The Clayton Challenge

A Cadet Target Rifle Shooting Competition


The Clayton Challenge is a match held annually at Bisley for Cadet teams of eight, fired using the Cadet Target Rifle at ranges of 300 and 500 yards.

In 2020 in the light of the coronavirus pandemic the event was cancelled and did not take place.

It first started in 1984 as a direct consequence of the Sussex Schools match being held during Charterhouse's Half Term.

An invitation was sent out by the then Shooting Master of Charterhouse, Tony Clayton, to a number of schools for a match designed for the next year's teams, so members of the second-year Sixth Form were excluded.

As a consequence Michael Nash of Epsom College and Barry Williams of St.John's, Leatherhead, called the match the 'Clayton Challenge'.

In 1987 the entry fee was raised to purchase a trophy, and with a high number of entries an attractive Edwardian rose bowl was acquired, becoming the Clayton Challenge Trophy.

In 1992, after the premature death from leukemia of Mick Nash, the Charterhouse SSI, a tankard was purchased, inscribed The Mick Nash Tankard, for presentation to the highest scoring individual.

As a consequence of changes in both the cadet shooting world and also the nature of public examinations, the restriction on second-year sixth-formers no longer applies, and from 2010 the competition was thrown open to teams of eight from single-service cadet units.

In 2021 the decision was made to hand over control of the match to the Council for Cadet Rifle Shooting, who very kindly agreed to take on the responsibility, thus hopefully ensuring the continuity of the reasons for which the match was started and continued. To learn when this competition will be held in the future, please contact the CCRS website.


Clayton Challenge Scores

1984-2013 team scores (Word Document)
2014 scores
2015 scores
2016 scores
2017 scores
2018 scores
2019 scores


Tony Clayton's Home Page


Clayton Challenge
© Tony Clayton
v35 5th July 2021
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