The Venerable Intra-European Haggis Match

2^nd November 2013

Leatherhead R.C.

Thank you to all who attended this year – shooters, helpers, visitors and performers, various. This was the third Haggis Match since its inception with its origin in a generous challenge laid down by David Steed and the Leatherhead Rifle Club to the new Sporting rifle contingent of the NRA Shooting Club.

‘Vires in Varietate’

This year we managed a cultural first for the Haggis, teams from Leatherhead (Le LRC), Scotland (Les Scots), France (Les Tireurs CSR de Paris) and finally Les poor old Nots (from wherever we could find them).

We experimented with self-scoring for shooters, using scoresheets akin to the format and layout of the NRA open competitions and rejoiced in the familiar cartoonic targetry penned by Catherine Steed in 2011.

The Nots’ S.C.A

Our new friends from France enjoyed a demonstration kindly given by Steve Denton and Martin Hale of firing lever action and semi-auto rifles plus long-barrelled revolver in the style and protocols of the Phoenix series of competitions, which we hope they might participate in next year. Thank you, Steve and Martin.

‘Primum Amicitia’

After shooting we repaired to the Old Sergeant’s Mess where our kind hosts Jo and Dan Archer (who had put up the French team captain and his wife in their new and prestigious accommodation) provided a bar service. My wife Susan made a rare appearance at a shooting event, kindly cooking Haggis, neaps and tatties for our supper.

Pipe Major Graham Waller led Mr Kynoch a merry dance around the OSM banqueting hall, which he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying. And his rendition of The Can-can for pipes is more or less unique !

Neil MacFarlane addressed the Haggis in his inimitable theatrical style – swashbuckling a long knife before plunging it into the steaming, defenseless animal after uttering a fiery traditional incantation attributed to Robert Burns.

Team Results

1st: Le Leatherhead Rifle Club 574
Richard Collins; Steve Reed

2nd: Les Tireurs CSR de Paris 563
Bruno Bethineau; Isabelle Berthineau; Yannik Joubel; Olivier Larrue

3rd: Les Scots 552
John Kynoch; Morgan Morton; Paul Douglas; Kevin Annis

4th: Les Nots 364
John Ware; Jeremy Jones; Simon Rowe

Individual Results

By gracious consent of Richard Collins and joint highest scorer Mr Ware, the venerable Haggis trophy is journeying back to France next week for a year in Paris (I wish I was joining her).

We hope you enjoyed the match and I have to confirm that, after much deliberation, the French-speaking rabbit prize was won by Jo and Dan’s dogs at the O.S.M. for NOT barking.

Next year’s Haggis Match will be on Saturday 1st November – unless Mark Bradley’s CSR competitions are scheduled for a different date than Sunday 2nd.

Simon Rowe
November 2013