They were Peter Wilson MBE, 2012 London Olympic men’s double trap champion; Richard Faulds MBE, 2000 Sydney Olympic men’s double trap champion; and the latest addition to the club, Nathan Hales, 2024 Paris Olympic men’s trap champion and guest editor for the October 2024 issue of Fieldsports Journal.
Between them, the trio have not only won Olympic gold but also broken world records, and all are, at heart, keen game shots with a deep love of the countryside.
The rest of the team included a handful of Brimpsfield Park regulars, Peter’s father Charles, who was shooting alternate drives, and three pegs allocated by Ben to Tweedl. One went to its founder, Sam Hargreaves, while two were given away on the platform at £10 a ticket — one to the winner and one shared by his guests.
Loaders and stuffers were no less distinguished. Richard’s son, Charlie — CPSA Young Shot of the Year 2024 — is gaining valuable experience this season, while Nathan’s partner, Charlotte Kerwood, by 27 had already competed in two Olympic Games and won four Commonwealth golds in double trap.
“This is just seriously cool,” said the ever-effervescent Peter Wilson after the first drive, Cottage. “We’ve all shot clays together for years, but to be in the same game line like this has never happened before.”
Birds, banter and elevenses
Cottage offered a lively mix of duck, pheasant and partridge, with some fine birds taken across the line. While their individual styles differed, the three gold medallists shared an effortless mount, a gracious swing and, somehow, all the time in the world.
Bowman’s followed, again with pheasant and partridge, against a backdrop of glowing hardwoods clinging to their last autumn leaves. By elevenses, appetites were well worked up, and Ben delivered on his promise of a “celebration of game” in the recently renovated shoot room.
Partridge poppers, pheasant goujons and two-bite sliders disappeared quickly. When asked for the recipes, Ben laughed: “I’m like the KFC Colonel — no one’s getting them!”
His ambition runs deeper than good food. “I want to grow the game meat market,” he explained. “Next spring I’m launching a food truck — the Game Boys — taking game to shows and events to get more people eating it.”
Ben’s modern approach and strong social presence have helped Brimpsfield Park and Hitchins Shoot thrive. “It’s a privilege to host a day like this,” he said. “They don’t come around often.”
