Sovereign's Prize
The Sovereign's Prize is a British fullbore target rifle shooting competition. It is the climax of the National Rifle Association's annual Imperial Meeting and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious prizes in the sport globally.[2] The prize is typically referred to as the Queen's Prize or the King's Prize depending on the incumbent British monarch, although in colloquial use "the Queen's" has predominated due to the long reigns of Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II.
Sport | Shooting sports |
---|---|
Competition | Imperial Meeting |
Discipline | Fullbore target rifle |
Location | National Shooting Centre, Bisley |
Country | United Kingdom |
Presented by | National Rifle Association |
History | |
First award | 1860 |
Editions | 153 |
Final award | 2022 |
First winner | Edward CR Ross |
Most wins |
|
Most recent | Chris Watson [1] |
The Prize was first contested in 1860, with the winner receiving a gold medal and £250. Strictly speaking, the "Queen's Prize" refers to the £250 cash prize, which was originally the personal gift of Queen Victoria. As of 2022, the Prize has been contested 153 times, breaking only for the World Wars. Although contested on an open basis, it has only been won three times by women (in 1930, 2000 and 2022). Five people have won it three times.
Course of Fire
As of 2022, the Prize is contested in three stages.[3] Standard NRA targets are used, with scoring rings offering a maximum score of five points, plus a "v-bull" within the 5-ring (used for tie-breaking). Since the move to the National Shooting Centre at Bisley, the first and second stages have been contested on the 600yard range Century Range, whilst the final is contested on Stickledown Range (which can support shooting up to 1200yards).
Stages II and III are sometimes known as a "Queen's Prize" match. A "Queen's Prize" is used as the standard course of fire for fullbore rifle matches at the Commonwealth Games, although all competitors shoot all distances without elimination.
Queen's I
Stage one is an open elimination round consisting of three "2+7" matches (2 sighters with 7 shots to count) at 300, 500 and 600yards. This gives a highest possible score of 105 with 21 V-bulls (rendered as 105.21v).
The top three hundred competitors progress to the second stage, which typically includes scores of ~101 or better.
Queen's II
Stage two consists of 2+10 matches at the same distances as the first stage. Qualification is on a "start from zero" basis, meaning that scores from the first stage are not carried forward and top qualifiers have no advantage over those with poorer scores in the first stage. The highest possible score is 150 with 30 v-bulls (150.30v).
The top one hundred competitors progress to the third and final stage. The "Queen's Hundred" each receive an NRA '100' Badge. The top scorer in the second stage is awarded an NRA Silver Medal for winning the "short range" portion of the competition, regardless of how they perform in the final.
Queen's III (Queen's Final)
Stage three moves to longer distances, consisting of 2+15 matches at 900 and 1000yards. Scores are carried forward from the second stage, giving a highest possible score of 300.60v. Winning scores better than 298 are common, indicating the shooter has only dropped one or two shots across five distances and sixty shots.
The winner receives a gold medal and £250, with the runners up receiving silver and bronze badges respectively. The winner is then "chaired" off the range on an open sedan chair borne by other competitors.[4] By tradition they are carried to the NRA offices to receive their prize, followed by a tour of the clubhouses on camp.
Winners
Notable winners include the three female winners – Marjorie Foster (1930);[5][6][7][8] JF Hossack (2000)[9] and Alice Good (2022).[10] A road on Bisley Camp is named Marjorie Foster Way.
The Fulton family have the unique distinction of having three generations of winners. George Fulton used the proceeds of his 1888 win to found Fulton's Gun Shop on Bisley Camp, which still stands today. His son Arthur won a record-breaking three times in 1912, 1926 and 1931. Arthur Fulton's son Robin won in 1958.
Arthur Fulton's record was only matched in 1996. There are now five shooters who have won the Prize three times:[11]
- Arthur Fulton (1912, 1926, 1931)
- Alain Marion (1980, 1983, 1996)[12]
- TA Ringer (1992, 1997, 2001)
- David Calvert (2010, 2015, 2016)
- GCD Barnett (2002, 2003, 2019)
Also notable is PA Bennison's 1998 shoot, where he became the first person to score a "possible" with 300.40v. Canadian shooter James Paton matched this in 2005 with another 300.40v.
Year | Gold Medal | Gold Medal Score | Silver Medal[note 1] | Silver Medal Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
1860 | ECR Ross | 24 | Cpl F Sharp | 17 |
1861 | Pte JM Jopling | 18 | Sgt J Dougan | 23 |
1862 | S Pixley | 41 | Ens H Walton | 46 |
1863 | J Roberts | 65 | Cpl W Wisker | 49 |
1864 | J Wyatt | 60 | Pte J Haward | 47 |
1865 | J Sharman | 64 | ECR Ross | 47 |
1866 | A Cameron | 69 | Pte A James | 48 |
1867 | H Lane | 57 | Capt W Wright | 52 |
1868 | JB Carslake | 65 | D/Maj SG Hutchinson | 51 |
1869 | A Cameron | 71 | T Kirk | 46 |
1870 | W Humphries | 66 | Cpl H Young | 49 |
1871 | AP Humphrey | 68 | Pte TH Mayfield | 51 |
1872 | W Michie | 65 | Capt A Cortis | 52 |
1873 | AD Menzies | 60 | Cpl R Willows | 74 |
1874 | WC Atkinson | 64 | Cpl H Young | 87 |
1875 | G Pearse | 73 | Pte A Innes | 90 |
1876 | R Pullman | 74 | Pte RB Burgess | 86 |
1877 | G Jamieson | 70 | Cpl Betts | 92 |
1878 | P Rae | 78 | Pte C Lowe | 47 |
1879 | G Taylor | 83 | QM JC Macdonald | 96 |
1880 | A Ferguson | 74 | Cpl Scott | 102 |
1881 | T Beck | 86 | Cpl W Ingram | 96 |
1882 | A Lawrance | 65 | Sgt WHO Smith | 174 |
1883 | Col-Sgt R Mackay | 79 | Capt JH Young | 183 |
1884 | D Gallant | 110 | Sgt JH Taylor | 105 |
1885 | W Bulmer | 307 | Col-Sgt Simonds | 104 |
1886 | CH Jackson | 265 | Capt A Cortis | 110 |
1887 | RO Warren | 274 | Armr-Sgt Hill | 104 |
1888 | Armr-Sgt GE Fulton | 280 | LCpl Noakes | 108 |
1889 | Sgt D Reid | 281 | Pte CW Wattleworth | 205 |
1890 | H Bates | 278 | Pte J Murray | 107 |
1891 | D Dear | 269 | Sgt A Milner | 113 |
1892 | Major J Pollock | 277 | Major J Pollock | 108 |
1893 | Sgt WT Davies | 274 | Pte A Stocks | 96 |
1894 | Pte MS Rennie | 283 | Capt H Bateman | 113 |
1895 | TH Hayhurst | 279 | LSgt W Hogg | 114 |
1896 | JL Thomson | 273 | Capt R Foster | 105 |
1897 | WT Ward | 304 | Armr-Sgt JH Scott | 117 |
1898 | D Yates | 327 | Lieut EL Fletcher | 119 |
1899 | WA Priaulx | 336 | Col-Sgt HWM Matthews | 120 |
1900 | WT Ward | 341 | Col-Sgt H Comery | 116 |
1901 | Cpl ANVH Ommundsen | 310 | Armr-Sgt AJ Comber | 93 |
1902 | Lt ED Johnson[13] | 307 | Cpl TH Kerr | 94 |
1903 | Col-Sgt WT Davies | 311 | Pte W Gray | 85 |
1904 | SJ Perry | 321 | Chap CJ Ferguson-Davie | 93 |
1905 | AJ Comber | 315 | SSgt G Souter | 119 |
1906 | RfF Davies | 324 | Sgt ANVH Ommundsen | 94 |
1907 | WC Addison | 318 | Pte EA Buckley | 99 |
1908 | G Gray | 325 | Gnr DR Paterson | 94 |
1909 | HG Burr | 324 | Lieut JW Beatty | 93 |
1910 | FR Radice | 340 | FR Radice | 94 |
1911 | WJ Clifford | 319 | Pte AG Garrod | 95 |
1912 | AG Fulton | 335 | RSIM GH Harvey | 96 |
1913 | WA Hawkins | 330 | Sgt ANVH Ommundsen | 92 |
1914 | JL Dewar | 309 | AG Fulton | 94 |
1919 | L Loveday | 253 | Pte RW Lockwood | 129 |
1920 | FH Morgan | 281 | Capt WH Hoey | 144 |
1921 | J Cunningham | 226 | CR Crowe | 95 |
1922 | AF Marchment | 230 | RSM S Green | 94 |
1923 | EH Robinson | 232 | J Elgood | 97 |
1924 | DT Burke | 230 | CSM JL Dewar | 95 |
1925 | A Smith | 226 | Fl Off G Richardson | 98 |
1926 | AG Fulton | 286 | FH Kelly | 146 |
1927 | Capt, Dr CH Vernon | 292 | AG Fulton | 148 |
1928 | AC Hale | 283 | Lieut AE Martin | 145 |
1929 | RM Blair | 283 | Pte PRT Garnett | 141 |
1930 | Marjorie Foster[14] | 280 | Lieut AJ Andrews | 147 |
1931 | AG Fulton | 285 | AG Fulton | 145 |
1932 | CFH Bayly | 289 | JW Houlden | 146 |
1933 | DE Woods | 287 | Fl Off C Bunch | 145 |
1934 | JA Barlow | 288 | CSM WR Clarke | 146 |
1935 | Armr-Sgt FS French | 289 | CA Sutherland | 148 |
1936 | LD Busschau | 272 | Sgt JE Johnson | 146 |
1937 | DL Birney | 283 | O/Cdt DL Birney | 143 |
1938 | JA Barlow | 287 | RD Greig | 147 |
1939 | Capt TS Smith | 282 | Lieut A Eccles | 146 |
1946 | CC Willott | 280 | Capt RJ Middlemas | 144 |
1947 | WO R Bennett | 279 | WO R Bennett | 146 |
1948 | PA Pavey | 283 | Cpl RJ Kerslake | 146 |
1949 | Capt EWH Brookes | 278 | AG Fox | 146 |
1950 | Capt RD Greig | 277 | J Draper | 144 |
1951 | Lt GS Boa | 285 | Flt Lt H Gill | 144 |
1952 | Major AB Kinnier-Wilson | 277 | WH Magnay[15] | 146 |
1953 | Major NW McCaw | 273 | RL Saunders | 145 |
1954 | Major GE Twine | 278 | Major GE Twine | 145 |
1955 | LR Fenwick | 286 | Lt Col OA Watts | 146 |
1956 | Major GE Twine | 283 | Capt AF Bromley | 142 |
1957 | JRC Love | 283 | Lt Col F Adams | 147 |
1958 | Major RA Fulton | 281 | Lord Swansea | 145 |
1959 | Lt LW Mallabar | 276 | M Hook (later Hook-Sinclair) | 146 |
1960 | Sgt G Westling | 280 | Lt Col DE Elford | 146 |
1961 | WO2 NL Beckett | 284 | NL Beckett | 148 |
1962 | Flt Lt PWM Hall | 280 | PO RS Boyman | 147 |
1963 | KM Pilcher[16] | 283 | Dr KM Pilcher | 148 |
1964 | AD Harris[17] | 281 | LEM PEM Tarrant | 147 |
1965 | Capt JA Allen | 284 | Lt Col HJ Orpen-Smellie | 147 |
1966 | Maj RW Hampton[18] | 280 | Lieut RJ Cade | 146 |
1967 | JG Powell | 280 | Major GE Twine | 147 |
1968 | Capt AA Parks | 285 | Lord Swansea | 146 |
1969 | FG Little | 284 | CERA D Fox | 145 |
1970 | GF Arnold | 281 | EGJ Hayes | 146 |
1971 | RM Stevens | 292 | MJ Brister | 150 |
1972 | RP Rosling | 293.34 | TPB Garnett | 148.19 |
1973 | KM Pilcher[16] | 293.39 | KO Pugh | 149.23 |
1974 | FO Harriss | 283 | JR Killian | 148 |
1975 | CMY Trotter | 284 | GF Arnold | 148 |
1976 | WH Magnay[15] | 287 | E Felton | 149 |
1977 | DA Friend | 283 | JMA Thompson | 149 |
1978 | GR Graham | 285 | PG Kent | 148 |
1979 | Andrew Tucker[19] | 290 | JH Carmichael | 150 |
1980 | A Marion[12] | 294 | RWH Stafford | 150 |
1981 | GM Ayling | 291 | SA Thomas | 150 |
1982 | LM Peden | 295 | AG Harrison | 150 |
1983 | A Marion[12] | 289 | A Marion | 150 |
1984 | DFP Richards | 284 | Flt Lt C Fitzpatrick | 149 |
1985 | JPS Bloomfield | 290 | S Belither | 149 |
1986 | G Cox | 289 | PG Kent | 148 |
1987 | Andrew Tucker[19] | 290 | J Pugsley | 150 |
1988 | J Pugsley | 290 | C Mallett | 148 |
1989 | JMA Thompson | 288 | RE Hind | 149.12 |
1990 | JPS Bloomfield | 293 | HA Tomlinson | 150.22 |
1991 | Flt Lt C Fitzpatrick | 293 | GR Robilliard | 150.21 |
1992 | TA Ringer | 287.37 | AD Le Cheminant | 148.11 |
1993 | CA Brook | 295.29 | CA Brook | 150.20 |
1994 | ML Millar | 291.34 | JS Collings | 149.24 |
1995 | AJ Luckman | 289.30 | DGM Coleman | 149.22 |
1996 | A Marion[12] | 298.51 | PB Bromley | 150.27 |
1997 | TA Ringer | 299.44 | PG Kent | 150.26 |
1998 | PA Bennison | 300.40 | Chief Tech B Jones | 150.23 |
1999 | DGM Coleman | 294.37 | TA Ringer | 150.22 |
2000 | JF Hossack | 294.29 | GC Childs | 150.20 |
2001 | TA Ringer | 295.41 | JMA Thompson | 150.26 |
2002 | Dr GCD Barnett | 297.38 | Flt Lt IW Robertson | 150.28 |
2003 | Dr GCD Barnett[20] | 297.34 | Lt NJ Ball | 150.27 |
2004 | HRT Jeens | 291.25 | AJ Woodward | 149.18 |
2005 | JAM Paton | 300.40 | J Corbett | 150.23 |
2006 | JC Underwood | 297.42 | JC Underwood | 150.23 |
2007 | James WE Lewis[21] | 293.26 | DC Luckman | 150.23 |
2008 | Zainal Abidin Md Zain | 294.36 | Zainal Abidin Md Zain | 150.24 |
2009 | CN Tremlett | 298.44 | TA Ringer | 150.23 |
2010 | Wg Cdr DP Calvert[22] | 297.37 | J C Underwood | 150.26 |
2011 | ES Compton | 297.35 | D E Nuthall | 150.24 |
2012 | Dr JD Warburton | 298.34 | G E Morris | 150.25 |
2013 | J Corbett | 297.46 | SKC Hunter | 150.19 |
2014 | RCT Jeens | 297.44 | J Corbett | 150.24 |
2015 | Wg Cdr DP Calvert | 294.29 | J P Tapster | 149.20 |
2016 | Wg Cdr DP Calvert | 297.41 | HJ Golaszewski | 150.28 |
2017 | PM Patel | 297.37 | PM Patel | 149.18 |
2018 | DC Luckman | 281.29 | SJ Whitby | 150.13 |
2019 | GCD Barnett | 299.47 | WCP Richards | 150.26 |
2020 | DC Luckman | 297.40 | BJ Le Cheminant | 150.24 |
2021 | RSF Shouler | 298.35 | RL Furniss | 150.21 |
2022 | AP Good | 293.37 | Wg Cdr DP Calvert | 150.28 |
2023 | CJ Watson | 297.34 | CP Weeden | 150.22 |
See also
- Imperial Meeting - The NRA Meeting in which the Sovereign's Prize is contested.
- Bisley – The Queen's Prize – a BBC film following the 1986 Imperial Meeting and Queen's Prize, presented by Brian Glover.
Notes
- The Silver Medal is awarded to the highest scorer in the second stage, who has effectively won the "short range" portion of the competition. The overall runner-up in the Final is awarded a silver badge, and is not recorded here.
References
- "H.M. King's Prize, Stage III (2023)" (PDF). National Rifle Association. 24 July 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- "H.M. The Queen's Prize". GB Rifle Team. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- "NRA Handbook – Imperial competitions 2022" (PDF). National Rifle Association. p. 294. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- Bruce A R Scott (22 September 2021). "Chairing of Rifle Shooting Champions – The Tradition". National Rifle Association of Australia. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
The earliest evidence of the Chairing Ceremony for the sport of long range rifle shooting is recorded in the book titled 'History of the National Rifle Association during its first fifty years 1859 to 1909' by A.P. Humphry and Lieutenant Colonel the Hon T.F. Fremantle, 1914. ... The plate on the original chair reads: 'Presented in 1883 by Sgt GJ Wainwright LRB'. This suggests that the Chairing Ceremony was introduced at the Wimbledon Championship in 1883 and is peculiar to shooting and the King's/Queen's Prize. Since this likely first chairing of the winner, the ceremony has been adopted by many other nations, particularly Commonwealth Countries, where long range rifle shooting is an established and recognised activity.
- ""See The Conquering Heroine Comes" Again!". Pathé News. British Pathé. 21 July 1930. Archived from the original (Video) on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- "Marjorie Foster (1893–1974)". Exploring Surrey's Past. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- Imogen Lyons (6 January 2016). "Marjorie Foster: prize-winning rifle shot and poultry farmer". Intriguing People. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- "Surrey's bygone sporting heroes to be celebrated". BBC News. 19 January 2011. Archived from the original on 24 January 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- "First woman to win Bisley in 70 years". The Independent. 23 July 2000. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- Callum O'Shea (27 July 2022). "CURA Captain wins highly coveted Queen's Prize!". University of Cambridge Sport. University of Cambridge. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- "The King's and Queen's Prize". National Rifle Association. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- "Alain Marion GM3, GC, SM, SB, SC2". NRA News. National Rifle Association. 26 June 2023. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- "THE BISLEY MEETING LEICESTER MAN WINS THE KING'S PRIZE THE FINAL STAGE". Nottingham Evening Post. 28 July 1902. Archived from the original on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- Kay, Joyce (23 September 2004). "Foster, Marjorie Elaine (1893–1974), rifle shot and poultry farmer". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 1 (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/65174. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- "Walter Magnay". The Times. Times Media. 4 May 2013. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.(subscription required)
- "Keith Pilcher". The Times. Times Media. 23 January 2012. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
He held the unique distinction of winning the Queen's Prize blue riband event at Bisley twice, using first, in 1963, the immediate postwar .303 calibre adapted Lee Enfield service rifle and ten years later, in 1973, a bespoke rifle in the "new" 7.62mm calibre.
- "BISLEY - THE QUEEN'S PRIZE" (Video). Movietone News. British MovieTone News. 23 July 1964. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- "Uk: Canadian Wins Queen's Prize At Bisley Shooting". Pathé News. British Pathé. 16 July 1966. Archived from the original (Video) on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- "Andrew Tucker". The Times. Times Media. 16 July 2003. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
Andrew Tucker won international honours in small-bore and full-bore rifle shooting in 39 consecutive years from the early 1960s. He won the Queen's Prize at Bisley twice, the Bisley Grand Aggregate, the National Smallbore Rifle Association Lord Roberts Trophy and its Grand Aggregate (twice), and Commonwealth Games gold and silver medals.
(subscription required) - "Sport in Brief". The Times. Times Media. 21 July 2003. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
Shooting: Glyn Barnett's first act after creating history by successfully defending the Queen's Prize at Bisley was to dedicate his win to the memory of Andrew Tucker, one of the finest British riflemen, who died on July 9. "He was a great friend to all shooters," Barnett said.
- Dominic Walsh (14 March 2017). "Shard Capital's hot shots go in all guns blazing". The Times. Times Media. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
Shard Capital, the brokerage and asset management firm, will be a little light on senior management. Toby Raincock, its chief executive, and James Lewis, its managing partner, are both flying to South Africa to represent the Great Britain rifle team at one of the sport's big events. Who's the better shot? "James won the highly coveted Queen's Prize at Bisley in 2007, which puts him into an elite club of winners dating back over 150 years," says Mr Raincock. "On current form it would be close but perhaps I might just edge him out."
(subscription required) - Tony de Launay (26 July 2010). "David Calvert puts near misses behind him to finally win HM The Queen's Prize at Bisley". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.