Clays2Game_lady

This is my latest article that was featured in the Countrymans Weekly last week, a few changes have happened since it was written and published; my ladies clay events and game day are booked in and a new article for the magazine is in process (I also survived beaters day!)

“Who would have thought with one phone call at the start of January 2022, I would have gone on to create my own ladies shooting days and host and run 6 events for the ladies inc two game days.

I have seen over 144 ladies attend over the six events and £3,000 be raised for The Kettering Dialysis Unit in memory of my mum, on a raffle with some amazing prizes generously donated by companies within the shooting world such as Shots & Company, Six Mile Bottom Shoot,  Quiddenham Shoot & CENS digital.

The lovely Kath, from BASC Ladies department, called me in January to say I had been nominated for and subsequently awarded, their Star of Target Shooting award for 2021. This has come about from all the events I had hosted for The Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club at Sporting Targets, where I had seen the amount of ladies attending go from a mere 7, to an amazing 59 ladies at the last event in December 2021.

Kath made a suggestion that as a thank you to all those who had nominated me, maybe I could put on a ladies charity shoot and raise some funds for the Kettering Dialysis Unit in memory of my mum, who passed away in April 2021 with Myeloma, Blood Cancer, and so The Shani Boswell memorial charity shoot was created, and the idea and planning snowballed from there!

In the run up to the charity shoot, I also created my own ladies group; Girls and Guns, with the aim being not just budget friendly ladies clay shooting days, but also small affordable ladies game days. With the support of two main shooting grounds; Sporting Targets and Kibworth, and a small friendly local farm shoot, I have been able to offer these events at a much lower costs than other ladies shooting groups, as I do not take any profit on these days; what I charge is what the grounds and shoot quote me. I have no interest in running it as a business, I just want to ensure I can keep ladies coming into this sport and offering them an option that they may find more affordable for their budget.

The Shani Boswell memorial charity shoot, was more of a success than I dared to believe it would be, with 49 ladies attending, engraved glass trophies supplied by BASC Ladies Shooting for the winners, fellow CMW writer Matt Limb OBE as the professional photographer for the event, a beautiful cake that a local lady created for it and an amazing raffle; where so many companies in and outside of the shooting industry, donated some very generous prizes. A total of £3,000.00 was raised on the day, smashing the 2021 total of £1,070.00 that was raised on the Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club memorial shoot and raffle.

In between all the clay events, I was also organising two ladies game days. These were aimed at the novice or never shot game before ladies, it was tad touch and go if we could do them due to the bird flu situation, but we made up for no pheasants with a clay drive instead, which was the first drive of the day and got the ladies warmed up and ready for the following driven duck drives.  The days were a success, with support in the form of my two APSI instructors; Rob and Richard. They stood with the ladies who had never been in the field before and ensured they were safe and helped them shoot their first ever duck.

The shoot is keen to see more ladies in the field, and have a small rifle range, which they are keen to offer out to ladies to have a go at rifle shooting some targets under close and licenced supervision. One of the ladies on the shoot, is also one of the main admin and founders of ladies deer stalking UK, and has already had me out in the high seat with her, so that is something else that I can offer to those ladies who are interested in learning about and taking up deer stalking.

I also have to sneak in a mention and a well done, to some of my brave ladies who stepped up to my plea to become a model for the 20203 edition charity calendar ‘The Naked Huntress’. The calendar is in its 9^th year and raises funds for The Pancreatic Cancer Trust, and relies on brave ladies volunteering to model for it each year (I have featured twice before anyone asks!) and as I write this article, I have been made aware that they have sold out for 2023, so a fantastic achievement.

As it stands, no Girls and Guns events are booked for 2023, the rising costs of everything, means I have put the group into ‘hibernation’ until late Spring at the earliest and will review costs then, and also how the ongoing bird flu situation could affect the shoot.

If nothing else happens, at least I have shown that ladies days do not need to be all pink, branded names and expensive, but run with true passion for the sport and seeing more ladies in the field, not just on the clay grounds. The memorial shoot was also a good end goal for ladies to work towards on having lessons, or to encourage them to book lessons and not just rely on ladies days to improve their shooting.

I can’t thank Kath at BASC ladies enough, for planting the initial idea, and all the women who have attended the events, encouraged and supported me, and believed in me. Although I had prior experience of running and hosting events; setting them up and booking them is a whole new experience, and one I have had to juggle single handed whilst working full time and trying to fit in my own schedule of shoot days and beating, but I have done it and I’m so proud of what I have achieved this year.

I really do feel smaller ladies groups need to be supported, encouraged and talked about just as much as the big names in the shooting world, as it means they will bring in more ladies to the sport and into the field, and groups/days like mine also smash the ‘tweed and pearls’ image that other ladies groups and ladies shooting seem to focus on and promote.

I would also like to thank the fabulous team at Countrymans Weekly for supporting me and encouraging me to write articles for them these past two years, I have run out of things to write about now, but if the 2023 game season and clay events go ahead, I’m sure I will be back.”

So now I have held the final Girls & Guns event of 2022, I can step back, reflect & breathe.

6 events (8 if you include the 2 Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club days I also hosted), 143 ladies over my 6 events alone; 3 sell out clay days, 2 sell out game days & a sell out charity competition shoot that raised £3,000.00 for the local Dialysis Unit in memory of my mum.

Two ladies are responsible for me creating Girls & Guns, and it all started with a phone call in January from BASC Ladies department to say I had been awarded their star of target shooting award. After chatting more the Kath at BASC Ladies, she suggested I do a charity shoot as a thank you to all those who nominated me, & it was while I was quietly planning that event, that I met a women on a ladies day at Honesberie who explained it was her first time shooting & she was so relieved to see we were not all dressed in ‘tweed & pearls’. That comment stuck with me, as if that was the sort of image ‘ladies day’ gave, then change was needed.

While I appreciate other ladies groups are ran as a business, there was a gap for one that wasn’t, one that could offer the same sort of options but at a lower cost & the main focus being on learning to shoot and progress, without all the brands & focus on image.

I know I’ve rattled a few cages in the shooting world, and I’m not sorry for that. If what I say and how I run my events, means I keep bringing ladies into this sport, then I’m doing something right!. I know my limits, which is why I only work with 2 grounds & I always try and think what I would want from an event, which is why they have a more personal feel, because they are; I organise them with passion for the sport.

What will 2023 bring for Girls & Guns? At the moment, no plans are made. I am taking a few months out to just stop & re-balance. The last 2yrs I have been keeping my self busy so I didn’t have to focus on my grief if losing my mum, but it’s time I slowed down now & made time for me for awhile.
I’m also aware that the cost of everything has increased, and is due to increase more next year, so I’m awaiting quotes from the grounds before I decide if to continue these events, as if the prices creep towards those of the other groups, then I will no longer be the more budget friendly option.

Whatever happens, 2022 has been an incredible year for me & ladies shooting.

Buckle in ladies (and gents) as you’re in for a thrown out of prams, cages will be rattled, but it seems I’m good at doing that within the shooting world 😉

Ladies only shooting events- who knew 4 little words; mainly the first two, could upset so many.
Let’s be honest, shooting is a v male dominated sport still, although we are seeing more and more ladies out on the clay grounds, where are all my fellow ladies out in the field?

I’m the only ‘lady’(I use that term loosely for me) the beating team I’m part of, only one of the picking up team, is a woman- where are all our fellow ladies?

Put off it would seem, by the knuckle draggers ‘old boys club’ of the shooting world, who feel it’s ‘sexist’ to have ladies only days, and that ‘men are needed as back guns on ladies days’, shall we add in that I had ladies travel 3hrs+ to come to my ladies only game day, as they felt safer & that they would not be judged or belittled?!

I’ve been incredible lucky with my shooting journey so far, in that all the men I’ve come across have been nothing but gentleman and supportive, & I quite happily shoot alongside & with men on the clays ground & in the field, but the reality is, not all women feel comfortable doing so, and so the need for ladies only days.

The women who attend these events, do so for sometimes very personal reasons. I started shooting via The Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club, which is a ladies only club, and that came after my marriage break up and then being assaulted by an ex boyfriend. I needed & wanted the companionship, support and encouragement from fellow women at a time in my life when I was feeling vulnerable, and the same applies to my days that I run: they are a safe and welcoming event for women who just want to shoot with other women. What’s the harm in that?!

More women should be being encouraged to join this sport, and to get out into the field, be it as a gun, a beater or a picker up, instead of the snide digs , comments and ‘jokes’ that they face.

Do men take offence at the ladies only days that they have for racing?

I get bored with hearing ‘you don’t see men’s only shooting clubs’ – no! Because the sport is still heavily male dominated! So instead of taking offence; encourage, educate, support and celebrate more women coming into the sport via whatever way they chose to do so.

On 24th Sept 2022; 49 ladies, 1 mascot (aka Tane the flat coated retriever) 1 amazing cake & 3 winners, raised £3,000.00 in memory of mum. I think it’s safe to say that the shooting world stepped up & did me proud for my first ever memorial charity competition shoot.

Shani Boswell was my mum, who passed away in April 2021 after living with Myeloma; Blood Cancer since 2015. She was 61.

The Cancer damaged my mums kidneys and bone marrow, which left her needing Dialysis 3 days a week. She told she had 6mths to live & she would never walk again, to which she replied- ‘I don’t think so!’

The local Dialysis unit became like a second family to us over those years, as did the fellow patients on mums bay (aka the ‘naughty bay’). Tragically, we have now lost everyone on that bay; the last one being a young lady called Becky, who passed away suddenly one morning at home a few months after my mum.

I can’t take full credit for coming up with the idea for this shoot; that goes to Kath at BASC Ladies Shooting, who i have got to know since i won their star of target shooting award. Kath really felt it was a good opportunity to celebrate my success & do some fundraising for the unit, and after some ‘persuading’ from her, i set the ball rolling by booking a date in with my favourite clay shooting ground; Sporting Targets in Bedfordshire. Next step was to come up with a design and poster to advertise the event, i handed that over to Sarah at Snewdesigns, with a short brief of it to feature a hen pheasant, which is a nod to my love of game shooting, clays & then poppies, which were my mums favourite flower; i think its safe to say, Sarah did an amazing job.

So i had a date, a ground, a poster, BASC ladies offered to sponser the shoot in the form of branded trophies, so the next suggestion was what about a raffle? I think it’s safe to say, my request for prizes exceeded my expectations and i am truly humbled by the following companies who donated a prize to this shoot:

Quidenham Estate Sim Days, Six Mile Bottom Shoot Sim Days, The Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club, Clare Haggas, Coleman Baines, The Pheasant Pluckers Son, BASC Ladies Shooting Shots & Company, Sportsman Gun Centre, Jack Pyke, Starkey Outdoors, Isotunes Sport, Waring brooke, CENS Digital, Custom Fit Guards, Ardmoor, Eley Hawk, Matt Limb OBE Images, Hartwell Countrywear, Tweedl, Pickwell Paving, Hicks & Hides, Napier of London, Austuin, Glaze & Gordon, Ginger & Jardine, Wild & Game Ltd, Uttings of Norwich, The Oxton Liquer Company, Isle of Wight Distillers, Honesberie Shooting Ground, Kibworth Shooting ground, Sporting Targets & Feather & Fine.

9mths of planning, stressing, sleepless nights, endless emails and a huge fear no one would book on; the ladies & shooting world went above and beyond for me, and showed why i love this sport & people involved in it so much.

The amazing cake was made by a local lady to me; Cakes from Scratch, with an option of gluten free cupcakes as well.

The photographer for the event, was Matt Limb OBE Images.

The ladies have already asked if i will do this event again next year; so watch this space!

If Carlsberg did shoot syndicates; or maybe that should be if Carry On’s did shoot syndicates, would be the best way to describe the small but bonkers (in the best way) syndicate that me and my dad have the pleasure of being involved with. 

The shoot in question is run by Mike, and is supported by a small but dedicated team who consist of the guns, beaters and picking up team. To describe the team, I would say we are like a (slightly dysfunctional) close knit family  who come from all walks of life/backgrounds/ages/cultures of people, who spend half their year fixing the pens, ponds and general maintenance of the shoot, whilst also helping prep and being involved in the shoots yearly juniors day. 

We even have a ‘diverse’ range of dogs on the shoot, from Tane, the flat coated retriever, to a pair of Duck Tollers, with a few Crufts field spaniels added to the mix. 

I came across the shoot last season, after booking my dad onto one of the ‘Mike’s specials’: these consist of a few days each season, where Mike advertises certain days at a very reasonable price; namely ladies days, young shots & first timers. Dad thoroughly enjoyed his day with them, and I requested that our names be added to their waiting list for a syndicate place, which came up this year and we didn’t hesitate to accept.  

The timing could have not have been better, as after losing my mum to Myeloma; Blood Cancer last April, I have been trying to find people and places locally for my to dad to go and meet and get him out the house. The shoot have ensured my dad has been made to feel more than welcome and part of the team from our first work party with them. He’s profoundly deaf and struggles in social situations after being my mums main carer for so many years, so the syndicate has been a welcome addition to his life and he thoroughly enjoys getting involved in the work parties each month; esp if it involves hitting things with a big hammer! He has also been taught how to drive and let loose with the shoots ‘Kreecha’ (the shoots farm buggy), whereas I much prefer to walk than tackle driving that thing! 

Dad was recently entrusted to help unload the ducks when they arrived onto the shoot, (and was left with strict instructions from me to not come home with any). It was the first time he had been on the shoot without me, and he had a wonderful day with the rest of the team, so I know he’s in safe hands this season, as there will be a few days when he will be there shooting and I will be elsewhere on an estate, beating.  

Mike has also tasked himself with the mammoth task of teaching me rifle shooting and deer stalking. He has created a dedicated rifle range on the shoot, where I successful completed my pre-DSC1 under his excellent tuition, with 2 head shots in the exact same place on the deer silhouette and perfect grouping with the other shoots, I am however dragging my heels somewhat about going out and doing any fox control with the team, mainly due to lack of confidence and experience, both of which will come in time.   

The shoot also holds a yearly ‘Juniors day’, where under 16’s are invited from all over the UK to come and have a go at clay shooting, archery, catapults, bee keeping, simulated deer stalk, air rifles and gun dog training/handling to name but a few opportunities they get to try, and all for no cost to them and their parent/guardian. The costs are met by the shoot via fines on shoot days and generous donations from previous events. Many of the junior who attended, are not from a shooting family/background and so this is a perfect opportunity for them to come and have a go with children of the same sort of ages and backgrounds.  

Covid stopped any events for the last 2 years, but this year’s event saw over 40 children attend; some who came from as far away as Dover, and Venison and Pheasant burgers were on the menu for lunch, along with an array of home baked goodies that the juniors had been encouraged to bake and bring with them. I was tasked with helping run the clay shooting, and was given the opportunity, under the very watchful eye of a qualified instructor, to have a go at teaching  a few of the juniors. Next year’s event is already being planned. 

Sadly bird flu has affected our season this year, so instead of having ducks and pheasants, we just have ducks. This has meant we are not able to hold a new shots day or a young shots day, but my two ladies days that are being held under the ‘Girls and Guns’ name are going ahead, with the addition of some clay drives in between the duck drives. I’m excited about the first date, as for many of the ladies who have booked, this will be their first ever game day, and I can’t think of a better way than to introduce ladies into the field, than a small and welcoming shoot like this one. 

I have also persuaded some of the female members of the team, to volunteer as models alongside myself, for the charity calendar: The Naked Huntresses, which raises funds each year for The Pancreatic Cancer Trust, and the shoot was our location for the photos.  

Although I am the current ‘star’ on the shoot (as in BASC ladies shooting star award winner) we certainly have a very special talented young lady on the shoot, who most certainly needs a mention, not just because she is the brains AND beauty (sorry Mike) behind the syndicate, its events, and is our unflappable shoot secretary.  

Roma gained her shotgun and firearms certificates aged 14; the same year she shot her first deer with Paul Childerly. She passed her DSC1 aged 15 and is currently going through her DSC2; whilst taking her GCSE’s and reaching the rank of brown belt at karate. She is certainly an up and coming young lady who is one to watch and inspire more young shots and girls into the field. We also have another incredible lady, who acts as another of my rifle shooting mentors, which is Jan. Jan is one of the founders of the Ladies Deer Stalking UK group and is also the proud owner of Tane, the previously mentioned flat coated retriever  

I would like to think that between me, Roma, Jan, and with the support of Mike and the rest of team, this small shoot will guarantee a bright future not just for more ladies wanting to come into clay, game or rifle shooting for an affordable cost, but also for young shots who want to give shooting or field based activities a go, and so helps secure a positive future for these country sports we all love. 

Phew! Apologises for the radio silence, but i’ve been a tad busier than expected!

So after stepping down from The S&CBC and launching my own events as ‘Girls & Guns’ , its been non stop!

Already had out first sell out day, which was at Sporting Targets and saw 29 ladies attend, in 2 weeks we will be at Kibworth shooting ground with 26 ladies and then in Sept i have a sold out ladies game day, with 51 ladies a few weeks later for my competition memorial shoot. Not bad going for someone who is a ‘nobody’ in the main stream shooting world. Hopefully this proves you don’t need to be a ‘big brand’ or to have expensive sponsers backing you; just sheer grit and the passion to get ladies into the sport for an affordable cost, and not just on the clay grounds.

October sees me back out in the beating line, which i cant wait for, i just need to order myself a new pink flag, as the other one just about made it to the end of the season! and i again hope to be able to take ladies out with me, at no cost to them.

In between running clay events, game days, and being in the beating line, i need to get some articles in to The Countrymans Weekly, luckily the next few months will provide me with topics to write about.

There was also a photoshoot for a certain charity calender that i appeared in for 2021, and seems i will feature in for 2023…

I did make a brief appearance at The Game Fair to collect my BASC Ladies Star of Shooting Award, and in doing so, forget to collect the trophies for the memorial shoot!

I have 2 clay events booked in, where i’ll be shooting & enjoying someone elses hospitality and organising, whiuch makes a nice change! one is a charity shoot with BASC and the other is an invite only afternoon at Sporting Targets, which im sharing with my ‘shooting wifey’ and G&G co-host, Meg.

At some point i need to get back out and practice my rifle shooting, the shoot is keen for me to partake in my share of pest control. but i’m not ready for that yet, so few more hours on targets and building confidence is needed. This is also something i am keen to offer to any other ladies who may be interested in giving it a go.

Yes, its really true, i have bid a fond farewell to being a host for The Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club.

With 6 events hosted; 4 of which were massive sell outs, the imminent sale of the club to a new owner & being awarded the BASC Ladies Star of shooting award, i decided now was a good time to step away & let someone new step up & take on the role, as i want a quieter life; one that doesn’t require as much planning, attention & managing as i was doing for Bun Club days.

I get asked the ’secret’ to making these days as successful as they have been; hard bloody work, sheer grit and passion for the role & the sport. They were also something for me to focus on after my mum passed away in April 2021, a reason to get out the house & not just hide away. Its also not in my nature to do things by halfs; so i threw myself into these days & have learnt so much from running them.

The S&CBC will always have a place in my heart, as its how i started my shooting journey & its Bun Club club & the ladies i’ll be thinking of when im stood on stage at The Game Fair in July, collecting my BASC award. But if im to stay true to my ladies, and listen to the feedback i’ve been getting, change is needed with ladies days.

I have zero desire to become the next S&CBC or CGUK, but what i can do is ensure that i listen to what ive been told & secure a positive future for local ladies, and so will be setting up my own ladies events at Sporting Targets; which will be as affordable as i can make them, with an emphasis on lessons, applying for their licences and getting ladies out into the field. I’m lucky to be able to utilise connections with my syndicate i’m on, to be able to offer ladies the opportunity to give rifle shooting a go, to come & stand with my on the peg during a game day, to join me in the beating line & to shoot on a game day; all for no cost or at a affordable cost as im not running anything as a business, & have no desire to. The reward i get from seeing ladies get their licence or join me out in the field, outweighs any monetary value for me.

I will also be linking in with the East region of BASC & seeing if they would like to support my events with their attendance & guidance.

So, keep an eye out for ’Girls & Guns’ as thats the name my events will be under.

On the 24th Sepetember 2022, I will be holding my first ladies charity competition shoot at Sporting Targets, in memory of my mum, Shani, who passed away in April 2021 with Myeloma; Blood Cancer.

Well, 2022 certainly seems like it’s going to be my year for shooting. I certainly did not expect to be where I am, and achieved what I have so far when I started shooting 3yrs ago now.

Certainly feels like a snowball effect has kicked in, and starting to pick up pace; from winning the BASC star of target shooting award, sorting out some local pigeon & corvid control permission, to hosting another sell event for The Bun Club (and next event is half filled already!), I have now been offered and accepted, a peg on a local syndicate; which I will share with my dad, and am arranging a ladies charity competition shoot in memory of my mum.

I have decided to get back into the social side of clay shooting, and booked myself on a few ladies days this year, first one being at Honesberie last weekend, and can certainly recommend it as a ground to visit; not just for their ladies days.

It was on that ladies day, that I met a lady who had never shot before and it was her first time on an event, and she was relieved to see that all of us ladies were not ‘dressed in tweed & pearls’ as she had imagined we would be, which has made me think about the perception these ‘ladies days’ and ‘ladies shooting’ give to non-shooters and those who may be interested in this sport, but are too afraid to as they do not feel they will ‘fit in’ as they don’t have the right clothes/look. 

It’s certainly made me take a step back and think; what image do we want to portray & how do we encourage and reassure those who may want to take up this sport, but do not feel they will ‘fit in’.

Maybe my view is very black and white; and I state now I am speaking as myself and from my own personal viewpoint, and not on behalf of/as The S&CBC.

I would like to think that all the ladies who attend the days I run/host, feel they are welcome and don’t have to wear a certain brand, look/style or be a member of the club. My main role is ensure the ladies enjoy themselves and to promote the sport. It’s why I laugh when it’s said I see myself as an ‘influencer’ ,as I’m loyal to no brand, nor sponsored or gifted by them; I refuse to be a ‘show pony’ and the only ‘influencing’ I can say I actually do; is influencing ladies to take up shooting via the route I took; which was a ladies day, lessons, and taking any opportunity I was offered; be it a game day, a SIM day or shooting pigeons from a hide.

While I certainly feel ladies days have their place in the shooting world; I for one would not be where I am now without them, that lady’s comment has made me think what can we/they do better to encourage more ladies into this sport. Maybe more posts about the confidence and empowerment this sport can offer ladies, Affordability also needs to be taken into consideration, what one lady can afford, will not be the same as another lady; the main aim should be at getting ladies into the sport at a cost they can afford and in an enjoyable way, and encouraging them to not rely on ladies days alone to get out and shoot, but promote lessons and other options/experiences.

Shooting should be inclusive to all who want to get involved, & although I host for the S&CBC, I promote ladies shooting first and the event itself, not just the club, & will continue to do so. I share posts for BASC days, a friends SIM days and other ladies days that I have been on myself, as what suits one person, may not suit someone else or give them the experience they are looking for, so instead of losing their interest to the sport and so possibly losing a newcomer to the sport, I would rather give them options and let them find what suits them and their personality, and they can start their own journey into the world of shooting, and maybe help spread the ripple effect of encouraging more ladies and newcomers into this sport I love so much.