Members and Clubs Newsletter-January 2012 (Updated 20/01/12)

The latest news on calendar updates, proposed restriction or prohibition on the use of lead shot, TY Programme, 2012 Junior Bursary Awards, FITASC, membership renewal, AED's, the Leinster Sporting League and Erasmus Mobility are now available

Sporting Calendar Changes:

The Registered Sporting shoots scheduled for Ballivor Clay Shooting Grounds will now be run over 100 targets and not as originally advertised.  Entries to next Sundays shoot (22/01/12) will open at 9.30am and final entries will be 2pm.  All queries can be directed to Pat Kelly at 086 8245672.

Proposed Restriction or Prohibition of the Use of Lead Shot:

The ICPSA has made a submission to the Depart of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with regard to a consultation on ending the use of lead shot.  While the consultation process is based on a proposed restricting or prohibition of the use of lead shot for hunting, as one of the options being put forward was a nationwide ban on the use of lead shot the ICPSA as the National Governing Body for the sport was concerned about the negative impact that such a ban could have on clay target shooting and our members.

We would like to thank the Irish Sports Council, the Federation of Irish Sport, Minister of State Michael Ring TD, the International Shooting Sports Federation, the European Shooting Confederation and FITASC for their support and assistance with our submission and we would hope that we will be able to safeguard the future of our sport by ensuring that any proposed legislation (which is being suggested as coming into force in 2013) will take our concerns into consideration.

Transition Year Programme:

The ICPSA is exploring the possibility of including clay target shooting onto the syllabus of the Transition Year programme among suitable interested schools.  As part of this we will need to secure child protection clearance for the ICPSA coaches who will participate in the trial programme and we would encourage interested qualified members to please contact the ICPSA General Secretary for more details.

2012 ICPSA Junior Bursary Award Scheme:

This year the ICPSA had an increase not just in the number of applicants for the Junior Bursary Award Scheme but also in the quality of the applications and this is perhaps a reflection of the growing number of junior shooters within the ICPSA who year on year are performing better than ever before.

While in an ideal world the Association would like to have given an award to all the applicants, this is not possible and the eventual recipients were decided by the ICPSA National Executive as being Patrick Cole, David Benson Jnr and Adam Howard.

This Bursary scheme is now in its fourth year and in excess of €10,000 worth of entry fees and ammunition have been awarded to date to junior ICPSA members.  The programme is only possible thanks to the cooperation of the four Provincial committees who help fund the awards through the capitation payments made to them by the ICPSA and we would also like to thank Knocknagoshel Shooting Grounds/Fiocchi for their support also.

FITASC:

FITASC shooters should note that day one of the Irish Open Championships will now take place at Bray CPC and not as originally scheduled and the Registered FITASC shoots listed for Courtlough have been cancelled.

Entries to the 2012 FITASC World and European Championships are now open and FITASC HQ has advised that entries are filling up fast so any ICPSA member who hopes to participate at these events should enter through the FITASC web site ASAP.

Membership Renewal:

We would like to thank the 60% plus of you who have renewed their membership to date.  Members are reminded to please claim any bounties due for new/lapsed members recruited in 2011 at the time of application as well as not to forget to subscribe to the 2012 ICPSA Life Membership draw. 

AED's:

The Irish Medicines Board has published new advisory guidelines on the maintenance and storage of Automated External Defibrillators.  These are now available as a download attachment and we would recommend that the affiliated clubs at which ICPSA AED's are located should familiarise themselves with these.

Leinster Sporting League:

The opening leg of the 2012 Leinster Sporting League is now being hosted by Lispopple CPC.

The ICPSA would like to commend the Leinster Sporting League on their initiative this year which sees junior members participate at most events free of charge and we would like to remind all clubs that the entry fee for ICPSA junior members at Registered 100 target events is €20.  We are aware that some ICPSA clubs already further subsidise junior participation and these clubs are to be applauded also and we would encourage everyone who can do so to please do what they can for our younger shooters in these financially challenging times.

Erasmus Mobility:

The Irish Sports Council has been requested by the Higher Education Authority to ascertain if anyone within the ICPSA has been on an Erasmus mobility (where they studied in another European country) in the past 25 years.  Any members so qualified should please contact the General Secretary before Tuesday January 24th next.