A Gun to inspire

Richard Faulks speaks to Jean-Paul Gaudin, who has overcome adversity to become a trailblazer for wheelchair shooters

- Richard Faulks

Jean-Paul Gaudin, or JP, is a force of nature. He has a lust for life and a passion for game shooting. He follows his passions. A motorcycle accident in 1988, when he was in his twenties, resulted in devastating spinal injuries – he was dragged behind a horse box for nine miles along a main road – but it was never going to define him. If you learn that following this he was ‘jump-started’ by medics three times, you get a glimpse of the man’s fortitude. His rehabilitation took almost three years.

Fast forward a few years and JP’s wife, Katy, declared that she was keen to have a go at clay-pigeon shooting. JP had been a keen rough shooter during his teens in his native France and Katy’s suggestion was the catalyst for him to pick up a gun again. They now enjoy driven game and clay shooting.

Test day

A few seasons ago they booked a day at Mountgarret in North Yorkshire, to see whether a shoot day would be manageable in a wheelchair. It was, and there has been no looking back for JP since then. Mountgarret proved that with a little planning, forethought and a few minor adjustments, shoot days for people with impaired mobility are possible. The most obvious necessity is for help getting to and from the peg, and having a dedicated person to help and drive a Gator. Due to topography, some shoots will never be able to accommodate wheelchair users but many can. The only modification to JP’s wheelchair is the addition of a set of pneumatic, treaded tyres that are a little wider than the standard, solid, narrow tyres, and useful for negotiating muddy ground.