Meet Jon, Instructor at the Rothiemurchus Clay Shooting Ground

I have been shooting since I was a teenager. Growing up in Cheshire, I regularly visited this area on family holidays and moved here in 1990. A long-time member of Rothiemurchus shooting club before joining as an instructor, I am passionate about introducing beginners to clay shooting and teaching them the basics whilst enjoying a safe and fun experience.

That moment when someone takes their first shot and hits the target is always rewarding.  It’s great to see their confidence and ability grow.  So many people are amazed at how much fun clay target shooting is and some even go on to take it up as a hobby/ sport sometimes returning to the ground with their own shotgun. Occasionally I witness the journey from complete beginner to competent, and sometimes competitive, shooter.

As well as regular club members and visitors, I have instructed many famous faces over the years including actors, Love Islanders, premier league footballers and even Line of Duty’s Martin Compston.

I also enjoy upgrading and enhancing our shooting facilities including setting new targets. Alongside my team I have added and refurbished high towers, built a Compak Sporting stand and introduced the long-range target tag system – revolutionising how solo shooters can use the range.

During my spare time I shoot clays competitively during the season. A recent competition highlight was the Royal Marine Commando Charity Clay Shoot where I was part of the Hull Cartridge team.  My other passion is working my black Labrador, Max.  He was bred on Rothiemurchus Estate by our Stalker Peter and will be 5 this year.  He loves to retrieve, jump into rivers and comes everywhere with me.  He’s definitely a hit with our visitors enjoying lots of fuss and treats whenever possible.

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Visitors love having Jon as their instructor. Here is just one of the many pieces of feedback we have received, from a visitor who came to try clay shooting at Rothiemurchus:

“Positioned just outside Aviemore, Rothiemurchus offers a myriad of activities to suit all ages and interests. We chose a Clay pigeon shooting session for beginners, which was so much fun. Our instructor for the hour session set the tone perfectly, making us feel at ease, delivering a safety brief and outlining the session. We experienced several different shooting stands which incorporated different angles to experience. The final stance culminated in a clay pigeon darting along the ground which provided much hilarity. A thoroughly enjoyable experience with a great instructor. Thanks very much.”

Find out more about clay shooting experiences at Rothiemurchus here: https://rothiemurchus.net/outdoor-activities-at-aviemore/clay-shooting/

You can follow the Rothiemurchus shoot on Instagram @rothiemurchussportingclays

We’re on the look-out for more excellent people to join the Rothiemurchus team in a variety of roles. Have a look on our web site at some of the positions we have available here.