THE LADY SHOT

"For years a traditional male sport, shooting has undergone something of a revolution in the past few years. In increasing numbers, ladies are taking up the sport and proving that they are not only the equal of their male colleagues but in many cases, better."

Long ago we recognised the importance of our lady shooters to the sport and we cater for their requirements in several ways. We ensure that we have available as wide a range of guns as possible, not only 12 gauge, but also a selection of smaller gauges, including 20 and 28 gauge in both side by side and over and under.

An introductory lesson to shooting by one of the Holland & Holland professional shooting instructors can eliminate many of the perceived fears suffered by lady shooters. The level of care and attention to detail in the first provision of a suitable gun will reassure many of the expertise and care to follow, making the early lessons a journey of adventure rather than a leap into the unknown. Further lessons will continue to build the confidence and expertise, resulting in a satisfying number of smashed clays, and so the adventure will continue.

We have also introduced our Green Feathers Programme with the intention of encouraging lady shooters and over the last few years the courses have introduced more than 700 ladies with little or no experience to the pleasures of shotgun shooting.

The most important thing is to keep practising, and the natural progression from the Green Feathers is the Silver Feathers course for all those ladies who have a degree of expertise and who wish to continue to improve their technique.

The courses not only encourage the expansion of shooting within the female followers of the sport but also help promote a better awareness of country sports as a whole.

THE YOUNG SHOT

"It is with the younger generation that our future, and the future of shooting lies. It is incumbent upon organisations such as ours to ensure that the skills of shooting and safety in the field are passed down through future generations."

We are often asked by parents contemplating shooting lessons for their children whether there is a lower age limit for starting shooting, and the honest answer to this question is no! The main criteria for starting shooting are the ability to safely handle an appropriate gun and the desire to learn!

As anyone in the teaching world knows, you are never too young to learn a new skill or technique. Early professional tuition will not only give youngsters of both sexes a good grounding in the art of shooting, but will also ensure that no bad habits are developed at an early age, something that can so easily happen without the expert's guiding hand.

To this end we at Holland & Holland are leading the way in providing both the facilities and the courses for the young shooter and actively promoting their cause to a wider audience. Teaching the young shot can take place on a one-to-one lesson basis with one of our instructors, or on one of our courses specifically tailored to the Young Shot.

The actual shooting as such is only one part of the learning process. Included in the young shot's course are sessions on gun safety, on which we place great importance, quarry identification and fieldcraft.