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The 2025 competition was a difficult one to judge. Setting aside one excellent photograph after another, each with a story to tell or a moment to share was not easy. We couldn't help but feel that with each reduction of the shortlist we were rejecting someone's heartfelt and personal experience.
Still, shortlisting was the task we had and the following list of highly commended entries represents those photographs we reacted to most instinctively. There is a breadth of subject matter, from wide open landscapes to portraits, still life and action shots.
The Westley Richards team, who between them have accumulated unrivalled experience and expertise in the fields of hunting, gunmaking, world travel, photography, design and cultural exchange, assessed and made their selection in deep appreciation for the composition, atmosphere, impact and subject matter conveyed by each entry.
Highly Commended
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- Dr Edward Keavney
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- Ethan Crawford
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- Eleanor Coggins
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- Marcus Iddon
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- Marie Dahm
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- Michael Agel
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- John Rider
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- Graham Williams
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- Simon Boardman-Weston
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- Brett N. Catlin
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- Michael Dunk
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- John First
Much as we commend the photographs above, we have a limited number of prizes to award and the runners-up, whose entries appear below, each win a copy of the Westley Richards bicentennial book 'In Pursuit of the Best Gun 1812-2012', with a personal message inside written and signed by our managing director Anthony Alborough-Tregear.
Supplies of this book are dwindling, and there will be no re-print, so they will become an increasingly valuable possession to those fortunate sportsmen and gun enthusiasts who have a copy on their shelf.
Beautifully photographed by Terry Allen and written with precision and passion by Jeremy Musson, it chronicles the journey of Westley Richards from its beginnings in Birmingham during the Napoleonic Wars to its current status as one of only a handful of British gunmakers to have traded, uninterrupted, for over two centuries.
Runners-Up
Ben Williams - "‘The Bag Filler’ after a very successful drive on a driven snipe and woodcock day. This drive was the highlight of my season. Devon and Cornwall border."
Richard Horner - "The start of a long but happy drag off the hill. The Stalker (in his 70’s) and Ghillie (in his 60’s) accepted the client’s offer of a hand eventually! Auchlyne, Stirling, 7 October 2024."
Philipp Medrow - "A girl in the Ngorongoro Conservancy, Tanzania, at dusk taking care of her two goats. Our tented camps in the middle of nowhere to be seen in the background."
Joe Spell - "This photograph was taken in the Zambezi River Delta in Mozambique. I was wearing my Westley Richards Courtney boots when I took this photo."
William L. Shaw - "Taken in Limpopo South Africa, June 2025. While on my 1st safari."
Faraz W Rahman - "Red stag being carried home by garron after my first hunt. My brother and I live 8,000 miles apart, and met in Scotland to share this experience. Beautiful scenery, good company, and a clean kill - couldn’t ask for more. Perthshire, Scotland. September 2024."Any of these entries could have won the top prize but that has, in fact, gone to Jake Lewis-Hurn for his remarkable, dramatic and unusual photograph of a baboon skull in the outstretched hands of a member of Tanzania's Hadza tribe. Readers will, we are sure, agree that this is a unique, brave and attention-grabbing entry and an image that will remain long in the memory.
Jake's prize is a new product, which we launched in response to demand for a tote bag made with Westley Richards' unique eye for quality and detail. Very few people are fortunate enough to own one as yet, which are made to order exclusively in our Birmingham factory.
The 2025 Explora Club Photo Competition Winner
Jake Lewis-Hurn - "The Hadza tribe, Tanzania Africa."The composition of the scene, the achievement of creating both atmosphere and detail in difficult photographic conditions and a timeless sense of place and purpose, made Jake's photograph the winner, in our view.
Congratulations Jake, you will soon receive your very own Westley Richards 20L Tote Bag In Khaki Green Twill Canvas.
Any reader who overlooked the 2025 competition can be assured that we will be offering similarly high-value prizes this time next year. We eagerly anticipate even more participation in 2026 and ever-more interesting and varied images from your adventures and sporting experiences.
To take part in future competitions and to reap the rewards of membership, like 10% off your next retail purchase and free worldwide delivery, join the Westley Richards Explora Club for free by clicking here.
The Explora Blog is the world’s premier online journal for field sports enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, conservationists and admirers of bespoke gunmaking, fine leather goods and timeless safari clothes. Each month Westley Richards publishes up to 8 blog posts on a range of topics with an avid readership totalling 500,000+ page views per year.
Blog post topics include: Finished custom rifles and bespoke guns leaving the Westley Richards factory; examples of heritage firearms with unique designs and celebrated owners like James Sutherland and Frederick Courteney Selous; the latest from the company pre-owned guns and rifles collection; interviews with the makers from the gun and leather factory; new season safari wear and country clothing; recent additions to our luxury travel bags and sporting leather goodsrange; time well spent out in the field; latest news in the sporting world; and key international conservation stories.
