Shooting seasons are a blessing and a curse. What they give us in terms of excitement and anticipation in the autumn, they take away when 1st February rolls around and we have to hang up our breeks for the summer.
I can’t be the only gun who has looked at images of people shooting traditionally presented driven partridges at some sunny Spanish estate and felt a pang of envy. Indeed, I would wager that most of us harbour a dream of zipping off to Spain to experience the fast-paced shooting in the late winter sun, accompanied by a few good bottles of Rioja and some classic Mediterranean fare.
Partridge shooting in Spain
For me, this year that urge has been even stronger (so strong that it lingers even now as we head into April). This is thanks to a conversation that I had with Juan Urquijo Moreno, who manages La Flamenca, a 4,000 hectare estate just a little over half an hour from Madrid.
Hunting has a long and storied history in the Iberian peninsula. Numerous cave paintings dating back thousands of years have been discovered, depicting humans hunting a variety of fauna including deer and aurochs, a now extinct species of enormous wild cattle. It has been speculated that one of Spain’s most iconic and controversial cultural artefacts - bullfighting - has its origins in the hunting of these huge beasts.
Royal approval
Driven shooting was popularised in Spain by King Alfonso XIII in the late 19th century, and while several estates claim the honour of having hosted the first driven partridge shoot, La Flamenca was, at the very least, one of the first, and the monarch was a regular guest, shooting with the owner, the Duke of Fernan Nuñez, whose family own the estate to this day.
Today the shooting is managed by Juan, who studied here in the UK at the Royal Agricultural University at Cirencester, reading Game and Deer Management and Agribusiness. While studying he spent his holidays helping out at La Flamenca. Upon graduating he joined La Flamenca full time. “My time at Ciren really helped me to develop an understanding of what UK-based guests are likely to be looking for when they come to Spain,” he explained.
Even without this grounding, Juan has an excellent mentor in the shape of Javier Corsini. Javier is something of a legend in Spanish shooting circles, who, at the age of 67, has been running the shooting at La Flamenca for 40 years. He counts current members of the Royal Family among his friends, including Juan Carlos I, who abdicated in 2014, and the current monarch, Felipe IV.
Decades of experience
Despite his significant shooting and hunting empire, Javier attends every shoot day at La Flamenca, where his charisma and hospitable nature, not to mention his significant knowledge of shooting, charm guests from around the world. Javier is no stranger to the UK shooting scene either, having been shooting grouse in the UK for over 38 years. Furthermore, the current head game manager, Jose, has been at La Flamenca for a similar length of time, taking over from his father, who held the position before him.
As well as royalty, La Flamenca attracts visiting teams of enthusiastic game shots from Spain and around the world, and it is easy to see why. La Flamenca is ideally suited to challenging partridge shooting. “The birds love the warm, fairly arid landscape,” explains Juan. “There’s a real mix of quite dense vegetation that offers them great cover, oak trees, holm oaks and plenty of brush.”
Spanish partridge country
Across the 4,000 hectares there are steep ridges, rolling vallies, and vertiginous gullies and ravines. This has allowed for the creation of 48 drives, encompassing everything from traditional Spanish partridge drives to high bird drives that, were it not for the dry, dusty landscape, wouldn’t look out of place on Exmoor or in Wales.
Juan explains that for most visitors, the purpose of the trip is to experience the typical Spanish style of partridge shooting. In Spain, the focus is not so much on height, more on the speed of the birds, and the variety of presentations. There are coveys that come at you hugging the contours like grouse, crossers and a frenetic nature to the shooting that leaves experienced shots breathless. It is a style of shooting that requires fast reactions and a broad range of shots.
While the topography does allow for high bird drives, including the ‘signature’ drive, Speelman’s Valley, which is named for a regular English guest, most trips will include at least one traditional Spanish drive, but can be tailored to the requirements of the team.
The estate is divided into six beats, with releases of birds staggered across these beats in order to ensure shooting throughout the season, which runs from 15th September to 26th March. Unlike some Spanish estates, there is a focus on ensuring the birds are properly adapted to their surroundings well in advance of the season beginning.
Of course, the shooting is just part of the appeal. Visitors to La Flamenca can choose whether to stay in the estate’s recently renovated lodge, which has eight luxury suites, or, at one of the many excellent hotels in Madrid or Toledo. Most trips for guns from the UK include two days of shooting, and three nights away.
Catering on the shoot is provided by Rosie, the estate’s resident chef. On shoot day mornings guests are treated to a breakfast in the lodge, whether they are staying there overnight or arriving from their hotel. When the weather allows, a ‘taco’ (elevenses) and lunch are taken in the field, which Juan says guests love, and dinners are served in the lodge’s antler-lined dining room.
Menus can be tailored, but typically include a mix of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine, paired with fantastic wines from the Marqués de Murrieta. Those staying in Madrid can take advantage of the many high-end restaurants that the city has to offer. According to Juan around 50% of teams visiting La Flamenca opt to stay in Madrid.
For non-shooting guests, or anyone looking to extend their holiday with some sightseeing. The nearby town of Aranjuez is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to the stunning gardens that surround the Royal Palace, which was built by Philip II in the 1500s and added to by various subsequent monarchs. For centuries Spain’s royalty have spent the spring and summer months here, to escape the heat of the city. The town itself is also worth exploring.
Slightly further away - around 20 minutes - is another World Heritage Site, the so-called Imperial City’ of Toledo, where Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, held court. The blend of Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures makes it a fascinating place to visit, packed with stunning architecture, museums and galleries, not to mention excellent dining opportunities.
La Flamenca's appeal is undeniable, and I for one hope that someday I'll get the chance to visit. Now, I wonder who I can persuade to invite me…
For more information on availability and to contact La Flamenca, visit their shoot profile page on GunsOnPegs or their main website.
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