As the winter sun begins its journey down over the hills, we find ourselves at the start of the last drive of the day, the estate's signature drive, where the highest and most challenging birds are found. It is here where shooters make their mark and where legends are born.

The beaters have been moving through the undergrowth on the back of the hill for more than ten minutes, flanking the birds into the middle of the drive. A flush of high pheasant and fast-moving partridge have already broken out over the middle of the line of guns. The end pegs are yet to be in the action, but patiently they wait.

On Peg 8 is our host. He sits and waits, puffing on his cigar. He smiles. He is happy at what he sees, but he is happier at what he knows is to come. His guests are making their mark. Legends are being born…

The Driven Game Series is a snapshot of a single moment in time where we gain an insight into the most traditional of British sporting activities, driven bird shooting, immortalised in bronze by renowned American Wildlife Bronze Artist, Christopher Smith. The series is in association with George Juer from Charles Lancaster Gunmakers, along with Lars Magnusson at Blixt & Co., America's premier driven shooting destination.
 
Each piece is a Limited Edition of 24, approximately 1/4 life size, and may be purchased individually or as a full set.
 
Peg No.3 "The Dance" and Peg No.4 "Teamwork" are now available to purchase, with the remaining sculptures in production and ready for pre-order.

PEG 1:          Eyes to the Skies

As the first flush of birds pours towards the guns in the middle of the line, our man at Peg 1 waits patiently with his loader, watching proceedings and dreaming of the birds that will soon be coming his way. He will not be waiting for long. Some of the crossing partridge breaking back out of the flush will provide him with the best sport he has ever experienced.

​They say time waits for no man, but this man will have to wait just a little longer.

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PEG 2:          A Helping Hand

This young lady gun has spent the summer having lessons with one of the most experienced instructors in the country. Now she is ready to take on the challenge of driven bird shooting and here we see her raising her gun to yet another challenging bird.

​She is ably assisted by her instructor, but after today’s performance it is unlikely she will need him again.

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PEG 3:          The Dance

There is nothing more beautiful than the synergy between an expert gun and his experienced loader. As a bird falls gracefully from the sky, steel passes steel, swiftly and silently like ships in the night.  It is truly here where two become one, in a dance that creates an unparalleled and unbeatable force. It is a joy to watch and a pleasure to shoot with these veteran hunters.

PEG NO.3 - THE DANCE

PEG 4:          Teamwork

After the dance where loaded gun is exchanged for empty gun, the teamwork begins. Our shooter picks another high bird from the flush going overhead... unseen behind him, his loader is already preparing his next gun, cartridges in hand and reloading the empty weapon.

​It is this teamwork and our shooter’s trust in his loader that gives him the edge and helps him to be the best at what he does.

PEG NO.4 - TEAMWORK

PEG 5:          Bird of the Day

They have said it before: “on this drive, legends are born”.

The seamless teamwork between a loader and his gun is briefly interrupted. The loader is distracted. He points to the skies with a wide grin on his face. The shooter stares in disbelief. The bird that he just took was higher than anything he has shot before and most likely higher than anything either of them has seen anyone else shoot before. This bird will not just be discussed over a glass of Scotch in front of a roaring fire tonight… this bird will be discussed for years to come.

​It is here in this moment that a new legend is born.

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PEG 6:          Doubled Over

As the highest pheasants of the day head over the middle of the line, our man at Peg 6 decides it’s all or nothing. His years in the field have taught him to make sure that he picks his bird. Make a decision and stick with it: don’t forget to get on your bird early and take it out in front.

​Seemingly out of nowhere, one of the highest pheasants he has seen suddenly appears directly above him. He throws himself backwards, bent over double, for he knows that if he can get on this bird successfully, then he too will enter the story books for years to come.

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PEG 7:          The Leading Lady

Wherever you find our host, his leading lady will not be far away. Today she is pegged next to him and her competitive instincts drive her to put on her best performance. She needn’t try hard: her skill in the art of shooting is second to none. She was trained by the very best at a young age and we see her in this moment in the most perfect position, as if trained by Percy Stanbury himself, her footwork and gun mount as if from a textbook. If you are looking for style, look no further.

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PEG 8:          Smoking Gun

At the end of the line, a large Churchillian figure sits on his shooting stick, cigar in hand.

Our host waits, admiring the sport he has put on for his guests. To him, watching his friends is as enjoyable as the sport itself. He knows his time will come; he has seen this all before. He is the very creator of the legends and though time waits for no man, our host is happy to wait just a little bit more.

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Behind the Line:          The Picker-Up

Behind the line of guns, dozens of watchful eyes keep track of proceedings in front of them. The pickers-up and their dogs will have to wait until the drive is over before their work begins in earnest. In the meantime, the pheasant and partridge that fall around them are marked and picked to ensure that no bird goes unaccounted for.

A cocker spaniel, one of the most famous breeds of hunting dog, is by his owner's side, waiting for action. They spend their life training for a shooting day and nothing is more exciting than doing the work they were born to do.

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