Golf has its Masters green jacket. Tennis has Wimbledon. But in the world of precision rifle marksmanship, nothing comes close to the prestige of the King’s Prize at Bisley—and this year, it has a new champion: Brandon Green, the first American ever to win the event in its 156-year history.
Green’s performance was nothing short of legendary. Competing in July at the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom’s Imperial Meeting—an elite gathering of the world’s top rifle shooters at England’s historic Bisley Camp—Green worked his way from 30th place in the King’s Second Stage all the way to the winner’s circle in the Final. His aggregate score of 299 with 41 V-bulls (the International Fullbore equivalent of Xs) left the field behind and his name etched into competitive shooting history.
The format of the King’s Prize ensures no lead is safe: scores from the Second Stage carry over into the Final, while the First Stage is dropped. A dozen shooters entered the final round with a perfect 150, but high winds and mounting pressure began to thin the field almost immediately. Green methodically climbed the leaderboard—13th by the halfway point at 900 yards, then fourth after a flawless 75-11V string. By 1,000 yards, only one shooter, Britain’s PD Sykes, remained clean. The stage was set for a dramatic finish—and Green didn’t flinch.
The final string of fire saw Green shoot another perfect 75-10V at 1,000 yards—something only two competitors in history had previously achieved in the King’s Final. For context, competitors fire under strict time constraints and brutal scrutiny, with mere millimeters separating a five-point shot from a four.
It all came down to the final shot from Sykes, who had a chance to seal the win with a perfect score. But, after he fired a four just outside the five-ring, it meant the title would belong to Green.
And in Bisley tradition, the moment was celebrated in full glory. Green was “chaired”—literally lifted onto a ceremonial wooden chair and paraded off the Stickledown Range on the shoulders of his U.S. teammates and well-wishers. The centuries-old ritual was followed by a nightlong celebration, with cannon blasts, brass bands, toasts and fanfare lasting until sunrise.
“It’s every international shooter’s dream to be chaired from the range,” said Charles Rowe, a fellow U.S. National Rifle Team competitor at the match. “And for an American to do it—it’s surreal.”
The King’s Prize, originally dubbed the Queen’s Prize when first awarded by Queen Victoria in 1860, is the pinnacle of Fullbore target rifle shooting, a discipline demanding pinpoint accuracy and resilience across multiple days and distances. The competition, run by the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom (NRA UK), moved from Wimbledon Common to Bisley in 1890 and has drawn the best marksmen in the world ever since.
With this win at Bisley, Brandon Green—a decorated U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit veteran and multiple-time national champion—has firmly cemented his legacy on the international stage. In a sport where victory hinges on absolute precision and patience, Green delivered a performance for the ages—one that secures his place in shooting history.
2025 King’s Prize Leaderboard
- Brandon Green (U.S.) 299-41V
- PD Sykes (Bedfordians RC) 299-37V
- PM Patel (Old Epsomian RC) 298-39V
See the full results of the match here.
