Orston gets a revamp
Jasper Fellows enjoys what Orston Shooting Ground has to offer in the company of its owners Dan and Emily Martin
In 2016 Emily and Dan Martin moved to Nottinghamshire with a plan to take an already established shooting ground and make it even better. Since then they’ve worked tirelessly toward their goal of making Orston Shooting Ground one of the most welcoming, and technologically innovative, clay grounds in the country.
“Over the past five years we’ve fully updated everything on offer at Orston,” says Emily. “We have been paying particular attention to all of the equipment on-site and over the years have replaced every trap and linked our entire 25-stand Sporting course to a Promatic Claymate system. This makes it easier than ever for experienced shooters to simply turn up and shoot the course at their own pace.”
Discipline
Similar attention has been paid to the rest of the grounds where the Martins, and their team of experienced staff, have improved upon and expanded every discipline on offer. “We also offer DTL, Skeet, Sportrap, ABT and Driven Game Arena.
“Three years ago, we even constructed a new simulated game area. This has proved to be a real hit with our game shooters and with clay Shots looking to try something a bit different. We now have so much on offer that we had to invest in a number of golf carts, just to help our clients make the most of everything on offer during their visits.”
While the sheer amount of shooting opportunities presented across the grounds may seem a little daunting at first, there is help on hand, in the form of Andrew Watson and Matt Hewson, Orston’s fully APSI (Association of Professional Shooting Instructors) qualified coaching duo.
“Matt and Andrew both have a fantastic reputation in the industry and shoot competitively throughout the UK. They both have a wide range of shooting experience, so can help anyone increase their scores on any of the disciplines we have on offer,” says Emily. “They’re also both keen game shooters and will happily join clients out in the wilds for in-field coaching sessions.”
Coaches
Thanks to the quality of Orston’s facilities, its range of disciplines and impressive targets the ground has also managed to attract a number of high-profile coaches who teach their own clients on site.
“World English Sporting champion Mark Winser and three-times British Grand Prix FITASC champion Nick Hendrick both regularly coach at Orston,” says Emily. “
We’re always happy to see top Shots like them making the most of the grounds to teach their clients and are always happy to put our shooters in contact with them.”
Booking a lesson with one of the world’s best is a great way to get a leg up on the
competition ahead of one of the many events that regularly take place at Orston. “With the season slowly closing for this year, we’re already looking ahead and starting to fill in the calendar for 2022,” says Emily.
“We are particularly excited about hosting the Clay Shooting Classic once again, as well as the British Schools & Young Shots Championship for 2022. And we still have the British Universities & Colleges Sports (BUCS) Championships to look forward to this year, where we’ll be welcoming students from across the country as they shoot it out with their university teams.”
Gunroom
If you aren’t lucky enough to walk away with one of the fantastic prizes usually offered at Orston’s competitions, you can still treat yourself, thanks to the incredibly wellstocked gunroom. “Our gunroom has one of the largest selections of Blaser shotguns in the country, but that’s not all we stock. We also have guns from Browning, Longthorne, Yildiz, Kofs, ATA, Beretta, Caesar Guerini and many more. We’re also a platinum Pilla dealer and offer a wide selection of shooting accessories and clothing,” says Emily.
“To help our clients make the best possible decision when looking for a new gun, we offer more than 20 demo models for use on the grounds. We also have fully adjustable try guns, from which we can take exact measurements that can be taken away to any stock maker for those looking for a made-to-measure stock. We work with Rowland Watson Gunmakers for any other gunsmithing work our clients might require.”
If you need a moment before making the big decision on a new purchase, why not settle down in the Orston Cafe. Run by James Westwood and his team from the Reindeer at Long Bennington?
“We’re really lucky to have James and his team here with us, providing shooters with everything from quick snacks to phenomenal full breakfasts,” enthuses Emily.
In a way, the quality of the offerings from the Orston Cafe is symbolic of the entire business, where even the smallest detail is continually improved upon. “We’re proud to have a meticulous eye for detail,” says Emily. “We’re always trying to grow as a business and to offer our shooters something special. We wouldn’t be where we are today without their support, so we continually strive to offer a leading facility where everyone can enjoy the sport of clay shooting.”