Peter Jones speaks with George Digweed - Following on from George Digweed's recent victory at the world FITASC 2023, Peter Jones is especially delighted to have had the opportunity to interview George during the filming of a unique Masterclass by George, recently launched via the ‘Shooting & Hunting Academy’.
Recent winner of the FITASC 2023 World championships and 30 other world titles, the first to shoot '100 straight' in a World Championship, the first to win a world title in five consecutive decades, crowned the world's best all-around shooter and widely considered to be the best shot the world has ever seen. There is plenty that we could all learn about shooting from George Digweed MBE.
Just a few short weeks ago I had the huge privilege of speaking to the great man himself during the filming of a Pigeon Shooting Masterclass for the ‘Shooting & Hunting Academy. shootingandhuntingacademy
What instantly came across, was that despite his success, George is perhaps the most down to earth and pleasant individual you are ever likely to meet.
Born in 1964 in England, Digweed first began shooting as a teenager when his grandfather gave him a .410 shotgun. Today as George approaches his sixties, he’s still winning world titles.
I asked George, what he puts his success down to?
“If you want to get good at anything you’ve got to put in the time and effort”.
No matter what you do, George is a firm believer that you must put in the time to reap the rewards.
“You also have to harp back each time to your technique, technique is key to anything, in business, in life or in sport. To do the same thing every time is vital to get a result that is better than everyone else’s”.
After years of competitive shooting, I ask George what motivates him to get up and do it again?
“After years of competing and shooting out in the countryside, in the end you are only as good as your last result…whether its shooting clays, pigeon control or anything else, I always go out and try my hardest every time”.
George is undoubtedly a hugely disciplined and competitive individual. Indeed, it would be impossible to reach and maintain such a high level of success without being so. He’s also prepared to learn from his mistakes:
“I recently came back from the European Championships in Italy where I was in contention until the last day, and on the last day I made a massive personal error…and it cost me a gold medal, so you are never too old to learn, and you never make the right choices all the time, but its how you come back and learn from those mistakes”.
Watching George shoot Pigeons was testament to his desire to do his best in every situation. Even though there was no medal at stake, George adjusted, adapted, and remained focused on each shot, giving it his all, each and every time.
What also came across, was George’s profound love and deep understanding of the countryside. On this particular day spent in the Wiltshire countryside, it was not just his ability to shoot that made him so effective, it was also his field craft and indepth understanding of how his quarry behaved, that resulted in his ability to select and dispatch birds which us mere mortals would not even have attempted.
Meeting George was not just inspiring, I genuinely liked the man. He was generous and patient and didn’t just give his all to the shooting, he gave his all to the job in hand, which was to create an unparalleled Masterclass in shooting Pigeons.
Of course, we didn’t ask George to build his own hide and set out his own decoys, as was fitting for the thirty times world champion, the task of hosting the world champ’ fell to the UK’s premier pigeon shooting guides ‘Mr Pigeon’.
There is no one in the UK who knows more about putting on a Pigeon Day than ‘Mr Pigeon’. He has featured in shooting magazines including ‘The Field’, ‘The Shooting Gazette’ and ‘Field Sports Magazine’ and having himself, been recognised by ‘The Field’ as one of the UK’s top eleven game shots, there was no better shooting guide to host friend and World Champion, George Digweed.
During the course of a full day in the field filming, I was able to ask George more about his philosophy, get an insight into his winning mind and of course his choice of gun, cartridge and equipment.
You can find out more about George and pick up on his top tips and advice for achieving bigger bags by enrolling on the recently launched Masterclass via the ‘Shooting & Hunting Academy’. george-digweed-shooting-masterclass
You can also get an insight from Mr Pigeon into subjects such as, why, when & where to shoot Pigeons, safety, equipment, placing the decoys, building hides, reconnaissance and flight lines.
We all want to learn how to shoot better, whether we are Deer Stalkers, Game Shooters or Clay Shooters, spending time with George gave me the most rare of opportunities. The opportunity to spend time with and speak with the greatest shot the world has ever seen.
To enrol on George’s Masterclass, follow this link to the: shootingandhuntingacademy
For more information about the 'Shooting & Hunting Academy' contact: 0203 981 0159
(Peter Jones - Editor)
