Lakenheath Shooting Ground & Clay Target Centre

International Medals for Lakenheath Muzzle Loaders
 

Lakenheath Muzzle Loaders members Bev Keeble, Dave Elvin and Martin Crix, together with MLAGB Warwickshire Branch member, Jane Capewell, formed the British shotgun team for the 2008 World Muzzle Loading Championships held in Adelaide, South Australia. The competition was held in August, which is not far off the Australian winter. Conditions on the Monarto Range were wet and windy. This seemed a little strange as we were told that no rain had fallen in Adelaide for four years. It rained almost every day of our two-week stay.
 
The international muzzle loading shotgun competitions consist of 50 birds DTL. The DTL layout is quite different from a normal DTL layout in that the trap is below ground & the trajectory of the clay is fixed. 25 clays are shot in a one-hour detail in the morning and the same squad shoots another 25 bird detail in the afternoon. Separate competitions are held for percussion original, percussion reproduction and likewise flintlocks. There are also two team events, 3 man percussion team (sorry Jane!) and 3 man flintlock team (sorry again!).
 
Poor weather adversely affected the scores but the British Team performed well. Martin Crix with a score of 45 tied with Harry Sparks of the USA for the Original Percussion World Championship. Unfortunately for Martin, Harry, who was in superb form, beat him in the shoot off leaving him with the silver. Jane and Bev both shot very well with a score of 43 and 42 respectively. This earned Jane the bronze medal and Bev the fourth place.
 
The percussion team event was won by Germany with a score of 133, second was Great Britain with 130 and New Zealand, third, with 122.
 
Our flintlock team were placed fifth place in the team event.
 
The Great Britain Team, including rifle, musket and pistol shooters, as well as the shotgunners, had their most successful championships ever with a total medal haul of 27.