Olympic gold medal clay shooter sells his guns

Bob Brathwaite, from Garstang, won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics for clay shooting. His guns are being auctioned after he died last year.

Britain has only won a gold medal at the Olympics for clay shooting three times with the first time being in 1968 by the late Bob Braithwaite.

Although born in Cumbria, Bob spent most of his life in Garstang and now his winning shotgun is being auctioned later this year.

Born in 1925, Bob sadly died at the age of 89 last year and as per his wishes, his family has consigned the 12-bore C Grade Browning that he used to score 198 out of 200 targets to win gold at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.

Holt’s Auctioneers, in London, has given the shotgun an estimate of £7,000-9,000. The gun was later gold-inlaid with the Olympic Rings.

Also at the auction is a special edition D Grade shotgun, also made by Browning, that was presented to Bob in recognition of his sporting achievements. This is also estimated at £7,000-9,000 and featured Bob’s signature gold-inlaid and a gold oval inscribed ‘Presented to J.R. Braithwaite Gold Medal Olympic Trench Mexico 68’.

To mark the occasion, fellow Olympic gold medal clay shooters Richard Faulds, in 2000, and Peter Wilson, in 2012, will shoot the actual shotgun the legendary trap shooter used to beat 55 competitors from 34 nations.

The shooting will take place at Owls Lodge Shooting School in Hampshire on Tuesday, May 17 at 10am.

Both guns are for sale in London on Thursday June 30 through Holt’s Auctioneers.