ROYAL BERKSHIRE HANDICAP CLASSIC COMPETITION RULES 2015
1. This is an Open handicapped 100 target English Sporting Championship over a period of
eleven weeks with the course built to a “par” score of 94ex-100. Standard Clay Pigeon
Shooting Association (CPSA) rules apply including: no coaching during the competition,
hearing and eye protection is mandatory and a maximum 28-gram cartridges only.
2. There are no classes. Each competitor that is a member of the CPSA and has shot 500 or
more registered sporting targets in the year to 31 October 2014 is given a handicap based on
two-thirds of their published CPSA average (e.g. if your CPSA average is 70 and the par is
94ex-100, you will receive a handicap of 16 (94 – 70 = 24 x 2/3 = 16). CPSA members who
have not shot 500 registered targets in the year to 20 December 2014 or those competitors
who are not CPSA members will be given a handicap by RBSS based on performance on the
day over 40 targets known only to the organisers. Competitors with RBSS handicaps will not
have a set handicap irrespective of the number of entries. At the Final RBSS handicaps will
be assessed off 40 of the 100 target new layout. RBSS and Clay Shooting magazine reserve
the right to reassess any competitor’s handicap based on known ability and performance on
the day. Any such reassessment of handicap is final without further explanation.
3. No ‘emergency’ average for the period issued by the CPSA, verbally or in writing, after
publication of averages for 2015, will be accepted. In this instance the RBSS handicap
system will be used.
4. Neither the organisers, the estate landowners nor the tenants or sponsors will accept
responsibility for the loss, damage or injury to persons, their property, vehicles or effects
(including guns) while at the venue.
5. Shotguns must be unloaded and kept in sleeves while travelling between stands. When out
of the sleeve, the gun – depending on type – must be broken or, in the case of semiautomatics, have the working parts to the rear or show a safety flag. Guns may only be
loaded when on the firing point.
6. While competitors are welcome to enjoy the clubhouse facilities, no-one may enter the
shooting ground area unless accompanied by a Royal Berkshire staff member. All
competitors will be accompanied by a referee during competition who will complete individual
scorecards. The referee’s decision is final.
7. Anyone wishing to buy shotgun cartridges at the venue must produce their shotgun
certificate.
8. While casual attire is acceptable, bare flesh under skeet vests and camouflage clothing is
not. Bad language and abusive behaviour will not be tolerated. Please do not put us in the
difficult position of having to ask you to leave the venue. RBSS and/or Clay Shooting
Magazine reserve the right to deny entry to this competition without explanation.
9. Re-entry of the competition is unrestricted. Enter as many times as you like. Individual’s
scores will then be entered onto the master scoreboard and RBSS website.
10. At the end of each week (1700hrs each Saturday), regardless of the number of the week’s
competitors, there will be a prize of £150 plus 250 Gamebore cartridges for the highest score,
£75 for the runner-up and 250 cartridges for third. In any category the individual who shot the
qualifying score earliest in the week will prevail. Please note that the weekly Top Gun prize
can only be won a maximum of 3 times by any one individual unless he/she posts a score
higher than the highest of their previous 3 winning scores.
11. £1 of every entry will be allocated to the Classic Accumulator. The Accumulator will pay
out twice. The collective £1 generated during the periods ending week 6 and 11 respectively
will be presented to the highest actual score for each of these 2 distinct periods.
12. All squads made of 4 individuals shooting together as a group will be entered in to the
CCI Challenge with the highest scoring 4 combined scores with handicap receiving a bottle of
Taittinger champagne each.
13. At the end of the eleven weeks, the single highest score with a handicap will receive a
prize of £500 courtesy of Clay Shooting Magazine. No score will be posted above 100 and, in
the event of a tie, the individuals will be invited to the Final and the winner will be calculated
from the competition with handicapped scores.
14. The top 40 CPSA handicapped scores and the top 20 RBSS handicapped scores from
the eleven weeks of competition (only one score to count) will all be invited as guests of
RBSS, Clay Shooting magazine, Browning, Gamebore and CCI Clays, Promatic, Stratstone
and George Digweed to the Open Final. The 100-target final will also be shot as a
handicapped event on Wednesday 6 May 2015.
15. The individual who shoots the highest score with a handicap at the Final will receive a
Browning shotgun courtesy of International Sports Brands (ISB). The highest scoring
Browning/Miroku user during the qualifying period will also receive a Miroku c/o ISB. (In the
event that a Browning user wins the highest handicap score they cannot win the Miroku and
this will go to the 2nd highest placed Browning user.)
16. Under no circumstances should any prize winner communicate directly with the sponsors
about his prize without the express consent of Wesley Stanton at Blaze Publishing
(publishers of Clay Shooting magazine) or Dylan Williams of RBSS. No cash alternative is
available for any non-cash prize. Non-cash prizes are not transferable.
17. No full-time employee of RBSS, Blaze Publishing Limited, Browning, Gamebore,
Stratstone, Promatic, CCI Clays or George Digweed is eligible for this competition.
18. For 2015 all entrants will have the opportunity to enter “The Classic Spirit” which is a
120 bird competition. The Classic Spirit will be shot over the 100 target Handicap Classic
plus an additional 20 targets. The 20 targets cannot be shot independently of the 100
Handicap targets.
a. The prize will be a 1984 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit that will be taxed and have a valid MOT
till June 2015. The Rolls-Royce is presented to the winner on an "as seen" basis. The vehicle
will be taxed and have current MOT. No warranties/ guarantees or assurance relating to the
mechanical well being of the vehicle are given and on receipt of the vehicle the winner will not
have any claim against the RBSS or any sponsors for repairs, damages or costs in relation to
the Rolls-Royce in any way whatsoever. It is to be collected from the Royal Berkshire
Shooting School at a mutually agreeable time.
b. The car will have a designated registration plate
c. Entry will be an additional £10 over and above the £49 for The Classic
d. 20% of the entrant’s handicap will apply to the 20 targets
e. The 10 highest scores ex 120 with a handicap will be invited to the Final and the highest
score, or in the event of a tie, the winner of the shoot off, will win the Rolls-Royce irrespective
of final score – there will be no barrier to ensuring the car is won and a winner announced.
19. The sponsors and organisers reserve the right to change the rules and prize fund without
notice. They also reserve the right to review an individual’s entry and decline an invitation to
the final without any written or verbal explanation. Their decision is final and no
correspondence will be entered into.
The rules for the Final will be available to all qualifiers