# Ashburton Shield

The Ashburton Shield is an historic trophy for target rifle shooting in the British Isles. It is awarded annually to the winning team of VIII at the Schools' Meeting (previously the Public Schools' Meeting), held at Bisley by the National Rifle Association. The competition is open to teams of cadets from, predominantly, Combined Cadet Force units based in public and private schools.

## History

The Ashburton Shield was presented by Lord Ashburton in 1861 for competition between the Junior Officers' Training Corps that were run within public schools. This remained the case until the 1948 merger of school cadet units into the Combined Cadet Force. The shield was first contested at the National Rifle Association's second Imperial Meeting. It was mentioned by Edward Walford in 1878 when he wrote of the Meeting, then at Wimbledon:
   These annual gatherings are attended by the élite of fashion, and always include a large number of ladies, who generally evince the greatest interest in the target practice of the various competitors, whether it be for the honour of carrying off the Elcho Shield, the Queen's or the Prince of Wales's Prize, or the [Ashburton] shield shot for by our great Public Schools, or the Annual Rifle Match between the Houses of Lords and Commons.
The runner-up team is awarded the Montague-Jones Challenge Trophy, which was first presented in 1947 by the OTC Officers Club in memory of Major Montague-Jones OBE TD, and eight NRA bronze medals. The third place team are awarded eight NRA bronze medals. The Allhallows Salver, presented in 1987 by Allhallows College, is awarded to the coach of the winning school.
The Public Schools' Meeting is considered the pinnacle of inter-school shooting in the UK, and British Pathé featured the event in multiple newsreels. It has been held annually, with the exception of 1915–18 and 1940–45 due to the outbreak of war, and 2020–21 when the meeting was placed in abeyance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Epsom College hold the record for the most wins, at 15.
Notable winners include 2018 ISSF World Champion Seonaid McIntosh, who was a member of the 2013 winning team from Dollar Academy. McIntosh individually won the Schools Hundred competition.

## Results by year

Scores in bold indicate a record for that competition format.
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner Up | Score | Third Place | Score |
| 1861 | Rugby School | | | | | |
| 1862 | Harrow School | | | | | |
| 1863 | Eton College | | | | | |
| 1864 | Harrow School (2) | | | | | |
| 1865 | Harrow School (3) | | | | | |
| 1866 | Harrow School (4) | | | | | |
| 1867 | Harrow School (5) | | | | | |
| 1868 | Eton College (2) | | | | | |
| 1869 | Harrow School (6) | | | | | |
| 1870 | Harrow School (7) | | | | | |
| 1871 | Winchester College | | | | | |
| 1872 | Winchester College (2) | | | | | |
| 1873 | Winchester College (3) | | | | | |
| 1874 | Marlborough College | | | | | |
| 1875 | Harrow School (8) | | | | | |
| 1876 | Winchester College (4) | | | | | |
| 1877 | Cheltenham College | | | | | |
| 1878 | Eton College (3) | | | | | |
| 1879 | Harrow School (9) | | | | | |
| 1880 | Eton College (4) | | | | | |
| 1881 | Cheltenham College (2) | | | | | |
| 1882 | Charterhouse School | | | | | |
| 1883 | Charterhouse School (2) | | | | | |
| 1884 | Clifton College | | | | | |
| 1885 | Clifton College (2) | | | | | |
| 1886 | Dulwich College | | | | | |
| 1887 | Eton College (5) | | | | | |
| 1888 | Clifton College (3) | | | | | |
| 1889 | Charterhouse School (3) | | | | | |
| 1890 | Charterhouse School (4) | | | | | |
| 1891 | Charterhouse School (5) | | | | | |
| 1892 | Charterhouse School (6) | | | | | |
| 1893 | Bradford School | | | | | |
| 1894 | Rugby School (2) | | | | | |
| 1895 | Charterhouse School (7) | | | | | |
| 1896 | Charterhouse School (8) | | | | | |
| 1897 | Bradford School (2) | | | | | |
| 1898 | Charterhouse School (9) | | | | | |
| 1899 | Rossall School | | | | | |
| 1900 | Dulwich College (2) | | | | | |
| 1901 | Eton College (6) | | | | | |
| 1902 | Cheltenham College (3) | | | | | |
| 1903 | Tonbridge School | | | | | |
| 1904 | Winchester College (5) | | | | | |
| 1905 | Harrow School (10) | | | | | |
| 1906 | Dover College | | | | | |
| 1907 | Rugby School (2) | | | | | |
| 1908 | Harrow School (11) | | | | | |
| 1909 | Rugby School (3) | | | | | |
| 1910 | Bradford School (3) | | | | | |
| 1911 | Edinburgh Academy | | | | | |
| 1912 | Rugby School (4) | | | | | |
| 1913 | Repton School | | | | | |
| 1914 | Sedbergh School | 496 | Eton College | 490 | Harrow School | 490 |
| 1915-18 | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1919 | Winchester College (6) | | | | | |
| 1920 | Charterhouse School (10) | | | | | |
| 1921 | Sedbergh School (2) | | | | | |
| 1922 | Lancing College | | | | | |
| 1923 | Eton College (7) | | | | | |
| 1924 | Rugby School (5) | | | | | |
| 1925 | Lancing College (2) | | | | | |
| 1926 | Clifton College (4) | | | | | |
| 1927 | Brighton College | | | | | |
| 1928 | Clifton College (5) | | | | | |
| 1929 | Glenalmond College | | | | | |
| 1930 | Winchester College (10) | | | | | |
| 1931 | Charterhouse School (11) | | | | | |
| 1932 | King's College School | 479 | Christ's Hospital | 472 | Whitgift School | 471 |
| 1933 | Glenalmond College (2) | 487 | Winchester College | 480 | Marlborough College | 478 |
| 1934 | King's College School (2) | 493 | Malvern College | 487 | | |
| 1935 | Marlborough College (2) | 499 | Winchester College | 498 | Whitgift School | 494 |
| 1936 | Brighton College (2) | 477 | Denstone College | 477 | The Glasgow Academy | 472 |
| 1937 | Winchester College (11) | 477 | Bradfield College | 474 | Clifton College | 467 |
| 1938 | King's College School (3) | 497 | Marlborough College | 488 | Winchester College | 486 |
| 1939 | Cranbrook School | 482 | King's College School | 481 | Glenalmond College | 473 |
| 1940-45 | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1946 | Blundell's School | 461 | Sedbergh School | 460 | Eton College | 460 |
| 1947 | Eton College (8) | 517 | Glenalmond College | 509 | George Watson's | 508 |
| 1948 | Charterhouse School (12) | 500 | Allhallows College | 498 | Bradfield College | 496 |
| 1949 | Glenalmond College (3) | 512 | Charterhouse School | 511 | The Leys School | 510 |
| 1950 | The Leys School | 513 | Epsom College | 507 | King's College School | 507 |
| 1951 | Allhallows College | 511 | St Paul's, London | 510 | Marlborough College | 508 |
| 1952 | Glenalmond College (4) | 512 | Epsom College | 511 | Exeter School | 510 |
| 1953 | The Leys School (2) | 508 | Charterhouse School | 505 | Allhallows College | 504 |
| 1954 | Allhallows College (2) | 524 | Uppingham School | 515 | Marlborough College | 514 |
| 1955 | Winchester College (12) | 515 | Marlborough College | 512 | Glenalmond College | 512 |
| 1956 | Blundell's School (2) | 515 | Victoria College | 514 | Elizabeth College | 513 |
| 1957 | Uppingham School | 529 | Elizabeth College | 528 | Allhallows College | 513 |
| 1958 | Repton School (2) | 508 | Blundell's School | 506 | Epsom College | 505 |
| 1959 | St Lawrence College | 517 | Oakham School | 511 | Allhallows College | 511 |
| 1960 | Allhallows College (3) | 524 | Ardingly College | 522 | Glenalmond College | 520 |
| 1961 | Victoria College | 516 | Epsom College | 512 | Glenalmond College | 512 |
| 1962 | Ardingly College | 524 | Victoria College | 519 | Oakham School | 515 |
| 1963 | Allhallows College (4) | 522 | Marlborough College | 515 | Dean Close School | 515 |
| 1964 | Allhallows College (5) | 519 | Uppingham School | 519 | Oakham School | 519 |
| 1965 | Allhallows College (6) | 521 | Merchant Taylors' | 519 | Aldenham School | 517 |
| 1966 | Oakham School | 502 | Harrow School | 500 | Allhallows College | 499 |
| 1967 | Cranleigh School | 522 | King's, Canterbury | 513 | Epsom College | 512 |
| 1968 | Gresham's School | 518 | Oakham School | 517 | Cranleigh School | 511 |
| 1969 | Uppingham School (2) | 525 | Allhallows College | 519 | Victoria College | 515 |
| 1970 | Bradfield College | 515 | Clifton College | 514 | Oakham School | 513 |
| 1971 | Merchant Taylors' | 512 | Uppingham School | 509 | St Peter's, York | 508 |
| 1972 | Oakham School (2) | 507.38v | Cranleigh School | 507.37v | Gresham's School | 506.36v |
| 1973 | Epsom College | 502.28v | Bradfield College | 497.32v | Clifton College | 496.27v |
| 1974 | Clifton College (6) | 499 | Bedford School | 482 | Marlborough College | 481 |
| 1975 | Oakham School (2) | 499 | Christ's Hospital | 491 | Lancing College | 490 |
| 1976 | Uppingham School (3) | | Lancing College | | Victoria College | |
| 1977 | Allhallows College (7) | 505 | Epsom College | 505 | Clifton College | 503 |
| 1978 | Uppingham School (4) | 511 | Malvern College | 505 | Oakham School | 505 |
| 1979 | Rugby School (6) | 513 | Uppingham School | 509 | Haileybury College | 498 |
| 1980 | Bradfield College (2) | 512 | Uppingham School | 511 | Clifton College | 509 |
| 1981 | Uppingham School (4) | 508 | Elizabeth College | 504 | Marlborough College | 504 |
| 1982 | Uppingham School (5) | 504 | Marlborough College | 502 | St John's School | 501 |
| 1983 | Malvern College | 519 | Uppingham School | 516 | Epsom College | 515 |
| 1984 | Bedford School | 521 | Harrow School | 518 | Wellington College | 516 |
| 1985 | Bradfield College (3) | 525 | Oundle School | 523 | Elizabeth College | 518 |
| 1986 | RGS Guildford | 512 | Cheltenham College | 511 | Marlborough College | 507 |
| 1987 | Oakham School (3) | 535 | Bradfield College | 523 | Kimbolton School | 519 |
| 1988 | Charterhouse School (13) | 508 | Dollar Academy | 507 | Uppingham School | 503 |
| 1989 | Elizabeth College | 493 | Glenalmond College | 492 | Wellington College | 488 |
| 1990 | Epsom College (2) | 511 | Oundle School | 507 | Marlborough College | 504 |
| 1991 | Epsom College (3) | 506.40v | Wellington College | 502.30v | Bradfield College | 500.34v |
| 1992 | Epsom College (4) | 512.42v | Marlborough College | 507.31v | Bradfield College | 505.35v |
| 1993 | Epsom College (5) | 518.47v | RGS Guildford | 518.34v | Elizabeth College | 515.37v |
| 1994 | Epsom College (6) | 525.44v | Wellington College | 515.40v | Cheltenham College | 513.40v |
| 1995 | Uppingham School (6) | 462 | RGS Guildford | 456 | Campbell College | 451 |
| 1996 | Sedbergh School (3) | 461 | | | | |
| 1997 | Sedbergh School (4) | 480 | Cheltenham College | 462 | Elizabeth College | 457 |
| 1998 | Epsom College (7) | 474 | Sedbergh School | 473 | Campbell College | 471 |
| 1999 | Epsom College (8) | 491 | Campbell College | 482 | The Oratory School | 469 |
| 2000 | Stamford School | 550.46v | Epsom College | 509.35v | Harrow School | 507.23v |
| 2001 | Uppingham School (7) | 476 | Epsom College | 468 | Sedbergh School | 450 |
| 2002 | Epsom College (9) | 486 | Uppingham School | 479 | The Oratory School | 474 |
| 2003 | Stamford School (2) | 507.31v | Epsom College | 506.32v | Marlborough College | 504.29v |
| 2004 | Epsom College (10) | 511.31v | Marlborough College | 508.32v | Uppingham School | 505.36v |
| 2005 | Dollar Academy | 760.43v | Epsom College | 747.46v | Stamford School | 742.36v |
| 2006 | Epsom College (11) | 788.59v | Marlborough College | 775.46v | The Oratory School | 775.45v |
| 2007 | Epsom College (12) | 794.63v | Marlborough College | 782.58v | The Oratory School | 771.40v |
| 2008 | Epsom College (13) | 790.75v | Dollar Academy | 779.50v | The Oratory School | 766.52v |
| 2009 | Gresham's School (2) | 794.59v | Dollar Academy | 774.62v | Elizabeth College | 770.52v |
| 2010 | Epsom College (14) | 762.42v | Gresham's School | 762.40v | Cheltenham College | 753.39v |
| 2011 | Epsom College (15) | 762.40v | Cheltenham College | 760.46v | Wellington College | 752.41v |
| 2012 | Wellington College (1) | 787.71v | RGS Guildford | 770.49v | Epsom College | 760.43v |
| 2013 | Dollar Academy (2) | 757.39v | Epsom College | 744.40v | Wellington College | 741.41v |
| 2014 | Wellington College (2) | 755.42v | Epsom College | 738.36v | Elizabeth College | 736.43v |
| 2015 | Ellesmere College | 745.42v | Dollar Academy | 734.35v | Victoria College | 733.31v |
| 2016 | Wellington College (3) | 761.37v | Dollar Academy | 760.53v | Gresham's School | 758.42v |
| 2017 | Wellington College (4) | 772.53v | Elizabeth College | 749.38v | Sedbergh School | 747.47v |
| 2018 | Sedbergh School (5) | 761.47v | Victoria College | 756.52v | Gresham's School | 753.44v |
| 2019 | RGS Guildford (2) | 759.44v | Gresham's School | 756.40v | Sedbergh School | 754.48v |
| 2020-21 | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 2022 | Bradfield College (4) | 691.22v | Sedbergh School | 678.18v | Dollar Academy | 673.18v |
| 2023 | Victoria College (2) | 758.35v | Epsom College | 744.37v | Bradfield College | 740.33v |
| 2024 | Epsom College (16) | 778.59v | Wellington College | 758.40v | Elizabeth College | 755.50v |

## Performances

Schools in bold competed for the Ashburton Shield at the 2024 Schools' Meeting.
| Wins | School | Years |
| 16 | Epsom College | 1973, 1990–94, 1998–99, 2002, 2004, 2006–08, 2010–11, 2024 |
| 13 | Charterhouse School | 1882–83, 1889–92, 1895–96, 1898, 1920, 1931, 1948, 1988 |
| 11 | Harrow School | 1862, 1864–67, 1969, 1870, 1875, 1879, 1905, 1908 |
| 9 | Winchester College | 1871–73, 1876, 1904, 1919, 1930, 1937, 1955 |
| 8 | Eton College | 1863, 1868, 1878, 1880, 1887, 1901, 1923, 1947 |
| 8 | Uppingham School | 1957, 1969, 1976, 1978, 1981–82, 1995, 2001 |
| 7 | Rugby School | 1861, 1894, 1907, 1909, 1912, 1924, 1979 |
| 7 | Allhallows College | 1951, 1954, 1960, 1963–65, 1977 |
| 6 | Clifton College | 1884–85, 1888, 1926, 1928, 1974 |
| 5 | Sedbergh School | 1914, 1921, 1996–97, 2018 |
| 4 | Glenalmond College | 1929, 1933, 1949, 1952 |
| 4 | Oakham School | 1966, 1972, 1975, 1987 |
| 4 | Bradfield College | 1970, 1980, 1985, 2022 |
| 4 | Wellington College | 2012, 2014, 2016–17 |
| 3 | Cheltenham College | 1877, 1881, 1902 |
| 3 | Bradford School | 1893, 1897, 1910 |
| 3 | King's College School | 1932, 1934, 1938 |
| 2 | Marlborough College | 1874, 1935 |
| 2 | Dulwich College | 1886, 1900 |
| 2 | Repton School | 1913, 1958 |
| 2 | Lancing College | 1922, 1925 |
| 2 | Brighton College | 1927, 1936 |
| 2 | Blundell's School | 1946, 1956 |
| 2 | The Leys School | 1950, 1953 |
| 2 | Victoria College | 1961, 2023 |
| 2 | Gresham's School | 1968, 2009 |
| 2 | RGS Guildford | 1986, 2019 |
| 2 | Stamford School | 2000, 2003 |
| 2 | Dollar Academy | 2005, 2013 |
| 1 | Rossall School | 1899 |
| 1 | Tonbridge School | 1903 |
| 1 | Dover College | 1906 |
| 1 | Edinburgh Academy | 1911 |
| 1 | Cranbrook School | 1939 |
| 1 | St Lawrence College | 1959 |
| 1 | Ardingly College | 1962 |
| 1 | Cranleigh School | 1967 |
| 1 | Merchant Taylors' | 1971 |
| 1 | Malvern College | 1983 |
| 1 | Bedford School | 1984 |
| 1 | Elizabeth College | 1989 |
| 1 | Ellesmere College | 2015 |