Scott Barnett on Sporting Clays, Mental Focus & UK Shooting Culture – Clay Mastermind with Dawn Grant: Mental Excellence and Industry Insight

Send us Fan MailScott Barnett joins Dawn Grant on Clay Mastermind: Mental Excellence and Industry Insights for an international conversation on Sporting Clays, competition shooting, gun clubs, mental training, and the differences between the shooting culture in the United Kingdom and the United States. Scott is the owner of Mickley Hall Shooting School in Cheshire, England, where he and his family have built one of the country’s respected shooting facilities. Scott began shooting at nine years old, competed for England and Great Britain in multiple shotgun disciplines, and later transitioned into English Sporting competition and instruction. In this episode, Scott shares the story of how his family transformed their farm into a full shooting school and sporting business. What started as a small operation running limited events eventually expanded into a large shooting facility with dozens of traps, a clubhouse, gun room, instructors, retail sales, and commercial business rentals. Scott explains the unique planning laws in the UK, the challenges of obtaining permission to operate a shooting ground, and the increasing pressure from anti-gun attitudes and regulations.Dawn and Scott also discuss the major differences between clay target competition in the UK and the US. Scott explains how many British shooters historically traveled around the country shooting multiple registered events in a single weekend, while American competitions are often centralized at one large venue over several days. They also discuss how target presentations, club culture, and competition structures differ internationally.A major focus of the conversation is the mental side of competitive shooting. Scott shares how distractions from business responsibilities, customers, phones, social media, and score updates can negatively affect focus during major events. Dawn and Scott discuss the importance of being mentally present, setting boundaries, leaving phones behind, and protecting concentration during competition.Scott also gives valuable insight into his own experience with mental coaching. He explains how he began working with sports psychology programs as a junior shooter on Great Britain teams and how mental training has helped him throughout different stages of his career. Dawn and Scott discuss confidence, breathing, accountability, pressure management, repetitive thinking, and why many elite competitors quietly work with mental coaches even if they do not publicly discuss it.The episode also explores how shooters develop confidence over time, why lower-level shooters are often influenced too heavily by others around them, and how instructors can help new competitors gradually become comfortable in competition settings. Scott explains how building trust in your own technique and staying committed to your process is critical for long-term success.Dawn and Scott also discuss the growing level of competition in Sporting Clays, the influence of high scores on competitors’ psychology, and how preparation, repetition, and mindset all contribute to elite performance. This episode offers valuable insight for Sporting Clays shooters, instructors, competitors, and gun club owners interested in mental discipline, international shooting culture, and the evolving mindset of today’s clay target athletes. Scott Barnett LinksWebsite: https://www.mickleyhall.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mickleyhallshootingschool/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickleyhallshootingschool/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mickleyhallshootingschoolEmail: [email protected]: +44 1270 522422Location: Mickley Hall Shooting School Cheshire, England Dawn Grant Links  https://dawngrant.com/ https://mindmastered.com/  https://ameliashotgunsports.com/  Free webinar here: https://f.mtr.cool/wehmqlchqhSupport the show10% OFF ShotKam Coupon Code “TheClayLab”: https://bit.ly/TheClayLab-ShotKamVisit Us at www.claylabusa.com for videos, podcasts, and articles about Sporting Clays. Join as a Channel Member for early access to Videos & Podcasts and to support The Clay LabFind us on Social MediaYouTubeInstagramFacebook