Jory wins season opener with highest-possible score

Peter Jory on the 500-yard firing point ahead of his shoot

GRC Editor

12 April 2025

Peter Jory is the first trophy-winner of the year after scoring a superb 75.12v to win the club’s season opener, the Mauxmarquis.

The club’s president scored the only “possible” on the range to seal his third win in the competition, adding to previous triumphs in 2002 and 2021.

The turnout was surely the highest in several years for an event outside the club’s open meetings, with twenty-nine entrants completing the course of fire – two sighters and fifteen scoring shots at 500 yards for a maximum possible score of 75 with 15 central V-bulls.

In a change from the crisp and sunny weather of late, conditions were humid and mostly cloudy. The wind, though only gentle, swung intermittently from left to right, demanding constant vigilance from firers to avoid shots being pushed either side of the centre.

After the first detail, Otto Roussel took the early lead with 73.7v. But with twenty-one firers yet to take to the point, this score looked likely to be beaten.

Sure enough, Braden Morris moved into the lead after the second detail with 74.10v, just ahead of Alexander Stewart, the reigning winner, on 74.7v.

On the final detail, Jory took lined up alongside two of his students from the College. Leading by example, “Mr” Jory produced fifteen of the best for a score of 75.12v – the only 75 of the day – to take the spoils and relegate Messrs Morris and Stewart to second and third place, respectively.

Twelve of Jory’s fifteen shots found the central V-bull ring.

A typically relaxed Jory confessed afterwards that it seemed to make little difference whether his shots felt good or bad; in either case they would find their way to the centre of the target.

Alex Richards, a relative newcomer to the full-bore scene, posted an impressive 73.9v to finish in fourth place. He will no doubt hope to build on such a strong start to his outdoor season.

Full results: 1. Peter Jory 75.12v (500 yards); 2. Braden Morris 74.10v; 3. Alexander Stewart 74.7v; 4. Alex Richards 73.9v; 5. Jacques Bideau 73.8v; 6. Otto Roussel 73.7v; 7. James Nippers 72.7v; 8. Osman Polat 72.7v; 9. Stephen Penrose 71.7v; 10. Alistair Stewart 71.7v; 11. Nick Branch 71.6v; 12. Mike Creber 71.6v; 13. Matthew Stewart 71.3v; 14. Jason Richard 70.7v; 15. Nick Thompson 70.6v; 16. Adam Norman 70.6v; 17. Jeremy Witham 70.5v; 18. Charlie Brewin 69.3v; 19. Rory McKenna 68.5v; 20. Stephen Smith 68.3v; 21. Mikey Chammings 67.6v; 22. Mason Hanaford 67.4v; 23. Freddie Stewart 67.3v; 24. Olivia Morgan 66.4v; 25. Alex Dorey 66.4v; 26. Sam Le Huray 66.3v; 27. Pierre Goubert 65.4v; 28. Huw Nippers 65.3v; 29. Alex Lawrence 63.0v