Jump to content

Elcho Shield: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Added infobox, references, external links, removed redirects on NRA wikilinks
Fixed wikilink, added history
Line 32: Line 32:


==History==
==History==
The first match, on Wednesday July 9, 1862, was held over {{convert|800|yd|abbr=on}}, {{convert|900|yd|abbr=on}} and {{convert|1000|yd|abbr=on}} solely between Scotland and England. In the event England won by 166 points. Scotland won the trophy for the first time in 1864 and Ireland joined the fray in 1865.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Rosemary Meldrum |title=History of The Elcho Shield |url=https://gbmatchrifle.org.uk/competitions/elcho-history/ |website=Match Rifle Shooting of Great Britain and Ireland |publisher=Great Britain Match Rifle Team |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref>
The first match, on Wednesday July 9, 1862, was held over {{convert|800|yd|abbr=on}}, {{convert|900|yd|abbr=on}} and {{convert|1000|yd|abbr=on}} solely between Scotland and England. In the event England won by 166 points. Scotland won the trophy for the first time in 1864 and Ireland joined the fray in 1865.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Rosemary Meldrum |title=History of The Elcho Shield |url=https://gbmatchrifle.org.uk/competitions/elcho-history/ |website=Match Rifle Shooting of Great Britain and Ireland |publisher=Great Britain Match Rifle Team |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> By this time, the match had become a major sporting event in Victorian England, as important as [[The Boat Race]] or the [[Eton v Harrow]] cricket match at Lords.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Rosemary Meldrum |title=A History of the Elcho Shield |url=https://www.nrcofs.org/images/Elcho.html |website=National Rifle Club of Scotland |publisher=National Rifle Club of Scotland |access-date=31 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329052123/https://www.nrcofs.org/images/Elcho.html |archive-date=29 March 2022}}</ref> Wales did not compete until 1991.


The trophy is large and distinctive, known as the Elcho Shield, and is made from a sheet of [[iron]] decorated with repousse scenes to a design by the artist [[George Frederic Watts|G. F. Watts]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Watts|first=M.S.|year=1912|title=George Frederic Watts|location=London|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]]|volume=1|pages=197–8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LneiSQAACAAJ}}</ref> It was presented to the [[National Rifle Association (United Kingdom|National Rifle Association]] by its founder and president, [[Francis Richard Charteris, 10th Earl of Wemyss|Lord Elcho]] (Francis Richard Charteris, 10th [[Earl of Wemyss]] and 6th [[Earl of March]], b. 1818, d. 1914).
The Elcho Shield is large and distinctive, made from a sheet of [[iron]] decorated with repousse scenes to a design by the artist [[George Frederic Watts|G. F. Watts]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Watts|first=M.S.|year=1912|title=George Frederic Watts|location=London|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]]|volume=1|pages=197–8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LneiSQAACAAJ}}</ref> It was presented to the [[National Rifle Association (United Kingdom)|National Rifle Association]] by its founder and president, [[Francis Richard Charteris, 10th Earl of Wemyss|Lord Elcho]].





Revision as of 14:06, 31 August 2022

Elcho Shield
SportLong range Fullbore target rifle
CompetitionThe Elcho
DisciplineMatch Rifle
Awarded forWinner of Elcho Match
LocationNational Shooting Centre
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byNational Rifle Association
History
First award1862
Editions150 (as of 2021 Match)
First winner England
Most recent England
Websitegbmatchrifle.org.uk/competitions/elcho/

The Elcho Shield is an annual long range shooting competition between national teams of eight from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The trophy holder was originally able to choose the venue of the competition, however, since the NRA's move to Surrey from Wimbledon in 1890, the competition has been held at Bisley Ranges, Surrey, England (now the National Shooting Centre).

The 2021 holder of the trophy is England.

Course of Fire

Each shooter fires fifteen shots at 1,000 yd (910 m), 1,100 yd (1,000 m), and 1,200 yd (1,100 m). Unusually, no "sighting" or practice shots are permitted. The shooters may be coached which allows other team members to judge and make necessary adjustments to the shooter's sights. The rules allow each team two hours at each distance to fire all their shots. The match is most regularly held following the national championships in July each year.

History

The first match, on Wednesday July 9, 1862, was held over 800 yd (730 m), 900 yd (820 m) and 1,000 yd (910 m) solely between Scotland and England. In the event England won by 166 points. Scotland won the trophy for the first time in 1864 and Ireland joined the fray in 1865.[1] By this time, the match had become a major sporting event in Victorian England, as important as The Boat Race or the Eton v Harrow cricket match at Lords.[2] Wales did not compete until 1991.

The Elcho Shield is large and distinctive, made from a sheet of iron decorated with repousse scenes to a design by the artist G. F. Watts.[3] It was presented to the National Rifle Association by its founder and president, Lord Elcho.


See also

References

  1. ^ Rosemary Meldrum. "History of The Elcho Shield". Match Rifle Shooting of Great Britain and Ireland. Great Britain Match Rifle Team. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  2. ^ Rosemary Meldrum. "A History of the Elcho Shield". National Rifle Club of Scotland. National Rifle Club of Scotland. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  3. ^ Watts, M.S. (1912). George Frederic Watts. Vol. 1. London: Macmillan. pp. 197–8.