The Sovereign's Prize, referred to as the Queen's Prize or the King's Prize depending on the incumbent British monarch, is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious prizes in target rifle shooting, globally. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually on Wimbledon Common in London. The competition later moved to the purpose-built Bisley Camp where it is still held today.

The winner receives a gold medal and £250. Strictly, the "Sovereign's Prize" refers to the £250 cash prize, which was originally the personal gift of Queen Victoria. The gold medal is awarded by the Association. As of 2026, the Prize has been contested 157 times, breaking only for the World Wars. Although contested on an open basis, it has only been won three times by women (in 1930, 2000 and 2022). Six people have won it three times.

Course of fire As of 2022, the Prize is contested in three stages. Standard NRA targets are used, with scoring rings offering a maximum score of five points, plus a "v-bull" within the 5-ring (used for tie-breaking). Since the move to the National Shooting Centre at Bisley, the first and second stages have been contested on the 600-yard range Century Range, whilst the final is contested on Stickledown Range (which can support shooting up to 1200 yards).

The format used by stages II and III is sometimes known as a "King's Prize" match. A "King's Prize" is used as the standard course of fire for fullbore rifle matches at the Commonwealth Games, although all competitors shoot all distances without elimination.

King's I Stage one is an open elimination round consisting of three "2+7" matches (2 sighters with 7 shots to count) at 300, 500 and 600 yards. This gives a highest possible score of 105 with 21 V-bulls (rendered as 105.21v).

The top three hundred competitors progress to the second stage, which typically includes scores of ~101 or better.

King's II Stage two consists of 2+10 matches at the same distances as the first stage. Qualification is on a "start from zero" basis, meaning that scores from the first stage are not carried forward and top qualifiers have no advantage over those with poorer scores in the first stage. The highest possible score is 150 with 30 v-bulls (150.30v).

The top one hundred competitors progress to the third and final stage. The "King's Hundred" each receive an NRA '100' Badge. The top scorer in the second stage is awarded an NRA Silver Medal for winning the "short range" portion of the competition, regardless of how they perform in the final.

King's III (King's Final)

Stage three moves to longer distances, consisting of 2+15 shoots at 900 and 1000 yards. Scores are carried forward from the second stage, giving a highest possible score of 300.60v. Winning scores better than 298 are common, indicating the shooter has only dropped one or two shots across five distances and sixty shots.

The winner receives a gold medal and £250, with the runners up receiving silver and bronze badges respectively. The winner is then "chaired" off the range on an open sedan chair borne by other competitors. By tradition they are carried to the NRA offices to receive their prize, followed by a tour of the clubhouses on camp.

Winners

Notable winners include the three female winners – Marjorie Foster (1930); Joanna Hossack (2000) and Alice Good (2022). A road on Bisley Camp is named Marjorie Foster Way.

The Fulton family have the unique distinction of having three generations of winners. George Fulton used the proceeds of his 1888 win to found Fulton's Gun Shop on Bisley Camp, which still stands today. His son Arthur won a record-breaking three times in 1912, 1926 and 1931. Arthur's son Robin won in 1958.

Arthur Fulton's record was only matched in 1996. There are now six shooters who have won the Prize three times:

Arthur Fulton (1912, 1926, 1931) Alain Marion (1980, 1983, 1996) TA Ringer (1992, 1997, 2001) David Calvert (2010, 2015, 2016) GCD Barnett (2002, 2003, 2019) DC Luckman (2018, 2020, 2024)

Also notable is PA Bennison's 1998 shoot, where he became the first person to score a "possible" with 300.40v. Canadian shooter James Paton matched this in 2005 with another 300.40v.

Year Gold Medal Gold Medal Score Silver Medal Silver Medal Score 1860 ECR Ross 24 Cpl F Sharp 17 1861 Pte JM Jopling 18 Sgt J Dougan 23 1862 S Pixley 41 Ens H Walton 46 1863 J Roberts 65 Cpl W Wisker 49 1864 J Wyatt 60 Pte J Haward 47 1865 J Sharman 64 ECR Ross 47 1866 A Cameron 69 Pte A James 48 1867 H Lane 57 Capt W Wright 52 1868 JB Carslake 65 D/Maj SG Hutchinson 51 1869 A Cameron 71 T Kirk 46 1870 W Humphries 66 Cpl H Young 49 1871 AP Humphry 68 Pte TH Mayfield 51 1872 W Michie 65 Capt A Cortis 52 1873 AD Menzies 60 Cpl R Willows 74 1874 WC Atkinson 64 Cpl H Young 87 1875 G Pearse 73 Pte A Innes 90 1876 R Pullman 74 Pte RB Burgess 86 1877 G Jamieson 70 Cpl Betts 92 1878 P Rae 78 Pte C Lowe 47 1879 G Taylor 83 QM JC Macdonald 96 1880 A Ferguson 74 Cpl Scott 102 1881 T Beck 86 Cpl W Ingram 96 1882 A Lawrance 65 Sgt WHO Smith 174 1883 Col-Sgt R Mackay 79 Capt JH Young 183 1884 D Gallant 110 Sgt JH Taylor 105 1885 W Bulmer 307 Col-Sgt Simonds 104 1886 CH Jackson 265 Capt A Cortis 110 1887 RO Warren 274 Armr-Sgt Hill 104 1888 Armr-Sgt GE Fulton 280 LCpl Noakes 108 1889 Sgt D Reid 281 Pte CW Wattleworth 205 1890 H Bates 278 Pte J Murray 107 1891 D Dear 269 Sgt A Milner 113 1892 Major J Pollock 277 Major J Pollock 108 1893 Sgt WT Davies 274 Pte A Stocks 96 1894 Pte MS Rennie 283 Capt H Bateman 113 1895 TH Hayhurst 279 LSgt W Hogg 114 1896 JL Thomson 273 Capt R Foster 105 1897 WT Ward 304 Armr-Sgt JH Scott 117 1898 D Yates 327 Lieut EL Fletcher 119 1899 WA Priaulx 336 Col-Sgt HWM Matthews 120 1900 WT Ward 341 Col-Sgt H Comery 116 1901 Cpl ANVH Ommundsen 310 Armr-Sgt AJ Comber 93 1902 Lt ED Johnson 307 Cpl TH Kerr 94 1903 Col-Sgt WT Davies 311 Pte W Gray 85 1904 SJ Perry 321 Chap CJ Ferguson-Davie 93 1905 AJ Comber 315 SSgt G Souter 119 1906 RfF Davies 324 Sgt ANVH Ommundsen 94 1907 WC Addison 318 Pte EA Buckley 99 1908 G Gray 325 Gnr DR Paterson 94 1909 HG Burr 324 Lieut JW Beatty 93 1910 FR Radice 340 FR Radice 94 1911 WJ Clifford 319 Pte AG Garrod 95 1912 AG Fulton 335 RSIM GH Harvey 96 1913 WA Hawkins 330 Sgt ANVH Ommundsen 92 1914 JL Dewar 309 AG Fulton 94 1919 Sgt L Loveday 253 Pte RW Lockwood 129 1920 FH Morgan 281 Capt WH Hoey 144 1921 J Cunningham 226 CR Crowe 95 1922 AF Marchment 230 RSM S Green 94 1923 EH Robinson 232 J Elgood 97 1924 DT Burke 230 CSM JL Dewar 95 1925 A Smith 226 Fl Off G Richardson 98 1926 AG Fulton 286 FH Kelly 146 1927 Capt, Dr CH Vernon 292 AG Fulton 148 1928 AC Hale 283 Lieut AE Martin 145 1929 RM Blair 283 Pte PRT Garnett 141 1930 Marjorie Foster 280 Lieut AJ Andrews 147 1931 AG Fulton 285 AG Fulton 145 1932 CFH Bayly 289 JW Houlden 146 1933 DE Woods 287 Fl Off C Bunch 145 1934 JA Barlow 288 CSM WR Clarke 146 1935 Armr-Sgt FS French 289 CA Sutherland 148 1936 LD Busschau 272 Sgt JE Johnson 146 1937 DL Birney 283 O/Cdt DL Birney 143 1938 JA Barlow 287 RD Greig 147 1939 Capt TS Smith 282 Lieut A Eccles 146 1946 CC Willott 280 Capt RJ Middlemas 144 1947 WO R Bennett 279 WO R Bennett 146 1948 PA Pavey 283 Cpl RJ Kerslake 146 1949 Capt EWH Brookes 278 AG Fox 146 1950 Capt RD Greig 277 J Draper 144 1951 Lt GS Boa 285 Flt Lt H Gill 144 1952 Major AB Kinnier-Wilson 277 WH Magnay 146 1953 Major NW McCaw 273 RL Saunders 145 1954 Major GE Twine 278 Major GE Twine 145 1955 LR Fenwick 286 Lt Col OA Watts 146 1956 Major GE Twine 283 Capt AF Bromley 142 1957 JRC Love 283 Lt Col F Adams 147 1958 Major RA Fulton 281 Lord Swansea 145 1959 Lt LW Mallabar 276 M Hook (later Hook-Sinclair) 146 1960 Sgt G Westling 280 Lt Col DE Elford 146 1961 WO2 NL Beckett 284 NL Beckett 148 1962 Flt Lt PWM Hall 280 PO RS Boyman 147 1963 KM Pilcher 283 Dr KM Pilcher 148 1964 AD Harris 281 LEM PEM Tarrant 147 1965 Capt JA Allen 284 Lt Col HJ Orpen-Smellie 147 1966 Maj RW Hampton 280 Lieut RJ Cade 146 1967 JG Powell 280 Major GE Twine 147 1968 Capt AA Parks 285 Lord Swansea 146 1969 FG Little 284 CERA D Fox 145 1970 GF Arnold 281 EGJ Hayes 146 1971 RM Stevens 292 MJ Brister 150 1972 RP Rosling 293.34 TPB Garnett 148.19 1973 KM Pilcher 293.39 KO Pugh 149.23 1974 FO Harriss 283 JR Killian 148 1975 CMY Trotter 284 GF Arnold 148 1976 WH Magnay 287 E Felton 149 1977 DA Friend 283 JMA Thompson 149 1978 GR Graham 285 PG Kent 148 1979 Andrew Tucker 290 JH Carmichael 150 1980 A Marion 294 RWH Stafford 150 1981 GM Ayling 291 SA Thomas 150 1982 LM Peden 295 AG Harrison 150 1983 A Marion 289 A Marion 150 1984 DFP Richards 284 Flt Lt C Fitzpatrick 149 1985 JPS Bloomfield 290 S Belither 149 1986 G Cox 289 PG Kent 148 1987 Andrew Tucker 290 J Pugsley 150 1988 J Pugsley 290 C Mallett 148 1989 JMA Thompson 288 RE Hind 149.12 1990 JPS Bloomfield 293 HA Tomlinson 150.22 1991 Flt Lt C Fitzpatrick 293 GR Robilliard 150.21 1992 TA Ringer 287.37 AD Le Cheminant 148.11 1993 CA Brook 295.29 CA Brook 150.20 1994 ML Millar 291.34 JS Collings 149.24 1995 AJ Luckman 289.30 DGM Coleman 149.22 1996 A Marion 298.51 PB Bromley 150.27 1997 TA Ringer 299.44 PG Kent 150.26 1998 PA Bennison 300.40 Chief Tech B Jones 150.23 1999 DGM Coleman 294.37 TA Ringer 150.22 2000 JF Hossack 294.29 GC Childs 150.20 2001 TA Ringer 295.41 JMA Thompson 150.26 2002 Dr GCD Barnett 297.38 Flt Lt IW Robertson 150.28 2003 Dr GCD Barnett 297.34 Lt NJ Ball 150.27 2004 HRT Jeens 291.25 AJ Woodward 149.18 2005 JAM Paton 300.40 J Corbett 150.23 2006 JC Underwood 297.42 JC Underwood 150.23 2007 James WE Lewis 293.26 DC Luckman 150.23 2008 Zainal Abidin Md Zain 294.36 Zainal Abidin Md Zain 150.24 2009 CN Tremlett 298.44 TA Ringer 150.23 2010 Wg Cdr DP Calvert 297.37 J C Underwood 150.26 2011 ES Compton 297.35 D E Nuthall 150.24 2012 Dr JD Warburton 298.34 G E Morris 150.25 2013 J Corbett 297.46 SKC Hunter 150.19 2014 RCT Jeens 297.44 J Corbett 150.24 2015 Wg Cdr DP Calvert 294.29 J P Tapster 149.20 2016 Wg Cdr DP Calvert 297.41 HJ Golaszewski 150.28 2017 PM Patel 297.37 PM Patel 149.18 2018 DC Luckman 281.29 SJ Whitby 150.13 2019 GCD Barnett 299.47 WCP Richards 150.26 2020 DC Luckman 297.40 BJ Le Cheminant 150.24 2021 RSF Shouler 298.35 RL Furniss 150.21 2022 AP Good 293.37 Wg Cdr DP Calvert 150.28 2023 CJ Watson 297.34 CP Weeden 150.22 2024 DC Luckman 298.42 DC Luckman 150.25 2025 BK Green 299.41 GCD Barnett 150.25 2026 PM Patel 291.33 D Calvert 150.22

See also Imperial Meeting - The NRA Meeting in which the Sovereign's Prize is contested. Bisley – The Queen's Prize – a BBC film following the 1986 Imperial Meeting and Queen's Prize, presented by Brian Glover.

Notes

References

External links

NRA Target Rifle Imperial Meeting