Tracy Meston had never lifted a shotgun before a hen weekend in Norfolk, “the instructor gave me, what felt like, a ton weight in my shoulder, I could barely lift the thing. I did hit a few unlike my pals, who were all put off, but something about the experience got to me.”
After visiting her local gun shop, Tracy was invited to their Sunday shoot and booked a lesson with their instructor, she said, “With a well fitted 20 bore, I practically hit every target he presented to me, suffice to say I was addicted.”
Tracy joined her local club, applied for her shotgun certificate and bought her first shotgun. For the first few months she shot and won most of the ladies’ competitions and started going to other shooting grounds. “Our club was entered in the Essex clubs championship and I came second in the ladies entry having only shot for six months.”
At weekends Tracy enjoyed competing, and helping other people getting into shooting. An instructor suggested that she take the CPSA Instructors course. She took time out and changed the direction of her life, she left her job in central London and in 2005, she started the Frock Stock and Barrel Clay Pigeon Shooting School. Inundated with people wanting to try shooting, Tracy created themed shooting events like ladies days, ‘have a go’ sessions, Valentines and Mothers days.
A school of excellence
Tracy was one of the CPSA tutor and assessment team, “I was then asked by the British Army to assist in coaching in the army development team and joined them in Cyprus for two seasons.”
She met her husband to be (they marry in May 2018), and moved to Scotland in 2016, to run the Roxburghe shooting school of excellence in the Scottish borders and offer Archery, Tomahawk Throwing, deerstalking and game shooting.
Tracy said, “I have written Clay2Game training courses and offer instruction for all of these sporting pursuits, and of course our Ladies Days are second to none!”
Who is our author Linda Mellor?
Linda Mellor is one of Scotland’s foremost shooting, fishing and hunting female writers and photographers. She is the product Ambassador for Venator Pro, a premier hunting company and stockist of the European brand Hillman. With a lifetime of countryside experience, Linda’s passion, enthusiasm and respect for the outdoors and hunting is explored and shared across her writing and photography.
For more information on Linda Mellor, please visit Linda Mellor's website, Twitter (LindaMellor) and instagram (linda_mellor).
