We are so thrilled for Rosie Dempsey (Year 7) who proudly represented BGS at the British Shooting Schools Pistol Championships (East of England round) on Friday 24th November at Ipswich High School.

The championships consist of a 10m Air Pistol shooting, with strict adherence to safety protocols and instructions for unboxing and loading the pistols.

Rosie achieved an impressive score of 134 over five targets at 10 metres, with her average ranging between 29-41, marking a personal best. Her remarkable performance secured her 12th place in her region, positioning her in the top quartile nationwide. View the full results here.

Rosie's journey into pistol shooting began through her participation in Tetrathlon at the Puckeridge Hunt Western Pony Club, where she has been a member since the age of three. This discipline combines pistol shooting (at 7m), riding, running, and swimming. Over the winter, it transitions to a triathlon format comprising swimming, shooting, and running. Rosie has recently started organised training sessions in pistol shooting, dedicating half an hour each week after school. This commitment has significantly improved her approach, aim, and ultimately contributed to her impressive 12th place finish.

At the end of each coaching session, her instructor places a polo over the bullseye on the target. If Rosie hits the polo during practice, she earns a bag of sweets! The night before the competition marked the first time she hit the polo at 10m with her third shot! During the competition, she visualised the presence of the polo to aid her focus.