A load off your mind

Good loaders can make all the difference to a day in the field and many are pursuing a professional qualification to deepen their knowledge

- MARY SKIPWITH

THE EXHILARATION that pulses through one's veins on a peg, gun at the ready as a squadron of birds rockets into view, is often tempered by the pressure to make a clean, safe shot in the quickest of moments and readying to go again. For novices, the additional worry of which way and how many the line moves up or how many cartridges are needed for the drive can render a shoot day rather intimidating. Fortunately, support can be on hand in the shape of loaders who are there to help shots handle the heat and keep their cool.

Loading is a prestigious job reserved for those who really know their way around a gun. Many are former keepers, others are instructors, some simply have a passion for the sport. For shooting instructor Steph Davey, deciding to become a loader was the first stage in pursuing a career in fieldsports. "Prior to getting a qualification, I had loaded for friends and family on simulated game days and a few game days during the season," she tells me. "Having the chance to watch some great shooting, being out in the field and adding to someone else's day were the key motivators in the decision process of getting a qualification."

For Sean O'Malley, director of Beowulf Sporting, it was about gaining the knowledge to support others. When he started his business with his brother, the aim was to encourage corporate groups and novices into the sport. The idea had formed after several friends had shown interest in learning to shoot. "I was always thorough when explaining the safety aspect of shooting but also aware that I could do with something to back up my instruction," he admits. "I knew that if we were to be taking novices into the field, be it simulated or live game shoots, I would need some sort of qualification to ensure safety and satisfy insurance policies."