Welcome to the next edition in a new series of ‘R&B talks to…’
Over the festive period, we caught up with Welsh International Clay Shooter, Rhys Powell, and thought it was about time we introduced him to you too!
Rhys is one of the extremely talented shooters we are very proud to sponsor here at R&B. We’re really excited to have him on board and look forward to supporting him in his shooting journey. He is a brilliant advocate for the sport, and has had incredible success recently, including a BIG win in the University Sports calendar… you’ll have to read on to find out more…
Tell us a bit about yourself…
My name is Rhys Steven Gerrard Powell (yes, like the footballer), I am an 18-year-old Welsh international clay shooter from Abergavenny, South Wales. I am currently embarking in my first year at Cardiff University studying Biological Sciences, with aspirations in Neuroscience.
What is something people might not know about you?
I love music! I have been playing the drums for almost a decade and I hope to be playing some gigs in Cardiff as soon as possible.
What do you shoot at the moment?
Currently, my go-to disciplines are sporting and FITASC, however, I am extremely excited to begin shooting Compak over the coming year. I have been shooting my Grade 5 Miroku MK38 for around 4 years now and love the way it handles, especially when paired with 24g Hull Pro Ones. The smoothness is unrivalled.
What is your earliest memory of shooting?
I have been shooting with my father all my life, however my earliest memory is my first clay shooting lesson. The feeling of breaking my first clay will forever be etched into my memory!
Where can we usually find you shooting?
My shooting sanctuary is St. Dials Farm in Monmouth. I have been there in the sun and snow! This is where I have grown the most as a shooter, constantly being pushed and encouraged by the Hart Events team.
What advice would you give to your younger self, or those wishing to take up the sport?
To my younger self, I would encourage more appreciation of the mental side of shooting. Personally, keeping a clear head and not trying to force a performance is definitely one of my biggest challenges. As well as this I hugely encourage patience. Far too many times have I fallen into the rabbit hole of frustration after not shooting as I would have liked. Shooting is about enjoyment – putting too much pressure on yourself is never productive. Just relax and smash some clays! To those thinking of starting the sport, just do it! This is an incredible, outdoor sport where you make amazing friends and establish new connections with brilliant characters.
What’s your proudest shooting achievement so far?
I am extremely proud to have represented Wales on numerous occasions as well as acheive a GB FITASC qualification last year, however, the one title that comes to mind is my BUCS gold! This is THE university competition of the year and to walk away with high gun for team Cardiff against countless other GB internationals will always be a highlight in my career. A close second is bringing home the silver medal at the World Championship Sporting in High Wycombe where our junior team came in after America. Our sights are firmly set on gold this year!
Shooting out of the question, what is your favourite sport?
Outside of shooting, I enjoy the thrill of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). A slightly different sport to my own!
What are your shooting plans for the next 12 months? And what would be your ultimate shooting goal?
Over the coming 12 months I have big plans for my shooting. To continue to represent Cardiff and attend as many team competitions as possible is a huge priority of mine. As well as this, I hope to qualify for the Welsh junior teams in Sporting, FITASC, and World Sporting again and bring home some trophies! Ultimately, I hope to compete at a standard that pushes Wales to the top of world rankings and contribute to the success of Team GB!
And if, like us, you’d like to know more about where Rhys has been shooting and what he is up to, you can follow him on both Facebook and Instagram.
We hope you have enjoyed this interview! Thanks for reading this far… Maybe you’re thinking that you have something to share that our readers might enjoy too? We’re always on the lookout for new guests to feature! Simply get in touch by emailing Ellie using the link HERE!
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