A Dummies Guide to Clay Pigeon

If you were unfamiliar with the sport of clay pigeon shooting before arriving at St Andrews, it likely didn't take long for your curiosity to pique. Similarly, if you spent the first few weeks, or even months, drawing a blank when someone mentioned the Clay Pigeon Shooting Club, you're not alone. Maybe you attended the club's give-it-a-go session last September or chatted to club members during Freshers Fayre. Or maybe you still don't know exactly what clay pigeons are. If that's the case, let this article be your guide to everything clay pigeon-related. I had the chance to speak to club members about the club's history, their popular give-it-a-go session first semester, and everything in between.

First, allow me to provide some background information on the sport. Pigeon shooting for sport originated in Europe in the eighteenth century. Clay pigeons replaced live birds in the late nineteenth century, and clay pigeon shooting was born. The sport was played as a source of entertainment and a way for players to practice their shooting skills before hunting real birds. The rules of the game are quite simple. Circular moulds of baked clay called clay pigeons are released into the air by a machine called a trap. The shooter then uses a shotgun to try and shoot and break the clay pigeon in mid-air. It didn't take long for our university to become hooked. 

As club president Xander Sparkes informed me, "The St Andrews Clay Pigeon Shooting Club was founded in 1854 when [the club] decided that it would be easier to use clay targets rather than actual pigeons released from traps." He added that "keeping all of the birds was rather expensive, and apparently a bit of a faff. We haven't looked back since! Clays are a bit easier to tidy up!" Once this change was implemented, it is believed that Henry Lykes-Richard, elected in 1856, became the club's first president. 

The Clay Pigeon Shooting Club is welcoming to all skill levels and shots. I spoke to first-year member Saylor Waddell about the club's popular give-it-a-go session during the Martinmas semester. "The give-it-a-go was split over three different days and had around 150 people," Waddell observed. "You shot 10 cartridges at the give-it-a-go, but usually if you are shooting regularly it's 25. We learned about safety, proper shooting form, and how to handle a gun." 

Waddell compared the give-it-a-go to the team's weekly practices at The Scottish Clay Shooting Center in Leuchars, just ten minutes from St Andrews. "[Practices] are usually the same setup as a give-it-a-go but with less people," Waddell explained. Paying members can attend either the morning or evening practice on Wednesdays. "Right after the give-it-a-go I went straight to shooting, without a lesson, and found it super easy to pick up and enjoy," Waddell reflected. Freshers representative Ollie Edwards described these practices as "a good chance to escape from our small town," and added that the club provides "one of the most affordable clay shooting opportunities in all of the UK." Lessons are priced at £25. Additionally, if the club has provided you with a license holder, you can shoot for just £15.

When I asked Waddell about the club’s plans for the future, she explained that, although there won’t be a give-it-a-go at any point during the Candlemas semester, we can expect one in September 2025. Until then, members can attend one of the many clay pigeon social events that take place throughout the year. The club is well regarded as one of the University's most social societies, hosting themed social events for members every Wednesday and multiple black tie dinners throughout the year. 

I attended the white lies-themed clay pigeon social last Wednesday, 29 January, where I met Treasurer Caera Hannah. She later informed me of the club's success at a recent shooting competition in Edinburgh hosted by Edinburgh University's Clay Pigeon Shooting Club. "The event took place at a beautiful location just outside the city, featuring some challenging traps that provided a great chance to push our skills and try new targets. Universities from Lancaster, Aberdeen, Newcastle, and Durham were also in attendance, and the atmosphere was incredibly welcoming, making for an unforgettable evening. We were thrilled to win the Women's High Gun prize, an amazing result." 

This is not the first competition that the Clay Pigeon Society has attended this academic year. Every November, they participate in the largest university clay pigeon shooting competition in the UK, called The Challenge. Welly Ball, which takes place directly after The Challenge, is also intended to celebrate the competition and fundraise for the Charlie Waller Trust. This year, the ball raised a record £40,000, the largest donation in Welly Ball history. Although many students are familiar with Welly Ball, many of them may not know that the club also part-sponsors an agricultural school in Ndola, Zambia. "This school specialises in providing training to unemployed youths and giving them important life skills. We've found it really rewarding partnering with this organisation, and even sent a few of our members over there on a residential trip last year,” Sparkes expressed. 

The rave reviews speak for themselves — so whether you're a natural shot or have never held a gun, this club could be for you. Will you give it a go next September?

Image from Wikimedia Commons