UNIVERSAL TRENCH 2026 AND BEYOND.
Dear All
Please note, with immediate effect, Ed Barker will take on the role of the second BICTSF UT Director to work with Paul Ashley. In order to continue to work with FITASC, and thus allow BICTSF to operate the FITASC licence in the UK, they will follow all the required rules as laid down by FITASC Paris.
Ed says “I look forward to working with Paul and assisting with Universal Trench as a Director. We are excited to work through some of the challenging financial issues, create great events, grow participation and have some enjoyable times with the UT community. I look forward to seeing you at Beverley Shooting Ground on 19th April at the first Selection Shoot”.
In addition, a sub-committee, selected by Paul and Ed, will be set up to provide practical assistance as well as ideas.
UT is not as popular as it used to be and has suffered in recent times due to the increased interest in OT. In 2025 we had a total of 321 entrants across four shoots – an average of 80 entrants per competition. Once ground fees and prize money had been deducted it left insufficient funds to cover the cost of sending teams abroad and we ended the year nearly £1000 in the red – similar to the last couple of years. Thus, the difficult decision was taken not to fund the teams going to this year’s European Championships which should return us to a positive end of year balance and put us in a good position for 2027 onwards.
Best Regards
Nick Woodward
Chairman
BICTSF
Very Important Announcement re UT European Championships 2026
As you maybe aware UT has not been in a stable place financially for sometime now.
For the last two years and going into this year the discipline is in a deficit. As at 31/12/24 the loss was £1095.00 and as at 31/12/25 the loss increased to £1404.00. This is not sustainable.With this in mind and the European Championships being in Valencia, Spain in July this year. I have decided the best thing to do is this.
ALL team members will have to pay their own entry fee direct to FITASC, the same as was done with the World Championships in February and as individual entrants do now.The team entry fees will still be paid by the BICTSF.
It’s been a bit of a difficult time for UT as we know with the Worlds being early too.
It’s a decision that has not been taken lightly by myself but feel it is the best way forward to make UT in 2027 more financially stable.I have to emphasise that if we don’t do this the discipline may well cease to survive in the very near future
UT Selection Shoots 2026
18-19th April 2026 – Beverley
16-17th May 2026 – Fauxdegla UK Championship
6-7th June 2026 – Brook Bank BGP
29-30th August 2026 – Nuthampstead English Open
Online Entries for these will open soon.
GBR TEAM NEWS! AUSTRALIA 2026
After a lot of hard work we are pleased to announce the team representing UT for GBR is as follows:
Ladies
- Katie Cowell
- Kath Bright
- Jackie Lewis. New Cap
Mens
- Mark Shaw. New Cap
- George Seaborne. New Cap
- Emyr Davies
Seniors
- David Lloyd
- Mark Wright
- Graham Carter. New Cap
Masters
- Michael Barker. New Cap
- Alan Haynes. New Cap
- John Slatter.
Congratulations to you all, really appreciate you commitment and patience in waiting for the announcement.
Wish you all the best of luck
Also with a special mention to the Six New Caps in the team. Congratulations to you all and enjoy the experience.
Unfortunately we have no junior or veteran teams representing us.
UT Rankings September 2025
UT – URGENT SELECTION SHOOT UPDATE!
The decision has been made as follows following various views from shooters:
The Nutty Selection Shoot in September this year WILL count towards the European Championship in 2026.
Along with the first three selection shoots next year.
So the best three from four to count for the European Championship in September 2026.
No change for the Worlds in Australia 2026 as per the BICTSF website
Sorry for the inconvenience this may or has caused. Please pass onto anyone who does not use social media. Regards Paul
UT – World Championship 2026
On reflection, a few points need to be clarified concerning the World Championships in Melbourne 2026.
Firstly, we definitely want to be able to send various category teams to Melbourne, assuming that a fully credible team can be made up in each category according to the selection criteria previously announced. We should not make any concessions – either shooters qualify, or they do not. There is a possibility therefore that we will not have teams in all six categories.
UT shoot entries are not what they used to be, so funds are tight. For a few years now we have only been able to fund the individual team members’ entry fee and the team entry fee (€100 per category). Broadly speaking, the European Championships are usually funded from the proceeds of the first two selection shoots of the year, the World Championships from the third and fourth selection shoots of the year. 2026 will of course be different due to reverse timings of the Euros and Worlds.
It is unlikely at the moment that there will be enough money in the kitty to pay individual team member entry fees up front. We hope to have enough to cover the team entry fees – €600.
We will have a clearer picture after the last selection shoot at the end of September. Until then we want to put potential team members on notice that they may have to fund, or part fund, their own entry fee for the Worlds. We could look at the funds available after the first two selection shoots to see if we can cover the entry costs of the World team members.
As there will be four selection shoots before the 2026 European Championships in September, there should be enough money to fund the entry fees in full for that shoot. At that time again, if necessary, the money situation will be looked at to see if there are any surplus monies which could be paid out to those who attended the World Championships.
We appreciate the situation is far from satisfactory but please bear with us, we must work within the financial constraints of the discipline.
UT Rankings Brook Bank July 2025
GBR TEAM FOR FITASC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – ROME 2025.
Congratulations to the undermentioned on qualifying to represent GBR!
Team News for UT World Championships In Italy Rome
Pleased to announce we have the confirmed teams for Italy at the end of July.
Congratulations to you all and especially the new caps well done.
A special mention has to go to the juniors, congratulations to you all making the team.
Look forward to you gaining the experience of shooting a Major competition abroad.
Please Note
It has been decided today that at the opening and closing ceremonies, NO blazers will be required., just white shirt, GB tie or cravat and grey trousers or skirts
JUNIORS
Oliver Austin NC
James Ward NC
Matthew Rowland NC
LADIES
Katie Cowell
Kath Bright
Sue Bate
MEN
David O’Donnell
Bayram Baysal
George Seaborne NC
SENIORS
David Lloyd
Dave Hardy
Wesley Hann
VETERANS
Mike Wensley
Nick Harris
David Wright
MASTERS
Kevin Borley
Howard Batt
Phil Rowley
NB – NC indicates a new cap.
ENGLISH OPEN UT CHAMPIONSHIP BROOK BANK 12-13 JULY 2025
Congratulations to all the winners listed below!
HIGH GUN David Lloyd 196
RUNNER UP Matt Panter 195
THIRD David Kirk 191
A CLASS
FIRST David Lloyd 196
SECOND Matt Panter 195
THIRD David Kirk 191
B CLASS
FIRST Oliver Austin 183
SECOND John Reilly 181
THIRD Andrew Dunne 178
C CLASS
FIRST Nigel Watson 183
SECOND = James Ward 180
SECOND = Phil Rowley 180
D CLASS
FIRST = Michele Rowe 160
FIRST = Rhys Dixon 160
THIRD Jacquelyn Lewis 158
JUNIOR
FIRST Lewis Kirk 189
SECOND Oliver Austin 183
THIRD James Ward 180
LADIES
FIRST = Kath Bright 175
FIRST = Leanne Palmer 175
THIRD Katie Cowell 174
SENIOR
FIRST Matt Panter 194
SECOND David Kirk 191
THIRD = Daniel Hudson 190
THIRD = Ian Moore 190
VETERAN
FIRST David Lloyd 196
SECOND Wesley Hann 188
THIRD David Hardy 186
SUPER VETERAN
FIRST Kevin Borley 185
SECOND Richard Fletton 184
THIRD Michael Wensley 183
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