# Sovereign's Prize

The Sovereign's Prize, referred to as the Queen's Prize or the King's Prize depending on the incumbent British monarch, is the oldest fullbore target rifle shooting competition and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious prizes in the sport globally. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually on Wimbledon Common in London. The competition later moved to the purpose-built Bisley Camp where it is still held today.
The winner receives a gold medal and £250. Strictly, the "Queen's Prize" refers to the £250 cash prize, which was originally the personal gift of Queen Victoria. The gold medal is awarded by the Association. As of 2024, the Prize has been contested 155 times, breaking only for the World Wars. Although contested on an open basis, it has only been won three times by women (in 1930, 2000 and 2022). Six people have won it three times.

## Course of fire

As of 2022, the Prize is contested in three stages. Standard NRA targets are used, with scoring rings offering a maximum score of five points, plus a "v-bull" within the 5-ring (used for tie-breaking). Since the move to the National Shooting Centre at Bisley, the first and second stages have been contested on the 600-yard range Century Range, whilst the final is contested on Stickledown Range (which can support shooting up to 1200 yards).
Stages II and III are sometimes known as a "Queen's Prize" match. A "Queen's Prize" is used as the standard course of fire for fullbore rifle matches at the Commonwealth Games, although all competitors shoot all distances without elimination.

### King's I

Stage one is an open elimination round consisting of three "2+7" matches (2 sighters with 7 shots to count) at 300, 500 and 600 yards. This gives a highest possible score of 105 with 21 V-bulls (rendered as 105.21v).
The top three hundred competitors progress to the second stage, which typically includes scores of ~101 or better.

### King's II

Stage two consists of 2+10 matches at the same distances as the first stage. Qualification is on a "start from zero" basis, meaning that scores from the first stage are not carried forward and top qualifiers have no advantage over those with poorer scores in the first stage. The highest possible score is 150 with 30 v-bulls (150.30v).
The top one hundred competitors progress to the third and final stage. The "King's Hundred" each receive an NRA '100' Badge. The top scorer in the second stage is awarded an NRA Silver Medal for winning the "short range" portion of the competition, regardless of how they perform in the final.

### King's III (King's Final)

Stage three moves to longer distances, consisting of 2+15 shoots at 900 and 1000 yards. Scores are carried forward from the second stage, giving a highest possible score of 300.60v. Winning scores better than 298 are common, indicating the shooter has only dropped one or two shots across five distances and sixty shots.
The winner receives a gold medal and £250, with the runners up receiving silver and bronze badges respectively. The winner is then "chaired" off the range on an open sedan chair borne by other competitors. By tradition they are carried to the NRA offices to receive their prize, followed by a tour of the clubhouses on camp.

## Winners

Notable winners include the three female winners – Marjorie Foster (1930); Joanna Hossack (2000) and Alice Good (2022). A road on Bisley Camp is named Marjorie Foster Way.
The Fulton family have the unique distinction of having three generations of winners. George Fulton used the proceeds of his 1888 win to found Fulton's Gun Shop on Bisley Camp, which still stands today. His son Arthur won a record-breaking three times in 1912, 1926 and 1931. Arthur's son Robin won in 1958.
Arthur Fulton's record was only matched in 1996. There are now six shooters who have won the Prize three times:
* Arthur Fulton (1912, 1926, 1931)
* Alain Marion (1980, 1983, 1996)
* TA Ringer (1992, 1997, 2001)
* David Calvert (2010, 2015, 2016)
* GCD Barnett (2002, 2003, 2019)
* DC Luckman (2018, 2020, 2024)
Also notable is PA Bennison's 1998 shoot, where he became the first person to score a "possible" with 300.40v. Canadian shooter James Paton matched this in 2005 with another 300.40v.
| Year | Gold Medal | Gold Medal Score | Silver Medal | Silver Medal Score |
| 1860 | ECR Ross | 24 | Cpl F Sharp | 17 |
| 1861 | Pte JM Jopling | 18 | Sgt J Dougan | 23 |
| 1862 | S Pixley | 41 | Ens H Walton | 46 |
| 1863 | J Roberts | 65 | Cpl W Wisker | 49 |
| 1864 | J Wyatt | 60 | Pte J Haward | 47 |
| 1865 | J Sharman | 64 | ECR Ross | 47 |
| 1866 | A Cameron | 69 | Pte A James | 48 |
| 1867 | H Lane | 57 | Capt W Wright | 52 |
| 1868 | JB Carslake | 65 | D/Maj SG Hutchinson | 51 |
| 1869 | A Cameron | 71 | T Kirk | 46 |
| 1870 | W Humphries | 66 | Cpl H Young | 49 |
| 1871 | AP Humphrey | 68 | Pte TH Mayfield | 51 |
| 1872 | W Michie | 65 | Capt A Cortis | 52 |
| 1873 | AD Menzies | 60 | Cpl R Willows | 74 |
| 1874 | WC Atkinson | 64 | Cpl H Young | 87 |
| 1875 | G Pearse | 73 | Pte A Innes | 90 |
| 1876 | R Pullman | 74 | Pte RB Burgess | 86 |
| 1877 | G Jamieson | 70 | Cpl Betts | 92 |
| 1878 | P Rae | 78 | Pte C Lowe | 47 |
| 1879 | G Taylor | 83 | QM JC Macdonald | 96 |
| 1880 | A Ferguson | 74 | Cpl Scott | 102 |
| 1881 | T Beck | 86 | Cpl W Ingram | 96 |
| 1882 | A Lawrance | 65 | Sgt WHO Smith | 174 |
| 1883 | Col-Sgt R Mackay | 79 | Capt JH Young | 183 |
| 1884 | D Gallant | 110 | Sgt JH Taylor | 105 |
| 1885 | W Bulmer | 307 | Col-Sgt Simonds | 104 |
| 1886 | CH Jackson | 265 | Capt A Cortis | 110 |
| 1887 | RO Warren | 274 | Armr-Sgt Hill | 104 |
| 1888 | Armr-Sgt GE Fulton | 280 | LCpl Noakes | 108 |
| 1889 | Sgt D Reid | 281 | Pte CW Wattleworth | 205 |
| 1890 | H Bates | 278 | Pte J Murray | 107 |
| 1891 | D Dear | 269 | Sgt A Milner | 113 |
| 1892 | Major J Pollock | 277 | Major J Pollock | 108 |
| 1893 | Sgt WT Davies | 274 | Pte A Stocks | 96 |
| 1894 | Pte MS Rennie | 283 | Capt H Bateman | 113 |
| 1895 | TH Hayhurst | 279 | LSgt W Hogg | 114 |
| 1896 | JL Thomson | 273 | Capt R Foster | 105 |
| 1897 | WT Ward | 304 | Armr-Sgt JH Scott | 117 |
| 1898 | D Yates | 327 | Lieut EL Fletcher | 119 |
| 1899 | WA Priaulx | 336 | Col-Sgt HWM Matthews | 120 |
| 1900 | WT Ward | 341 | Col-Sgt H Comery | 116 |
| 1901 | Cpl ANVH Ommundsen | 310 | Armr-Sgt AJ Comber | 93 |
| 1902 | Lt ED Johnson | 307 | Cpl TH Kerr | 94 |
| 1903 | Col-Sgt WT Davies | 311 | Pte W Gray | 85 |
| 1904 | SJ Perry | 321 | Chap CJ Ferguson-Davie | 93 |
| 1905 | AJ Comber | 315 | SSgt G Souter | 119 |
| 1906 | RfF Davies | 324 | Sgt ANVH Ommundsen | 94 |
| 1907 | WC Addison | 318 | Pte EA Buckley | 99 |
| 1908 | G Gray | 325 | Gnr DR Paterson | 94 |
| 1909 | HG Burr | 324 | Lieut JW Beatty | 93 |
| 1910 | FR Radice | 340 | FR Radice | 94 |
| 1911 | WJ Clifford | 319 | Pte AG Garrod | 95 |
| 1912 | AG Fulton | 335 | RSIM GH Harvey | 96 |
| 1913 | WA Hawkins | 330 | Sgt ANVH Ommundsen | 92 |
| 1914 | JL Dewar | 309 | AG Fulton | 94 |
| 1919 | L Loveday | 253 | Pte RW Lockwood | 129 |
| 1920 | FH Morgan | 281 | Capt WH Hoey | 144 |
| 1921 | J Cunningham | 226 | CR Crowe | 95 |
| 1922 | AF Marchment | 230 | RSM S Green | 94 |
| 1923 | EH Robinson | 232 | J Elgood | 97 |
| 1924 | DT Burke | 230 | CSM JL Dewar | 95 |
| 1925 | A Smith | 226 | Fl Off G Richardson | 98 |
| 1926 | AG Fulton | 286 | FH Kelly | 146 |
| 1927 | Capt, Dr CH Vernon | 292 | AG Fulton | 148 |
| 1928 | AC Hale | 283 | Lieut AE Martin | 145 |
| 1929 | RM Blair | 283 | Pte PRT Garnett | 141 |
| 1930 | Marjorie Foster | 280 | Lieut AJ Andrews | 147 |
| 1931 | AG Fulton | 285 | AG Fulton | 145 |
| 1932 | CFH Bayly | 289 | JW Houlden | 146 |
| 1933 | DE Woods | 287 | Fl Off C Bunch | 145 |
| 1934 | JA Barlow | 288 | CSM WR Clarke | 146 |
| 1935 | Armr-Sgt FS French | 289 | CA Sutherland | 148 |
| 1936 | LD Busschau | 272 | Sgt JE Johnson | 146 |
| 1937 | DL Birney | 283 | O/Cdt DL Birney | 143 |
| 1938 | JA Barlow | 287 | RD Greig | 147 |
| 1939 | Capt TS Smith | 282 | Lieut A Eccles | 146 |
| 1946 | CC Willott | 280 | Capt RJ Middlemas | 144 |
| 1947 | WO R Bennett | 279 | WO R Bennett | 146 |
| 1948 | PA Pavey | 283 | Cpl RJ Kerslake | 146 |
| 1949 | Capt EWH Brookes | 278 | AG Fox | 146 |
| 1950 | Capt RD Greig | 277 | J Draper | 144 |
| 1951 | Lt GS Boa | 285 | Flt Lt H Gill | 144 |
| 1952 | Major AB Kinnier-Wilson | 277 | WH Magnay | 146 |
| 1953 | Major NW McCaw | 273 | RL Saunders | 145 |
| 1954 | Major GE Twine | 278 | Major GE Twine | 145 |
| 1955 | LR Fenwick | 286 | Lt Col OA Watts | 146 |
| 1956 | Major GE Twine | 283 | Capt AF Bromley | 142 |
| 1957 | JRC Love | 283 | Lt Col F Adams | 147 |
| 1958 | Major RA Fulton | 281 | Lord Swansea | 145 |
| 1959 | Lt LW Mallabar | 276 | M Hook (later Hook-Sinclair) | 146 |
| 1960 | Sgt G Westling | 280 | Lt Col DE Elford | 146 |
| 1961 | WO2 NL Beckett | 284 | NL Beckett | 148 |
| 1962 | Flt Lt PWM Hall | 280 | PO RS Boyman | 147 |
| 1963 | KM Pilcher | 283 | Dr KM Pilcher | 148 |
| 1964 | AD Harris | 281 | LEM PEM Tarrant | 147 |
| 1965 | Capt JA Allen | 284 | Lt Col HJ Orpen-Smellie | 147 |
| 1966 | Maj RW Hampton | 280 | Lieut RJ Cade | 146 |
| 1967 | JG Powell | 280 | Major GE Twine | 147 |
| 1968 | Capt AA Parks | 285 | Lord Swansea | 146 |
| 1969 | FG Little | 284 | CERA D Fox | 145 |
| 1970 | GF Arnold | 281 | EGJ Hayes | 146 |
| 1971 | RM Stevens | 292 | MJ Brister | 150 |
| 1972 | RP Rosling | 293.34 | TPB Garnett | 148.19 |
| 1973 | KM Pilcher | 293.39 | KO Pugh | 149.23 |
| 1974 | FO Harriss | 283 | JR Killian | 148 |
| 1975 | CMY Trotter | 284 | GF Arnold | 148 |
| 1976 | WH Magnay | 287 | E Felton | 149 |
| 1977 | DA Friend | 283 | JMA Thompson | 149 |
| 1978 | GR Graham | 285 | PG Kent | 148 |
| 1979 | Andrew Tucker | 290 | JH Carmichael | 150 |
| 1980 | A Marion | 294 | RWH Stafford | 150 |
| 1981 | GM Ayling | 291 | SA Thomas | 150 |
| 1982 | LM Peden | 295 | AG Harrison | 150 |
| 1983 | A Marion | 289 | A Marion | 150 |
| 1984 | DFP Richards | 284 | Flt Lt C Fitzpatrick | 149 |
| 1985 | JPS Bloomfield | 290 | S Belither | 149 |
| 1986 | G Cox | 289 | PG Kent | 148 |
| 1987 | Andrew Tucker | 290 | J Pugsley | 150 |
| 1988 | J Pugsley | 290 | C Mallett | 148 |
| 1989 | JMA Thompson | 288 | RE Hind | 149.12 |
| 1990 | JPS Bloomfield | 293 | HA Tomlinson | 150.22 |
| 1991 | Flt Lt C Fitzpatrick | 293 | GR Robilliard | 150.21 |
| 1992 | TA Ringer | 287.37 | AD Le Cheminant | 148.11 |
| 1993 | CA Brook | 295.29 | CA Brook | 150.20 |
| 1994 | ML Millar | 291.34 | JS Collings | 149.24 |
| 1995 | AJ Luckman | 289.30 | DGM Coleman | 149.22 |
| 1996 | A Marion | 298.51 | PB Bromley | 150.27 |
| 1997 | TA Ringer | 299.44 | PG Kent | 150.26 |
| 1998 | PA Bennison | 300.40 | Chief Tech B Jones | 150.23 |
| 1999 | DGM Coleman | 294.37 | TA Ringer | 150.22 |
| 2000 | JF Hossack | 294.29 | GC Childs | 150.20 |
| 2001 | TA Ringer | 295.41 | JMA Thompson | 150.26 |
| 2002 | Dr GCD Barnett | 297.38 | Flt Lt IW Robertson | 150.28 |
| 2003 | Dr GCD Barnett | 297.34 | Lt NJ Ball | 150.27 |
| 2004 | HRT Jeens | 291.25 | AJ Woodward | 149.18 |
| 2005 | JAM Paton | 300.40 | J Corbett | 150.23 |
| 2006 | JC Underwood | 297.42 | JC Underwood | 150.23 |
| 2007 | James WE Lewis | 293.26 | DC Luckman | 150.23 |
| 2008 | Zainal Abidin Md Zain | 294.36 | Zainal Abidin Md Zain | 150.24 |
| 2009 | CN Tremlett | 298.44 | TA Ringer | 150.23 |
| 2010 | Wg Cdr DP Calvert | 297.37 | J C Underwood | 150.26 |
| 2011 | ES Compton | 297.35 | D E Nuthall | 150.24 |
| 2012 | Dr JD Warburton | 298.34 | G E Morris | 150.25 |
| 2013 | J Corbett | 297.46 | SKC Hunter | 150.19 |
| 2014 | RCT Jeens | 297.44 | J Corbett | 150.24 |
| 2015 | Wg Cdr DP Calvert | 294.29 | J P Tapster | 149.20 |
| 2016 | Wg Cdr DP Calvert | 297.41 | HJ Golaszewski | 150.28 |
| 2017 | PM Patel | 297.37 | PM Patel | 149.18 |
| 2018 | DC Luckman | 281.29 | SJ Whitby | 150.13 |
| 2019 | GCD Barnett | 299.47 | WCP Richards | 150.26 |
| 2020 | DC Luckman | 297.40 | BJ Le Cheminant | 150.24 |
| 2021 | RSF Shouler | 298.35 | RL Furniss | 150.21 |
| 2022 | AP Good | 293.37 | Wg Cdr DP Calvert | 150.28 |
| 2023 | CJ Watson | 297.34 | CP Weeden | 150.22 |
| 2024 | DC Luckman | 298.42 | DC Luckman | 150.25 |