Minutes of the BSSRA AGM held on Saturday 8 October 2016, 2.00 pm at Derby Lodge
Present: Frank Harriss (Chairman) Philip Dobson (Secretary)
Jerry Baker (Treasurer) Irene Rowley (Section 1 Secretary)
Charles Lee Eric Pollard
1. Apologies: Tony Clayton (President), David Russell (Section 2 Secretary),
Bill Hamilton (National Match), Nigel Ball (Open Meeting)
2. Minutes of the last meeting: were then accepted by the meeting and duly signed by the Chairman.
3. Matters Arising
a) Cloth badges: there was a positive response from schools, they are used and so will be continued.
b) Most Improved Team: after consideration it was found this would prove to be difficult to calculate with sound statistical basis, and so was not introduced.
4. Chairman’s Report
Appended
Frank talked the meeting through it. He was thanked by the meeting for his work and the report was duly accepted.
5. Treasurer’s Report
Appended
Jerry reported that the funds are very healthy and reminded the committee that expenses can and should be claimed.
The report was proposed for adoption by the Irene Rowley, seconded by the Secretary and accepted by the meeting, with copious thanks to Jerry for his work.
6. Secretary’s Report
Philip expressed sincere thanks to the scorers without whom the leagues and other matches could not run. He welcomed those who have recently begun scoring for BSSRA and was pleased to note the trend of schools new to our competitions volunteering scorers as well as entering shooting teams.
He reported that the new entry form seems to work although some schools still find ways of making erroneous entries: he is working on making improvements in the instructions and programming, welcoming ideas (and solutions) from users.
Some people just need to learn to follow instructions!
A few schools (adults in charge of shooting) still do not include stamped addressed envelopes for the receipt of badges for their competitors.
Philip no longer works near a Post Office, hence the slogan on the entry form ‘no SAE, no badges!’.
A summary of team entries was presented:
Autumn / Spring / Summer2013-14 / 84 / 140 / 61
2014-15 / 91 / 105 / 53
2015-15 / 82 / 96 / 56
2016-17 / 85
· The decline of the Spring entry was discussed: it was thought that the January public examinations may have been responsible, if so we should see a turn-round in this trend.
· The new system (Sections 1 & 2, introduced for Autumn 2016) has had no effect on this term’s rate of entry.
The Chairman noted that the MOD had banned the No 8 rifle from use but then very quickly withdrew the ban.
It was realised by the meeting that BSSRA had no formal record of which schools use the No 8.
The Secretary was asked to canvass schools via the Invitation to Shoot (Spring 2017) email.
It was also noted that second hand Anschutz rifles can be had for very reasonable prices.
Section Secretaries:
Section 1 – Irene noted the decline in entries and pointed out that some schools have successfully gained help in maintaining shooting as a sport through the solicited help of alumni.
Section 2 – David was unable to attend the meeting but sent the following comments:
Section C ran smoothly again last year with a good number of students and schools taking part. The standard of marking appears to remain high as there were no challenges made. Some schools did suffer from range/equipment problems, but scorers and other schools were patient and allowed extensions on time. I feel the change to Sections 1 and 2 is a very positive step as it will allow shooters of all abilities to compete at the level most appropriate to them and allows us to pool the stronger markers.
The meeting then discussed the cups that have become obsolete due to the changes from Sections A, B, C & D to 1 & 2. The following table summarises the historic allocations and the results of the discussion.
Trophy / Historic winner / New winnerAutumn term / Field Trophy / Section A Division 1
winning team / Section 1 Division 1
winning team
Pollard Cup / Section B Division 1
winning team / Section 2 Division 1
winning team
Junior Winter Trophy / Section C Division 1
winning team / Section 1 Division 1
winning U16 competitor
(5 cards must have been shot)
Spring Term / Spring Trophy / Section A Division 1
winning team / Section 1 Division 1
winning team
Drabble Cup / Section B Division 1
winning team / Section 2 Division 1
winning team
Junior Spring Trophy / Section C Division 1
winning team / Section 1 Division 1
winning U16competitor
(5 cards must have been shot)
It was decided that ties will not be decided but that cups will be shared for 6 months.
The Secretary agreed to modify the entry form to include the age of each team member at 1 September of the academic year.
The meeting extended its warmest thanks to the Secretary for his sterling efforts.
7. International Matches:
see the Appended Results sheet and Chairman’s Report.
The meeting extended its thanks to Charles for all he does.
8. Schools National Match
see the Appended Results sheet (and the website for further details).
Grateful thanks were extended to Bill Hamilton for running these matches.
9. Open Meeting
See the Appended Results sheet
Nigel Ball (Wellington College) had organised this to be shot at Bisley in December 2015 for which there was a record turnout: 143 competitors from 15 schools.
The meeting was keen that there should continue to be a clear distinction between this match and the Long Range challenge run by Nigel on the same range a few weeks before.
The meeting decided a number of pull-up banners would be useful to have on the range during the match.
These were designed in outline (using the lapel pin colours and logo), with Jerry and Charles taking the lead on final design, ordering, purchase and delivery (to the Secretary). Three will be ordered.
The Secretary will attend the 2016 meeting to represent BSSRA and present the BSSRA medals (kindly supplied by Nigel).
10. Veterans’ Match
See the website – it is also on the Results sheet.
The meeting again extended its thanks to Tony Clayton for continuing to organise this competition.
11. Election of Officers and Committee
The following summarises the elections:
Vice Presidents proposed en bloc by Frank , seconded by Irene, passed nem con
Bernard Adams ex-Secretary, founder member
Tom Drabble ex-Chairman
Eric Pollard Staff Championship
Michael Nash ex-Competitions Secretary
Chairman Frank Harriss Team of Eight, Senior Championship
Proposed by Jerry, seconded by Irene, passed nem con
Frank proposed en bloc, seconded by Irene, passed nem con;
Secretary Philip Dobson
Treasurer Jerry Baker Awards, Junior Championship
Bill Hamilton National Match
Nigel Ball Open Meeting
Irene Rowley Section 1
Charles Lee International Matches
David Russell Section 2
Philip Martin NSRA Representative
12. Date of Next Meeting
Saturday 7 October 2017, 2.00 pm, at Derby Lodge; with grateful thanks to CCRS for the venue and refreshments.
13. AOB
Pennants: for use at the International matches, it was agreed Charles would order 250, at an approximate cost of £1000, estimated to supply the needs for 7 years.
The meeting closed at 4.00pm.
BSSRA CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2016
On the International scene, British Schools teams won a postal match against the New Zealand Schools in August 2015 and a shoulder-to-shoulder match against Denmark at the Lord Roberts Centre during the NSRA Meeting 2016. Many thanks to Tom Rylands and Charles Lee who organised the teams and who have built up this winning standard over the years.
In the Schools’ National Match between the Home Countries, England are to be congratulated on winning both the A and B team competitions decisively, with Scotland second in each case. It was good to see Northern Ireland coming third in the A team competition and great that once again all five teams (including the Channel Islands) produced A teams.
The Senior and Junior Championships were hotly contested once again and showed some excellent shooting by school pupils. Figi of Charterhouse won the senior Championship with an excellent 297 while Atkins of Wellington won the Junior Championship. Well done to them both!
Wellington won the Team of Eight competition in the Autumn, just pipping Gresham’s by virtue of a count-out on the first round scores. Wellington went on to win the majority of the cups at the Winter Open Meeting at the Lord Roberts Centre, though Henry Watson of Abingdon scooped the Individual trophy. Many thanks to Nigel Ball for organising this and attracting an amazing 143 shooters from 15 schools. The meeting which started at Frimley Park in the 1970s has now blossomed into this much larger popular event. The only sadness is that there are too many competitors to hold a clay disc shoot any more!
Gresham’s were the leaders in the postal Leagues, winning the Field Trophy, the Spring Trophy and the Junior Spring Trophy, just leaving the Junior Winter trophy for Wellington. The winners of the other divisions showed a good spread of schools and indicate that we are not just providing competition for the top players.
It had become clear that numbers for Section B were dwindling, at least partly because of the withdrawal of some schools’ No8 rifles. Section D had rather a mixed entry that made allocating teams to divisions difficult. Thus it has been decided to have just two Sections henceforth – Section 1 to be shot by teams of five on ten-bull targets and Section 2 to be shot by teams of four on five bull (cadets and schools) cards, with any iron-sighted rifle allowed in both sections. This has started with a good entry in the Autumn League 2016. Fewer sections should make for more homogeneous divisions and better competition.
Once again I would like to thank the committee, especially Jerry Baker who handles the accounts and the movement of the Cups and Philip Dobson who, as Secretary, runs the Leagues. We are also grateful to the Divisional Scorers who keep the Leagues going. Over the years we have received much support from Derby Lodge and we acknowledge this once again and wish Simon all the very best in his retirement.
Frank Harriss
BRITISH SCHOOLS SMALL-BORE RIFLE ASSOCIATION
For information and entry forms contact: The BSSRA Secretary, Philip Dobson –
or see the website: www.bssra.org
COMPETITION RESULTS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 2015/2016 (OUR 47th YEAR)
INTERNATIONAL RESULTS
BRITISH SCHOOLS v. NEW ZEALAND SCHOOLS (INDOOR INTERNATIONAL POSTAL MATCH) September 2015Won by the British Schools 1962 to 1925
BRITISH SCHOOLS v. DENMARK SCHOOLS Lord Roberts Centre Bisley August 2016
Won by the British Schools 3454 to 3429
The above were sponsored by Eley Ltd
For information about future BSSRA tours and matches, contact C.R.S.Lee, Felsted School, Felsted, Essex CM6 3LL
SCHOOLS NATIONAL (Postal) Spring 2016
‘A’ Teams: / England 1945 / Scotland 1923 / N.Ireland 1918 / Channel Islands 1896 / Wales 1872‘B’ Teams: / England 1927 / Scotland 1874 / Channel Islands 1864 / N. Ireland 1858
BSSRA CHAMPIONSHIP Spring 2016 BSSRA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Spring 2016
Final Stage Final Stage
1 / Figi / Charterhouse / 297 / CUP, large tankard, badge / 1 / E Atkins / Wellington / 193 / YOOL CUP2 / Pirouet / Victoria / 294 / Small tankard, badge / 2 / C Vonchek / Wellington / 192 / Silver Medal
3 / Chamberlain / Greshams / 294 / Medal, badge / 3 / B Danziger / Greshams / 192 / Bronze medal
4 / Ulas / Greshams / 294 / Medal, badge / 4 / A. Smethurst / Tonbridge / 190 / Bronze medal
5 / Shalom / Greshams / 293 / Medal, badge / 5 / T. Jefferies / Kings Canterbury / 189 / Bronze medal
6 / Gittins / Tonbridge / 292 / Medal, badge / 6 / D. Adams / Greshams / 188 / Bronze medal
7 / Shakhman / Greshams / 291 / Medal, badge / 7 / A. Vitart / Wellington / 188 / Bronze medal
8 / Jones / Oakham / 291 / Medal, badge / 8 / W. Cubitt / Greshams / 187 / Bronze medal
9 / Pepara-Hibbert / Wellington / 290 / Medal, badge / 9 / J. Ramsden / Wellington / 185 / Bronze medal
10 / Martin / Tonbridge / 290 / Medal, badge / 10 / L. Bennett / Wellington / 184 / Bronze medal
STAFF CHAMPIONSHIP Autumn 2015
THE HEAL TROPHY and tankard (raw gun score) N.J.Ball, Wellington
THE ROTH TANKARD (handicap) A. Grounds, Greshams
TEAM OF EIGHT Autumn 2015
1 / Wellington A / 600 / Cup and medals2 / Greshams (counted out on first stage) / 600 / Medals
3 / Charterhouse / 598 / Medals
4 / Wellington B / 597
5 / Tonbridge / 595
6 / Epsom / 593
7 / Oakham / 593
8 / Oundle / 591
AUTUMN LEAGUE 2015
Section A Div. 1. Greshams A FIELD TROPHY
2. Tonbridge A
3. Sedbergh A
4. Perse A
5. Wellington C
6. Tonbridge B
7. Tonbridge C
Section B Div. 1. Oundle C POLLARD CUP
2. Bradfield D
Section C Div. 1. Wellington D JUNIOR WINTER TROPHY