching Nan – she’s gonna be brilliant!”
Alan
Alan, from Wolsingham in County Durham, is, essentially, a creature of habit.
Allan Willey with the Zbroia Kozak
“I’ve been a Weihrauch guy since 1974,” he tells us.
But when the Zbroia Kozak appeared on the market, Alan was love-struck!
A lightweight and well-balanced bullpup with sensitive trigger and built-in barrel shroud, the Kozak is ideal for quarry shooting. The rifle is named after the Cossacks – democratic, self-governing communities in Russia and Ukraine, who turned their backs on serfdom and religious persecution. Cossack means ‘free man’.
“People are going mad for the Kozak,” says Alan. “I’m left-handed, so the ambidextrous stock is perfect for me.”
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May: 24,000 visitors flock to the beautiful town of Harrogate for the famous Northern Shooting Show. Around 300 exhibitors – manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, publishers, caterers, and trade organisations – gather together at the Yorkshire Event Centre for one of the most prestigious events in the UK shooting calendar. And the sun is shining.
Show organiser, Richard Stokoe, tells me that the show is growing bigger every year. However, size isn’t everything. Richard explains that it’s essential to maintain balance.
“We’re a shooting show; we represent all disciplines in equal measure.”
Just like the British Shooting Show (NEC, February), the Northern Shooting show reflects the relaxed, responsible attitude of the UK’s shooting community. Children are well behaved, dogs are under control, and security is apparently redundant. An atmosphere of courteous bonhomie pervades.
Pellpax Sells Umarex Guns
On Friday 10th May, eight members of the Pellpax team travel from headquarters in Norfolk to the Yorkshire Event Centre. The bulk of our stock, this weekend, consists of Umarex products, like the PX4 Storm, a dual ammo CO2 pistol, which looks and feels just like the Beretta firearm it emulates. This 16-shot repeater will have you shooting as fast as you can pull the trigger!
One of the most popular guns on the Pellpax stand is the Umarex Glock 17 Dual Ammo. This low-power black pistol has an eight-shot magazine with the capacity to fire either 4.5mm BBs or .177 pellets. Powered by 12g CO2 cartridges, with double-action trigger and a blowback feature that simulates the recoil of the live-firing version, the Glock 17 Dual Ammo is ideal for plinking and target practice. This pistol is 200mm in length, weighs 795g, and comes with a Glock hard case.
Trade Relations
Kevin Godwin with the Weihrauch HW45 Bronze Star
Weihrauch, care of Hull Cartridge
It’s always a pleasure to catch up with friends and associates in the shooting industry, and the NSS provides the perfect opportunity. I drop by for a chat with the guys from Hull Cartridge, the sole UK distributor of Weihrauch products. Kevin Godwin shows me some of Weihrauch’s newest products, and one of these, in particular, really grabs my attention.
The spring-operated HW45 Bronze Star, available in both .177 and .22 calibres, has a light, adjustable, two-stage trigger, ambidextrous, laminated grip, and a 13mm scope rail. The barrel is 170mm long, and the pistol’s overall length is 280mm. The Bronze Star has a power rating of 5.5 ft/lb – below the FAC limit. This lovely-looking pistol is ideal for close-range pest control.
Airgun Show
James Hancock (left) and Ross Mitchell talk to the Airgun Show
Over the last couple of years, Pellpax has enjoyed a close working relationship with the staff of Airgun Shooter magazine and the Airgun Show, both owned by Future PLC (formerly Future Publishing). During the NSS, two Pellpax experts were interviewed for the Airgun Show. The episode can be viewed later this month.
Contact Us
For more information about any of the products on the Pellpax website, or for queries about our delivery service, just give us call on 01263 731 585. Out experts will be pleased to help.
Just three days to go before the Northern Shooting Show! This year it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. And Pellpax will be there!
This is Pellpax’s first visit to the Northern Shooting Show in Harrogate, and the team is getting ready for a busy weekend. The weather’s going to be marvellous – well, I like to think so, anyway – and there’s loads of free parking. Come and see our wide range of airguns and accessories, and take advantage of our special show prices.
Here’s a taster of what Pellpax will have to offer at the show.
Umarex Colt Peacemaker
The ‘real’ Peacemaker was first designed in 1972 by Colt, holding the position of standard military service revolver until 1892.
This handsome replica first made an appearance in 2015, and it’s enjoyed widespread popularity ever since. The durable Colt Peacemaker Antique .177 pellet air pistol from Umarex is made almost entirely of metal, with well-finished moving parts for a realistic shooting experience.
The CO2 capsule is concealed within the pistol grip. The grip is adjusted with a hex key (Allen key), which is incorporated into the grip itself. This is a great feature, because it means you’ve always got the right tool with you.
Umarex Legends S25 Revolver
The Umarex Legends S25 Revolver .177 is a heavy, nickel-coated pistol. This replica revolver is powered by a 12g CO2 capsule that’s housed in the pistol’s grip. Each CO2 capsule will give you 60 shots.
For a really precise shot, you can cock the hammer and then pull the trigger to fire the pellet. Alternatively, the trigger can be repeatedly pulled to fire off all six shots in quick succession.
Umarex Legends Makarov
The Legends Makarov 4.5mm BB air pistol from Umarex is an almost exact replica of the original Makarov, which was first built in the Soviet Union in 1951. Popular with defence agencies all over the world, the original version of this pistol is still in service today. The frame and all working parts are made of metal, and the comfortable grips are polymer.
Discounted Prices
So come and say hello to the Pellpax team. And don’t forget – there’s a special show price on every item!
At 11.59 p.m. on Thursday 25 April 2019, Natural England revoked the following general licences:
GL04 (to kill or take certain species of wild bird to prevent serious damage or disease)
GL05 (to kill or take certain species of wild bird to preserve public health or public safety)
GL06 (to kill or take certain species of wild birds to conserve wild flora or fauna)
Although new general licences are being put in place, we still need to exercise control over destructive wild birds.
How?
Scare them off with a blank-firing pistol from Pellpax.
Let’s have a look at a few blank-firing pistols from two of the best-known brands.
Bruni
The Bruni brand was spawned in the late 1950s by Bruna Bruni. In the beginning, the company was a supplier of component parts, but twenty years on, in the late 1970s, Bruni took great strides into the design and manufacture of replica guns.
Bruni Olympic 6 – 6mm
Bruni’s Olympic 6 blank-firing revolver is the archetypal starter pistol. The Olympic 6 has a rotary 8-round magazine, and, just like with many live-firing revolvers, it has a trigger that can be either single or double action. This sturdy little stalwart, which fires 6mm blanks, is used in dog training and professional sporting events all over the world. Why not try some crimped blanks for an extra loud bang!
Bruni Model 96 – 8mm
The Bruni Model 96 blank-firing pistol is made of metal, with grip plates made of wood, giving it a great feel and a realistic appearance. This pistol emulates the iconic M1911 pistol, which was designed by John Browning (1855-1926), one of the most influential firearms designers in history. This pistol has a magazine capacity of eight rounds and takes 8mm blank cartridges.
Bruni Model P4 – 8mm
Made in the likeness of the classic Beretta PX4 Storm, this popular Bruni pistol is a large blank firer with a 10-round magazine housed in the grip. The orange-and-black Model P4 is semi-automatic, 8mm calibre, and made of zinc, which gives it a satisfying weight This is another pistol that makes a lot of noise!
Retay
Retay is a Turkish company, founded in 2006.
Retay 84FS – 9mm PAK
The Model 84FS is a realistic-looking, blank-firing pistol made of metal and coated in Cerakote for long-lasting strength. This double-action pistol is finished in blue and takes 9mm cartridges.
Retay Eagle LU
If you’re looking for a strong and durable blank-firing pistol, the Retay Eagle LU is a fantastic choice. This pistol has a full metal body with a durable Cerakote coating and a blue finish. The pistol is single action, has a manual safety, and a 9mm calibre.
Retay G19C
The G19C from Retay is a powerful and good-looking blank-firing pistol that’s ideal for bird scaring. Made of metal, and Cerakote coated, this 9mm pistol is finished in the characteristic Retay blue.
Bang!
If, at the moment, we can’t protect crops and livestock by shooting the birds that attack, we can scare the birds off with blank-firing pistols. These replicas make a good loud bang, and are really effective in deterring pests.
If you’d like to learn more about blank-firing pistols, or any of our other products, just give us a call on 01263 731585 to speak to one of our experts.
On the weekend of 11th and 12th May, this hugely popular retail show will be opening its doors for the fourth year running, and this time it will be bigger than ever. The Northern Shooting Show, which takes place at the Yorkshire Events Centre in Harrogate, is one of the most important events in the UK shooting calendar. Retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers from all over the world will be showcasing their products at this famous venue – and here’s some more good news: there’s lots of free on-site parking!
The Pellpax team is busy preparing for the show. We’ll have loads of great products on sale, including the Walther PPK/s – a blowback pistol with a full-metal frame and 15-round magazine – and the Glock 17 Dual Ammo – another blowback pistol that simulates the realistic recoil of the live-firing version. We’ll also be bringing along the popular Umarex 850 Air Magnum XT Kit – a CO2 air rifle, which comes complete with the Walther 3-9 x 40 scope, with mounts; a bipod, mounted on a metal weaver rail; and a sound moderator.
Umarex 850 Air Magnum XT Kit
We’re really looking forward to meeting some of our customers, so if you’re at the show, please do come and say hello!
At the 2019 British Shooting Show, in February, Pellpax talked to Daystate’s Tony Belas about the Patagonia, an eye-catching and innovative new semi-bullpup PCP air rifle from Daystate’s sister company, Brocock.
The gun – available to buy at the end of April – is based on an adaptation of one of its predecessors, the Bantam Sniper HR.
Claudio Flores
The backstory of the Brocock Patagonia begins in October 2018, where airgun shooters from all over the world gathered in Mesa, Arizona, to compete in one of the toughest and most prestigious international shooting events.
The Extreme Benchrest Championships – an annual four-day competition with high-value prizes up for grabs – is notorious for attracting the world’s highest-performing shooters and for showcasing the industry’s very best airguns.
Of the top 30 Pro-Class finalists, 12 were shooting a Daystate Red Wolf, and 15 used an FX Impact or Crown. As an interesting aside, Fredrik Alexsson, who, in 1999, founded the Swedish airgun manufacturer FX Airguns, took third place with his FX Impact. Justin Welsh, in second place, also shot an FX Impact.
The overall winner of the event was Claudio Flores, a 35-year-old Chilean, whose living is made through hunting in the mountainous and desert landscape of Patagonia.
Patagonia is an area in South America of approximately 1,043,000 km2, which covers a large portion of Argentina and Chile, including the southern end of the Andes mountain range, where temperatures can plummet to as low as -15°C. Via his YouTube channel, Chile Patagonia Airguns, Claudio and his 13-year-old son, Dan, offer the shooting world a glimpse of their unusual way of life through stunning photography and Claudio’s expert airgun reviews.
“Claudio did really well at the 2017 Extreme Benchrest,” Tony told us. “He came to the attention of Daystate and Brocock with his skill and positive attitude, and so he was supported with spares and equipment as he prepared in Patagonia in the months before the EBR match 2018.”
The Brocock Bantam Patagonia
Brocock Patagonia
In certain categories of the competition, Claudio shot a Daystate Red Wolf, but for the Extreme Benchrest Challenge he chose the match-winning Brocock Bantam.
Tony told us, “He’d tuned up the Bantam to 58 ft/lbs, and had adapted a 62 cm Red Wolf polygon barrel in .22. Claudio had also made modifications to the hammer, stroke, and secondary chamber. Brocock looked at his modifications and adapted them for production in the Brocock Patagonia.”
Inspired by this proven winning formula from Claudio Flores, the Bantam Patagonia has certainly moved the benchmark in PCP airgun design.
The Brocock Patagonia, which comes out in April, will be available from Pellpax. Keep an eye on our site, or contact us if you wish to preorder.
The Northern Shooting Show takes place on 11th-12th May, in Harrogate, Yorkshire, at the Yorkshire Event Centre.
Pellpax will be in attendance as exhibitors, bringing a good range of our airguns, optics, blades and more for you to choose from. The NSS is in its fourth year, and continues to grow to become one of the major gatherings for the shooting and gun community in the UK.
The event is a great showcase for all things shooting and related matters, including shotguns, airsoft, airguns, rifles, gundogs, optics, and bushcraft.
Airgun exhibitors include some big name brands, including BSA Guns, MTC Optics, Tracer, Brocock, Daystate, Hawke, Air Arms and Gamo. Shotgun manufacturers in attendance include Benelli, Beretta, Webley & Scott, Remington, Browning. Hatsan, Mossberg, and many more. Rifles makers at the show will include Anschutz, Browning, CZ, Howa, Mauser, Marlin, Remington, Ruger, Sauer & Winchester, with more to be announced.
Airsoft should be well-served, with 5,500 sq metres dedicated to this popular and growing sport. You will be able to try out shooting airsoft guns on the range available at the event for this purpose, with Mark Farrar and the Halo Mill team along with Mike Cripps at Elite shooting & Northern Practical Pistol Club on hand to give you help and advice.
Airsoft exhibitors signed up so far include Ammo Drop, Airsoft Action, Elite Shooting, Redwolf, Fubar Bundy, First & Only, Viper Tactical, ASG, Halo Mill, Landwarrior Airsoft, GI SPortz, MR Military, Nuprol, Military Patrol, Cannae, UKPSA & Tippman sports.
Activities and Events
One of the outdoor ranges at NSS
There will be an outdoor area with a host of activities, including a manufacturers’ ‘Try Before You Buy’ area, Air Arms Speed Shoot (with a prize gun to be won, by shooting against the clock) and a Double Deuce .22 Live Rimfire Range.
There’s also a Clay Shooting Line competition, with 15,000 cartridges provided by Eley, and one of the longest Claylines in Europe at over 550 metres. Eley Hawke will offer people the chance to try out their range of cartridges, and buy from them.
There’s the Northern 50 Bird Sporting Championship, which you can enter as many times as you like. It takes place at the Hazelbank Shooting Ground and will be hosted by Clayshooting Magazine, with the winner to get a Browning 525 Sporter, worth £1,195, as the top prize.
There will be a HTF Masterclass, with Brocock and Daystate on hand, and you will be able to get your hands on with these highly accurate airguns, and shown shooting techniques. It’s a great way to learn more about HFT shooting, whether you’re a beginner or intermediate shooter.
The surrounding Yorkshire region has a proud heritage of field sports and shooting, and to reflect this there will be a Gamekeeping & Gundog Hall with representatives from the National Gamekeepers Association, National Organisation of Beaters & Pickers Up, Scottish Association of Country Sports and The Gamekeepers Welfare Trust, as well as other exhibitors from these disciplines.
A regional heat of the BASC Chudleys Gundog Scurry League will also be held here, and you can bring your gundog to enter (check the official site NSS for further details). Simon Jewitt of Stoneycairn Gundogs will be doing gundog training and demonstrations.
There will be an outdoor bushcraft area, with a range of activities which are great for everyone including children, and include a Friction Fire Lighting demo, Emergency Fire Lighting Techniques, info on how to Game Prep In The Field, Cordage Making and Safe Knife Use and Carving.
Tickets for the event start from £12 for one day early bird tickets, and £24 for the weekend. Children under 15 can go for free. The event opening times are 8:30am – 4:30pm on both days.
The Northern Shooting Show takes at Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8NZ on 11th-12th May. You can purchase tickets from the official site at https://www.northernshootingshow.co.uk
The British Shooting Show 2019 took place from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th February at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.
This ‘jewel in the crown’ of the UK’s shooting-show calendar has been bringing together the shooting community and the shooting industry since it was founded in 2009 by the late John Bertrand.
The British Shooting Show offers an opportunity for the manufacturer to meet the end-user; for the publisher to meet the reader and the sponsor; for the distributor to meet the retailer, who has perhaps, until now, been just a voice on the other end of the phone.
On Thursday, 14th February, a Pellpax team, led by Managing Director, Darren Kirk, headed up to Birmingham with a vanload of airguns, optics, knives, and pellets. Once at the NEC, all the display furniture and set dressing had to be taken to Stand C14 – Pellpax’s temporary home for the next three days – followed by the stock. There was already an atmosphere of excitement in the huge space that was halls Six, Seven, and Eight at the NEC.
Over the weekend, the Pellpax team caught up with old friends and acquaintances, as well as some newer ones. It was an enormous pleasure to meet – for the first time – James Farquharson and his family. Eighteen-year-old James, who is sponsored by Pellpax, was visiting the show with his partner, Niamh, and his parents, Huw and Liz. Over the past year, Pellpax has been following James as he competes in national and international competitions, winning trophies and honing his considerable talent. You can read the latest article on his journey here.
Young shooter James Farquharson with our director, Darren Kirk
Great British Shooting Awards
At the Great British Shooting Awards, hosted by Future Publishing on the Saturday evening, Pellpax was extremely proud to represent Zbroia’s Hortitsia, which was one of five airguns nominated for Airgun of the Year 2019. The Zbroia Hortitsia PCP rifle is currently one of the finest air rifles on the market, available in a wide range of stocks, calibres, and barrel sizes to help maximise its usability and to ensure match-winning accuracy for every shooter.
This rifle, which has an easy magazine drop-in, sensitive trigger, and smooth probe engagement, is a true champion in the world of target shooting, reflecting Zbroia’s four-fold design criteria: accuracy, quality, reliability, and ergonomics.
Many congratulations to Airgun of the Year winner, the Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporter. The award was presented by presenter of The Airgun Show, Mat Manning.
To find out more about the Hortitsia, a highly affordable PCP, you can see the product listing here. You can also check out the Ultimate Sporter here. If you need any further help or advice, feel free to phone 01263 731 585, to speak to one of our team of experts.
Overall, we felt it was very exciting to see lots of new products that are about to be launched onto the UK market this coming year, at the show. Keep an eye on the Pellpax blog for news and details of brand-new air rifles, air pistols, optics, and bush-craft equipment.
From the Pellpax team, we would like to say a big thank you to all our loyal customers who dropped by to say hello, and to everyone who came along to meet us for the first time. We look forward to seeing some of you again at The Northern Shooting Show (Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate) in May. Look out for Pellpax – we’ll be there!
It was one year ago that Pellpax committed to the sponsorship of Olivia Hill from Marsham, Norfolk. For the past year, Pellpax has contributed financial assistance to this talented young shooter, facilitating a full training programme and attendance at national and international competitions.
For 17-year-old Olivia, these past 12 months have been a time of exhilarating success, bitter disappointment, and, above all, rigorous hard work.
Olivia, a member of the Norfolk County team, the National Scout Rifle Squad, the GB Rifle Talent Squad, and the England Rifle Academy, took up precision air rifle target shooting in 2016, and this bright, ambitious A-level student has quickly become one of the UK’s shining stars of the sport.
In February 2018, Olivia travelled to The Hague, Holland, for the famous Intershoot event – her first international competition – and in the spring of that year, she competed in the British Open Airgun Championships and the English Championships, both at the Bisley National Shooting Centre.
Did anyone pack the insect repellent …?
The summer of 2018 began well for Olivia, when she achieved 1st place in the Junior Cup and in Ladies’ Class C and Class D at the Norfolk Open in June – her first small-bore competition.
A couple of months later, in August, Olivia survived a turbulent Junior International at the Lord Roberts Centre, Bisley.
On Day One, Olivia was plagued by a fly that kept settling on the end of her rifle; nevertheless, the young Pellpax star qualified in first place. However, later that day, during the final, Olivia found that she was unable to move her sights, as the stalk on the lens holder was too long, preventing any movement. Olivia remembers the incident vividly.
“After the final that evening, Tony Clarke, from Zero Point ESU [Explorer Scout Unit], who was with us, ordered an angle grinder from Screwfix. He picked it up at 7 a.m. the next day, as soon as the store opened, drove back with it, dismantled the lens holder and sights, made the stalk shorter, and put it all back together again. I had just enough time to squeeze in a quick warm-up before being called to the line at 8.30!”
The manic start to the day unsettled Olivia. After knocking her pellets onto the ground, she came off the range to restock and to get her head back in the game. Olivia regained her composure and took Bronze in the Grand Prix and Silver in the team event.
Personal Bests just keep getting better
In October, Olivia won Silvers in 10m Precision Air Rifle and Small-Bore (under 18s) at the 42nd Scout National Championships at Bisley. Shortly after that, in November, she gave a fantastic performance at the Welsh Open, which was held at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
Day One of the Welsh Open saw Olivia qualify with a new competition personal best, and go on to take Silver in the final. Olivia also reached the final on Day Two, and again on Day Three, when she smashed her previous PB in the qualifying stage. There was more cause for celebration when Olivia and her two team mates took Gold in the team competition.
The Surrey Open at Bisley, in December, was a combined meet – a tough competition for junior shooters, who must compete alongside, and against, seniors. On both days of the competition, Olivia earned herself a place in the finals by achieving a position within the top eight in the qualifying rounds.
Later in the month, after an excellent performance at the Norfolk Winter Open, Olivia competed alongside other GB Rifle Talent Squad members at the RIAC in Luxembourg. The RIAC is an annual international event organised by FLTAS (Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Tir aux Armes Sportives). Olivia’s matches went well, including her first ever mixed pairs match with team mate Tom Warren.
And what was the best bit about Luxembourg at Christmas time?
“Fantastic hot chocolate!”
Intershoot, The Hague, Holland
Olivia won Silver with her team mates in the Junior Ladies event at the Intershoot Event
The well-known and extremely popular Intershoot event has been held annually (with the exception of just one year) since 1977. Keen to offer his pupils the opportunity of shooting at international level, the Dutch coach, Stek Geerts, organised this competition in conjunction with friends from abroad. Now, more than 40 years on, the event still embraces the spirit of fun and inclusiveness.
The British team travelled en masse to the event. The party comprised 13 GB Rifle Talent Squad members, two members of the England Rifle Academy Squad, and three coaches.
“There was brilliant team spirit,” Olivia said, “with everyone supporting each other.”
Although Olivia’s matches didn’t go quite as well as she had hoped, she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
“It was such a great feeling to be shooting with, and against, some of the best shooters in the world. I made some friends from other countries … and I tried my first chicken schnitzel!”
Even better than chicken schnitzel (I think) – the GB Talent Squad Junior Ladies won Silver in the team event. The photograph shows Olivia (centre) with her team mates, Emily Bale (left) and Phoebe Taylor (right), on the podium.
Olivia told me, “This was my first international medal. Hopefully more to come!”
What’s next for Olivia?
Later this month – 22nd to 24th February – Olivia will be competing in the British Championships at the Lord Roberts Centre, Bisley.
And after that, there’ll be more competitions and more training. Each time Olivia aims her rifle at the target, she’s taking another step closer to where she wants to be.
“My next goal is to become a British Shooting Academy athlete. And further down the line, I’d like to represent my country and compete in the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.”
It’s been a busy year for Olivia.
“I’d like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to all the Great Britain Rifle Talent Squad coaches for their guidance and support throughout the year and at the competitions, those at my local ranges, North Walsham RPC and Norwich City Target Club, who offer daily support, and Tony Clarke, with Zero Point ESU. And I’d also like to thank Pellpax for their ongoing support.”
The Northern Shooting Show takes place on 11th-12th May, in Harrogate, Yorkshire, at the Yorkshire Event Centre.
