Team scores of all the previous matches in the Plymouth v Plymouth's since the inaugural match in 1951

Plymouth UK have regained their crown, but this year Plymouth NH U.S.A. were very close.

To view all of the scores, including the Plymouth Challenge results, see the Statistics Page. Photos can be viewed with this link.

Back in 2000, John Alexander discovered that a postal match had been shot as “Shooting’s Contribution to the Festival of Britain” in 1951.

The match was between Plymouth in Devon and teams from Plymouth's in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Michigan

The English Plymouth team of 10 shooters and two reserves from clubs affiliated to the P & D Small Bore League shot at the Citadel in the presence of various Chiefs of Staff of the Royal Marines, the Navy, the Royal Air Force and the Army. Also present were the Lord Mayor of Plymouth and the Commanders of four US Navy ships that were in port at the time, along with the Chief Gunner’s Mate of the US Aircraft Carrier.

The American teams had shot their cards and sent the scores to Plymouth where they were placed under Mayoral seal and taken to the Citadel by the Lord Mayor.

Once the local Plymouth team had shot, the package was passed to the Chief Gunner’s Mate to break the seal and announce the scores.

The result was a resounding win for our local heroes.

John realised when reading the archived newspaper reports of the match, that the following year would be its 50th Anniversary…… and so the idea of a repeat match was formed.

It was agreed that the match would be shot as an English Match (60 scoring shots at 50 Metres for teams of 10). To encourage people to take part, it was decided that teams should be self-selecting. That meant that any eligible shooter, being a resident of Plymouth or a member of a club affiliated to the P & D League could shoot, with the top ten forming the “A” team. The next ten would be the “B” team and so on. Any left over would be deemed to be “Shooting Reserves” who had been ‘counted out’. We would shoot our part of the match on the new ‘Malcolm Cooper Range’ at Bisley, the National Shooting Centre.

John contacted several rifle clubs and associations around the world and with just two months to go had persuaded no fewer than 7 Plymouths in the USA to take part, as well as New Plymouth in New Zealand.

The came the events of “9/11”. One by one the US teams reluctantly withdrew. The coach to get to Bisley had been booked along with the range itself, but the NZ team said they would still shoot and to help pay for the coach, we invited the ‘Rest of Devon’ to enter a team in a concurrent shoulder to shoulder match, to be known as the Plymouth Challenge. John also had an email from a Lt. Colonel in the South Dakota National Guard, asking if they could take part in the ‘Challenge’ (There is no Plymouth in S. Dakota)

The match was shot on a dull November day and the opposing teams sent their results by email to Arthur Harvey of Budleigh Target Shooting Centre. He had shot in the original match, and had been invited to accompany us to Bisley as our Guest.

At a meal following the match, Arthur revealed the scores and announced the results of the matches.

The whole event was such a success that it has continued every year since, with regular appearances by the NZ team and Plymouth in New Hampshire, USA. The Challenge has attracted opposition from such diverse places as the Rest of Devon, Cornwall, the Rest of the West, Kenya and of course, the South Dakota National Guard.