Windrush Sporting Society

FORMERLY GREAT RISSINGTON MANOR SHOOT Situated on just over 2000 acres straddleing the Windrush River Valley, our land is perfect for shooting, and our estate is one of the most beautiful in the Cotswolds.  The land itself is shaped like a bowl with the most challenging drives situated on the opposing sides of the valley.  Three of our drives: Ash Tree, The Crescent and The Ridge produce Devon quality birds, but without the long drive to enjoy them. Of course we have many other drives as well offering shooting over varied terrain from tall pheasants, to classic english partridge drives to snap-shooting.

Over the years we have entertained many, from foreign dignitaries to royalty with plenty of challenging birds and excellent hospitality.  My family has had the shoot for over 30 years.  The previous gamekeeper was inherited from the estates previous owners, so the shoot is very well established. 

Seven years ago, my husband, Frank, and I took the shoot back in hand and hired Trevor Simms, and his son, Adam, as our head keeper and under keeper. Trevor came from Kiddington Estate in Oxfordshire, where he spent 30 years operating a fantastic and very well known shoot.  He learned his craft from the famous Harry Starling. Trevor and Adam have really taken the shoot up to the nex tevel, despite the massive challenges from Mother Nature that we all had to deal with.  This shoot is not commercial (feel free to take as much game home as you want, but its on the feather).  We only let about a ten days and keep the rest for friends and family. We are a mixed pheasant and partridge shoot, heavier on pheasants.  We have a shoot bus that Frank likes to call the "Jolly Roger."  Everyone else calls it "the shoot bus." 

With both Frank and my being enthusiastic shots ourselves, the shoot is like our third child receiving possibly too much attention during the season to the detriment of our other two.  Thank god they are old enough to get out there with us now (seen and not heard except on family days and when other kids are in the fray).  Every year we tinker around with aspects of the shoot, and every year it gets better.

The Estate is easily accessible from London--The drive is approximately 1.5 hours depending on traffic.  In terms of accommodation, within a 10 mile radius we have the entire range of hotels and pubs from Lower Slaughter Manor, and Lords of the Manor in the Slaughters to excellent pubs with accommodation like The Kings Head in Bledington, or the Wheatsheaf in Northleach.  We recommend that our guns stay with Archi Orr-Ewing at The Swan in Swinbrook.  For guests who don't shoot, there is an amazing farmshop and spa located at Daylesford, and lots of beautiful towns with great antiquing. 

In the July 2012 issue of Fieldsports Magazine (which is now available for viewing on-line), there is a article on us entitled "Great Rissington on the Rise."  The photographs which appeared in the original magazine article are fantastic.

In conclusion, we are a super-high quality, very friendly and relaxed family shoot providing challenging birds in an unparalleled setting.  We are a sporting society.  Please contact me directly if you are interested in taking a day.  Please note that we selll days, not individual pegs.

Best Regards,
Kendall Sekula