Soon after he won the gold medal in Australia in 2000 I had the pleasure of meeting British Olympic hero Richard Faulds. Not only is he an exceptional shot but also a great ambassador for the sport of shooting, both competition and game. A quiet and modest man, his responsible attitude to shooting – and the politics that surround it – is an example to shooters and non-shooters alike.
A year after he triumphed at the Olympics I found myself honoured to stand beside the great man at the awards ceremony of the European Side-by-Side Championships, he having won the hammerless class and methe hammer gun class with Grandfather’s 1877 gun. The fact that he had a score of 92 against many competitors and I had 77 against few puts the event in perspective. For me, it was a one-off lifetime story; for Faulds yet another championship title.
I spoke to Faulds afterwards and conversation turned to pigeon shooting, as it does. I asked if he would be amused to come and have a day with me if I could find something of interest. For the Mr Cool, who contained nerves and emotions until the last pair of the Olympic shoot-off, to be so enthusiastic with open-eyed excitement at the prospect of a pigeon-shooting trip took me by surprise. Yes, he loved pigeon shooting and would be there.
It so happened that the following week a large rape field had been harvested and a Flightline had developed between it and the cement works’ quarry a mile to the east. This is an attraction for pigeon but as to why I am still unsure. It may be water but more likely calcium, as the pigeon can regularly be seen sitting on the chalk spoil heaps.
This story is from the July 2020 edition of The Field.
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This story is from the July 2020 edition of The Field.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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