Testimonials: Mountgarret

Mountgarret Shoot (North Yorkshire) 

Date of shooting: 06 Oct 2022

Aspects of the day(s):

Quarries: Pheasant, Partridge

Formats: Driven

No. of guns: 9

Drive count: 5

Expected bag: 200

Actual bag: 207

Star ratings:

Accuracy of shoot description: 6 / 6

Speed of response to initial enquiry: 6 / 6

The welcome on the day: 6 / 6

Clarity of the overage / underage policy: 6 / 6

Quality of shoot staff: 6 / 6

Quality of birds: 6 / 6

Volume of birds: 6 / 6

Overall value of the day: 6 / 6

Refreshments on arrival: 6 / 6

Elevenses: 6 / 6

Lunch/Dinner: 6 / 6

Tea: 6 / 6

Would recommend this shoot to a friend: Yes

Frank - thanks again for a great day today - as always the whole team put on an excellent day - out in the field and the hospitality - thank you - myself and the family and our guests A and L, not to mention M, E and your newly found fan P - all had an a superb day – Cheers

Frank,

I thoroughly enjoyed my two days shooting with you and I know M really enjoyed his day yesterday as well - so a big thank you to you and your team who looked after us all so well and produced some excellent birds in glorious surroundings. I thoroughly enjoyed the company of two different groups of guns and, without knowing how you manage that, long may it continue!

Are you certain that you never were in the Army?! Everything is run so well and seemed so familiar to me that surely this is the case. Regardless of this, I salute you for an excellent shoot.

Regards

IR October 2021

It is a credit to Frank and the team that our day was better than I had expected, especially given the additional work that had gone into making sure the day was Covid secure. No aspect of the day had been overlooked. As a single gun joining a new team for the day I can thoroughly recommend the Ripley Castle Shoot for a warm welcome, skilled and safe guns and drives that offered challenging shots for all abilities. Tight social distancing and covid 19 controls were maintained throughout the day. While clearly not including pheasants in the bag at this time, the birds we did see flew strongly and offer the prospect of some exciting days ahead for those lucky enough to shoot at Ripley Castle this season. 

TW 11/09/2020

Dear Frank

Just a brief email to comment on Monday and Tuesdays shooting this week at Mountgarret and Ripley Castle.

Having visited for the first time last year we (DB) and myself were so impressed we booked again for this week. And, we were not disappointed. This is one of the best organised shoots I have ever attended. It all runs like clockwork which is all down to the efficiency of all the staff involved. 

From the breakfast to the final tea and cake it was all a delight. Clearly the focus by all is on the customer which nowadays unfortunately appears to be a dying art, it's also gratifying to know that you are putting back into the industry with your work on the Game Alliance which hopefully will help the sport going forward.

Regards

Dear Frank

Thank you for two most enjoyable days of shooting. It had been twelve years since my last shoot in the UK and it brought back many good memories.

I wish you well over the Festive Season and a successful 2020.

Kind Regards

Evening Frank

Just a brief note to thank you once again for a superb day in very difficult weather conditions. Plenty of good birds to pick out and despite the weather , great scenery as ever.

It has been an absolute privilege to have had 3 days there and such consistency. Great job by Stuart and Steph who clearly have a great ability to calm everyone down and give us all a super day.

Very much appreciated and my thanks and admiration to David and all his crew in producing the day. Plenty of shoots talk and good game, those guys produce good ones consistently. Not easy.

Many thanks and will catch up in January and very good to see you today.

Kind regards

Yet another superb day here at Mountgarret, this is the second time I have shot the estate this season with the only disappointment been I wished I could have shot it weekly! Hospitality is second to none! The team operating this shoot, like Ripley are 1st class, Jonny, Steph and of course Frank cannot do enough to ensure you have a great day, teamed with excellent loaders (Gary) should you need one and super back office guys - this is a shoot you need in your diary next season! Thanks again all, see you in September!

Since I began driven shooting in the mid-'90s, having shot at around 40 or so estates, with my initial Ripley Castle shooting in '05, I have shot with Frank Boddy at Mount Garrett and other of his venues numerous times. I've never shot at a better organized shoot than those run by Mr. Boddy - always a superlative experience. I have shot there with friends and family - all have been equally impressed and pleased with their experiences. EXCELSIOR!

Frank, good afternoon – great to meet you finally at yesterday’s shoot – had a great day thank you; and do feel free to pass on my thanks and best wishes to the wider Team for the day. You have an excellent set up and all those I came into contact with yesterday be they during the drives or for the hospitality, really did you and your overall at shoot at Mountgarret a great credit. I have shot at many venues and as in my business; it’s the people “on the ground” that make the difference, they being engaged in the overall offering – so well done and thanks for that.

Dear Frank

Dear Frank, 

Just a note to say “thank you “ after our most enjoyable day. Your team do an excellent job, creating a friendly atmosphere with good hospitality. You showed us some good sporting birds despite the calm conditions and the party members all got along very well.

Frank - you have shown once again how smoothly you and you staff run Ripley Sporting. It is impressive.

Good Morning Frank

A short note to say thank you so much for a fabulous day’s shooting at Mountgarret on Saturday.

Have a great New Year’s Eve and all the best for a successful year for you and Mountgarret in 2019.

Dear Frank

Good evening Frank

Just wanted to thank you and the team for yet another fab day, was lovely to be out today.

Just a short note to say thank you for yesterday.

Dear Frank, 

I hope this email finds you well. 

I enjoyed my first day with you last week and just wanted to drop you a line to thank you and your team for a great day. 

As usual the hospitality was second to none.  The wind made some of the shooting a little testing but that just increased the satisfaction when you connected.

Please pass on my thanks to your team. 

This was my first visit to any of the Ripley Castle shoots and my first ever all partridge day, it took me a couple of drives to get my eye in as I am more familiar with high pheasants. However, by the third drive I was happier with my performance and managed two get my bag by the end of the day. Mountgarret is a very well managed and presented shoot, the team really were extremely professional and all worked hard to ensure that we all had a great time and successful day despite the wet conditions. My wife, daughter and I were fortunate enough to share the day with the most wonderful, friendly and professional guns, they all said that Frank does a good job with getting a good group together. The food was fantastic and drinks were readily available throughout the day. A huge thank you and well done to everyone on the day, I shall be following up with a day at Ripley!

I just wanted to drop you a line to say well done and thank you to you and your team on Friday. The day was really enjoyable.

A huge thank you to your and your team for hosting us for 2 phenomenal days shooting this week. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and felt we all had some excellent shooting.

A short e-mail to thank you for a lovely day on Saturday. Although the weather did not help you and Martin, we had a very enjoyable day, your staff without exception were amazing from Lynda in the office answering my stupid little questions to everyone on the day, your drinks man gave a lovely atmosphere and Debbie and your Chef could not have done more for us. Please pass on my thanks.

Frank, I want to share with you what GT has written to me about his very first driven shooting experience. I am confident he spoke to you, but still feel it appropriate to show you this:

I like well run things. Frank Boddy does it in spades.

Many pictures to share.

I shot very well, taking birds selectively at good ranges. My loader was Steph, a fine man. I liked the variety of terrain at Mountgarret Estate more than Ripley, though I know every day has many different drives. 

I met many good sports in The Boars Head”.

I’d say you might see GT once again.

Thank you for a very enjoyable and well run day on Tuesday. The near gale made for very exciting sport and M did well to manage the drives so well in conditions which were difficult for him. Thank you also for a delicious lunch in convivial company. Jonny was a kind and considerate host and, it turns out, had quite a close relationship with Harriett’s family when he lived in Hertfordshire. She and her spaniel were made welcome in the beating line and thoroughly enjoyed their day. A contribution to your charity is on its way by electronic transfer.

It was wonderful to return to God’s own County – I miss it.

Best Wishes

I’m happily tucked in my bed now after a wonderful day at Mountgarret. Thank you for your vision in creating such a unique experience. Your staff (who by the way are more like bloody good friend) are a credit to you.

I feel that I must put pen to paper; in order to say thank you very much from myself and friend for a marvellous day on 26th January 2017.  Would you please convey our many thanks to all the staff concerned both in the Lodge with the foods, outside; keepers and beaters, for a very happy day.

I really meant to send this note days ago but slightly late, I would just like to thank you for giving G and me a wonderful day and introduction to game shooting. In particular please pass on our regards and thanks to both Jonny and Steph who were very kind and patient with us novices, as to be fair were our loaders and indeed the other guns.