The Diary: Asprey’s inaugural Biathlon
Asprey hosted an elegant all-day event that saw a morning of clay pigeon shooting followed by backgammon games and a celebratory dinner
On Friday 14th June, friends of iconic British luxury brand Asprey gathered for the inaugural Asprey Biathlon, which combined a morning of clay shooting with an evening of backgammon, culminating in a celebratory dinner. The day began at the prestigious Holland & Holland Shooting Grounds, set in 60 acres of beautiful open countryside on the outskirts of London. Guests were divided into teams and briefed, before a cannon was fired to signal the commencement of the event. With instructors on hand, shooters of every ability took to the range to compete in individual and team competitions. Congratulations to the winner David Tollemache!
After a leisurely lunch at Holland & Holland, guests returned to London, where an elegant cocktail party was held at the Asprey store on Bruton Street. Drinks flowed as guests flexed their backgammon skills (on Asprey’s saddle leather boards, no less) and enjoyed a digital art exhibition. Then it was a short walk to Bellamy’s, just behind Asprey on Bruton Place, for a three-course dinner. The iconic restaurant is helmed by restaurateur Gavin Rankin, who has long been a supporter of the Asprey brand. This special relationship was evidenced through the adornment of Bellamy’s dining tables with touches of Asprey’s signature purple, from the lampshades to the flowers. Guests dined on prawn and avocado cocktails and artichoke and haricots verts salad, followed by Dover sole with pommes vapeur and veal piccata with white truffle oil, and a dessert of lemon and raspberry sorbet. The wines on offer included Chablis Domaine de Chantemerle A&F Boudin 2022 and Château Carignan Côtes de Bordeaux 2019. It’s safe to say the day was a huge success and hopefully the first Asprey Biathlon of many more to come. Watch this space!
John Rigas firing the cannon
Eleanor Wellesley, George Blandford, Ali Spencer Churchill, David Tollemache and instructor
Henry d' Abo, Harry Jarman, John Rigas and Gustav Holst
John Rigas
Paola Tosti di Valminuta, Jose Sotto Mayor and Dushan Karageorgevitch
Quinten Dreesman, Badr Jafar and Basil Mavroleon
Quinten Dreesmann
Harry Jarman
Anastassios Leventis
Davina Mallickrodt, Valerie De Muzio and Darcy Rigas
John and Darcy Rigas
David Tollemache, Jemima Cadbury and Lady Harriet Dalmeny
Anastassios Leventis
Jenny Walker
Thomas Alexandrou Gommes
Malin Jeffries and Dushan Karageorgevitch
Henry d' Abo and Basil Mavroleon
No. 3 Gin
No. 3 Gin
Valerie De Muzio, Gurav Burman, Jose Soto Mayor, Micole Sabbadini and Antonio Tosti di Valminuta
Eleanor Wellesley, Ali Spencer Churchill, George Blandford and Max Gelber
Federico Vasserman and Naz Buyuk
Tatjana d' Abo and John Rigas
Jemima Cadbury and Gustav Holst
Discover Asprey and more of our favourite British brands in our pick of the 50 best British brands...
Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?
Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.
