NORTHUMBERLAND clay pigeon shooter Ian Mullarkey has been crowned 2026 English Open Down The Line (DTL) champion after shooting a perfect 100 and winning a tense shoot‑off at the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association's flagship event.
The 58‑year‑old, who took the coveted High Gun title at Bywell Shooting Ground with a score of 100/296 before sealing the title with 24/72 in the shoot‑off, has spent decades at the top of the sport, representing England, winning European titles and helping a world championship‑winning team in South Africa in 2010.
Ian began shooting at the age of 14 with his dad and brother at a club in Acomb, and has "kept at it ever since", with the English Open DTL victory on June 13 the most recent of a storied, accolade-laden career.
"I've been runner‑up a couple of times but never actually managed to win it, so this was a big achievement for me," said Ian.
"Normally, it's like water off a duck's back, but I must admit I felt quite emotional when I won this one.
"I was also a veterans champion as well as overall, so it was a nice double. The trophies keep piling up."
In addition to the aforementioned titles, Ian, one of Britain's top clay pigeon shooters, has won the "special" Krieghoff DTL championship three times, but admitted that the English Open DTL "eluded" him for years.
"You've just got to keep plugging away," he said. "Nothing comes easy; you never know when it might be your day.
"It's taken a lot of years to learn the English (Open DTL Championship). I kept saying I'd been lucky, but you don't fluke it. You've still got to win the shoot."
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Although now in the twilight of his career, the marksman believes he still has "many years yet" in the sport, so long as his "eyesight holds up" and "the government lets us" - a nod to ongoing discussions about phasing out traditional lead shot and tightening firearms rules.
Despite barriers to getting started, such as the high cost of equipment and ammunition, Ian is still keen to give a helping hand to the next generation of shooters.
"We're lucky up here," he added. There are a few little clubs like the one I started at, and grounds like Bywell that host some of the biggest shoots in the country.”
"I try to help as many people as I can, give them cartridges, a bit of advice, that sort of thing, but it's still quite an expensive sport for juniors.
"If organisers could give youngsters a bigger reduction on entry fees, that would make a big difference."
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