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[b][size=14]Bathurst RSL / Kenny Spring Solicitors Annual Open Prize Meeting 2011-Bathurst Rifle Club 23rd October 2011[/size][/b]

[b]WA Shooter wins Bathurst RSL/Kenny Spring Solicitors Annual Open Prize Meeting[/b] A number of factors including the postponement of the NSWRA Queens in September, the holding of the World Long Range Rifle Championship in Brisbane in early October and the magnificent weather, combined to entice a field, the size of which has not been seen for years, to contest the 2011 Annual Open Prize Meeting at the Bathurst Rifle Range on Sunday.

Competitors came from local, state and interstate clubs including the eventual winner who detoured on his journey from the “Worlds” to his home in Bunbury, WA. A total of 61 competitors, evenly spread between all grades, produced a close and thrilling finish to the days shoot. The larger than normal attendance caused time constraints, and two 500-yard ranges were shot instead of the traditional 600-yard finish.

The weather was fine, warm, and relatively calm except for a gentle but fluky breeze, which occasionally drifted in from the east but was predominantly from the northwest quarter.

        Peter Watkins from Bunbury WA was one of 4 shooters to “go clear” in the 300 yard first range holding down 4th place with 50.04 from Bernie Doohan of Lithgow who lead with 50.08. Watkins was the only one of that four to again go unblemished in the first of the 500-yard ranges with a 50.03 and another 4th placed finish. John McKay of Cowra took the range with a 50.06

        Leading into the last 500-yard range Watkins blitzed the field with an almost perfect 50.09 winning the range and the A grade Bathurst Aggregate; a fitting and profitable end to his interstate travels.  

        Fernando Gregorio of the Roseville Club in Sydney failed to win a single range but his consistency got him over the line in the B-grade Aggregate by one point from Mel Lucas of Coonabarabran. The range winners were, at 300-yards, Ron Gibson (Bathurst) with 48.04, 500-yards Alexina Bunt (Katoomba) 50.04, the only possible by a competitor outside of A grade on the day, and Mel Lucas (Coonabarabran) with 49.04 at the final 500 yard range 

        Yugin Wu, one of a contingent of 9 Sydney Boys High school students who contested the shoot took out the C grade Aggregate by a comfortable 3 point margin despite only winning one 500 yard range. Consistency was again the answer as tying good scores together proved difficult. Wu’s school compatriot Jeremy Chan won the 300-yard range with 47.03 and Bathurst’s Lawrence Sim took out the final range with 48.02.

        Only 6 possibles were shot in F-class and Brett Bond (Lyndhurst) scored two of them. A brilliant 60.8 first 500-yard score made it very difficult for his competitors but a final 57.5 left the door ajar. Despite picking up 2 points Dave Grayson (Lithgow Small Arms) failed by one point and 4 super V-bulls to unseat Bond.

The range winners were, at 300 yards, Geoff Willis with 60.6, Bond at the first 500 yards and Greg Campbell (West Wallsend) 60.5 at the final range

SCORES: Scores and photos to be posted soon

[b]Bathurst Rifle Club The W&J Brown Shield 13th August 900 yards[/b] With a number of members absent at competition shoots the final range of the W & J Brown Shield was a fairly tame affair. The weather was mild with little breeze but sighting was difficult as the light give the target a washed out appearance.

Graeme Bright won the days Cock of the Walk, shooting a huge 16 of 20 possible centre bullseyes. Brights' scores of 50.08 and 49.08 were a moment’s inattention away from the year’s best score.

Gordon Shepherd was right on Brights’ heels with a first stage 50.07 but he too slipped up with errors near the start and again close to the finish of his shoot. A run of bizarre mishaps aside Shepherd is fast regaining his best form much to the chagrin of John Coghill who was again beaten by a frustratingly small margin. Coghill missed a double possible opportunity with three inner fours, the result of poor positioning on the mound.

Ron Gibson who is returning after elbow surgery had a rough start to the day with a pair of magpie threes but made amends with a 50.02 second stage to take the B grade COW.

Dennis Lavelle did not have a happy day, the washed out appearance of the target, the long distance, and small calibre, all combining to give him his worst performance in twelve weeks.

Grahame Willis waiting for a new barrel for his F-class rifle switched to target rifle and used the Clubs’ .223 rifle. His first effort was excellent having five shots on, including 3 centre bullseyes, without a dropped point, but tiredness and lack of a shooting coat and secure sling cruelled his ambitions.

Ian Whiting at his second attempt at target shooting was a little wayward to start with but as the afternoon progressed his group and score improved markedly and he finished with a credible 6 centre bulls eyes.

Geoff Willis only had the one stage at F-class for a 57.3 but his appearance at the shoot was more about unveiling his modified golf cart/rifle buggy than posting a score.

Shepherd won the W & J Brown Shield ahead of Coghill, and Geoff Willis won the A Pratley Trophy, a yearlong event, Coghill again the runner up.

The B Gurdon Cup and A Pratley Shield competitions commence next week at the duel 300 and 500-yard ranges.

Steve Williams, shooting at the Veterans National Teams Competition in Brisbane, has been a significant contributor to his NSW team winning the Kosi-Ford Trophy for the grand aggregate (five man team) over two days and five ranges from 300 to 1000 yards. The Veterans match precedes the QRA Queens Prize competition commencing 13th August through to the 21st August at which Williams will also be competing.

SCORES: G Shepherd 98.11 (4) 100 R Gibson 95.02 (7 ¼) 100 G Bright 99.16 (1/4) 99 ¼ J Coghill 97.07 (1 ¾) 98 ¾ D Lavelle 46.02 (8 ¾) 97 ¾ G P Willis 77.06 I Whiting 76.06 G S Willis (F) 57.3

[b]Bathurst Rifle Club The W&J Brown Shield 6th August 700 yards[/b] The threatened rain held off but the wind heralding the forecast change was of sufficient intensity and variability that shooters, who for some weeks have had excellent weather, were unable to cope with the change of conditions.

The wind from the northwest quarter gusted and swung in a 90-degree ark with the drop offs quite sudden and unexpected. The 700-yard target, which has been shrunk in line with the new ICFRA dimensions, did nothing to alter the birds or bulls reputation the range has long held.

With the first stage well under way it became apparent that shooting a clear stage would be nearly impossible as shooter after shooter succumbed to wide magpie threes and inner fours which straddled the bulls eye.

The best stages of the day were 48’s and centre bulls eyes were at a premium. Steve Williams and Graeme Bright both managed to avoid magpie shots but were not immune from the effects of the changeable breeze. Williams had stages of 48.03 and 47.03 just eclipsing Bright for the COW, the latter after matching Williams' first stage, having two pair of inners in a second stage 46.03.

Gordon Shepherd, John Coghill, Dennis Lavelle and Lawrence Sim all fell for the magpie trap and inners almost outnumbered bulls eyes on the four scorecards. Shepherd by dint of a 47.05 first stage (the days best centre count) and a wobbly second 46.02, held on to third place from Coghill who came home strongly with a 48.02 second stage after a miserable 44.02 first.

Lavelle improved three points in his second dig for a 90.04 total whilst Sim, after a sound first stage 46.01, inexplicably lost his mojo with a string of inner fours in a 42.0 second.

Liz Willis, using the clubs’ re-barreled .223 Omark rifle, shot off a rest and despite the lighter projectile, held a great line and avoided the magpies, which dogged her first stage. The 46.01 second stage was her best score at target rifle and up with the better stages on the day. Her total was a respectable 87.03.

F-class shooters were afforded no advantages, despite the use of the rest and telescope. Jeff Eppleston whose form has suffered over recent weeks as he waits on a new barrel, shot a pair of 54’s, avoiding super V’s like the plague but still managed to hold off Jan Sibera whose real life battles are putting enormous pressure on his ability stay competitive.

Two newcomers to target rifle, Ian Whiting and Vaughan Hoad, shot off a front rest and showed real ability with stages of 39.02 and 44.0 respectively

The club can now offer the choice of a .308 rifle or the smaller calibre .223 for newcomers wishing to experience the thrill of fullbore target rifle shooting.

The W & J Brown Shield concludes next week at 900 yards.

SCORES: G Shepherd 93.07 (8 ¼) 100 J Eppleston (F) 108.3 (12 ½) 100 J Coghill 92.04 (7 ½) 99 ½ S Williams 95.06 (1 ¾) 96 ¾ D Lavelle 90.04 (6 ¼) 96 ¼ G Bright 94.04 (1 ¼) 95 ¼ L Sim 88.01 (5 ¼) 93 ¼ J Sibera (F) 94.0 (17 ¼) 92 ¾ E Willis 87.03 V Hoad 44.0 I Whiting 39.02

[b]Bathurst Rifle Club The J Sibera Trophy 30th July 600 yards[/b] Fine warm and sunny weather was tempered somewhat by a tricky little rear fishtail breeze which made a pest of itself at inopportune times throughout the day. Steve Williams was the only shooter able to negotiate a clear round.

Williams was by far the standout shooter scoring a double possible with almost 50 percent of his shots centre bullseyes, the win assuring him of the Cock of the Walk title for 2011.

Gordon Shepherd shot the only other possible, a 50.04 second stage but not before some almost comical happenings. Shepherds first stage was meandering along until he lined up and shot the wrong target just as it was being pulled. The shot went through the top batten gifting him zero points for a lowly 41.01. He almost repeated the same error in his second stage but fortunately the marker pulled the target before he could get the shot away.

Lawrence Sim had a good first stage 49.0 but started fiddling with front sight rings before his second stage. He was lucky to find the target with his two sighters and dropped five points in his first three counting shots before fighting back with a string of bullseyes and super v’s for 44.03 and the B-grade CoW.

John Coghill continued his reinvention with stages of 47.01 and 48.03 for second overall, whilst Dennis Lavelle finished off a second stage 48 with six centres and third place. Lavelles perseverance with his .223 calibre rifle is starting to pay off.

Graeme Bright was not at his best with stages of 46.03 and 48.03 and never looked likely to challenge. Little time remains for him to fine-tune his rifle and ammunition before the NSWRA Queens prize meeting in September.

The F-class shooters were not on song with Geoff Willis the only one to show any consistency, with stages of 56.2 and 55.3, sufficient to win the CoW.

Jeff Eppleston who is preparing for a bench rest shoot in two weeks brought the wrong rifle and ammunition and paid the penalty. An uncompetitive first stage 47.1 was followed by a much better 57.4 due in most part by a change in ammunition.

Aaron Smith had a 55.2 second stage, his best stage since taking up the F-class discipline and only his sixth shoot with the new rifle and telescope. Jan Sibera didn’t have the best of days shooting a number of inner fours in his 93.0 score. Newcomer Dominic Keniry shot the clubs’ target rifle off a rest without a telescope for stages of 41.0 and 42.0.

Coghill won the J Sibera trophy by ½ point from Sim. Next weeks shoot is the B Gurdon Cup and A Pratley Shield starting at 700 yards.

SCORES: S Williams 100.09 (0) 100 L Sim 93.03 (11) 100 G S Willis (F) 111.5 (12) 100 D Lavelle 94.09 (6 ¼) 100 J Coghill 95.04 (4 ½) 99 ½ A Smith (F) 104.3 (14 ¾) 99 G Shepherd 94.05 (4) 99 G Bright 94.06 (1 ¾) 95 ¾ J Sibera (F) 93.0 (20) 94 ¼ J Eppleston (F) 104.5 3 ½) 89 ½ D Keniry 83.0

[b]Bathurst Rifle Club The J Sibera Trophy 23rd July 500 yards[/b] The improvement in the weather over the past few Saturdays has been a boost for shooters and the major recipients have been the second string competitors who lack the skills of the top liners in reading the wind and mirage changes. Leader among them is Lawrence Sim whose progress in just five months of full bore target shooting has been phenomenal. Sim commenced his shooting career by using the clubs’ rifle prior to acquiring his own equipment.

Saturday saw him post his best days shoot with a pair of 49.04’s, easily winning the B grade Cock of the Walk and eclipsing all bar former Club Champion Graeme Bright, who attained a double possible 100.11. Bright has been fiddling with ammunition loads and rifle set up with varying degrees of success in an effort to fine tune his performance. The double was achieved despite the added pressure of coaching less experienced shooters.

Steve Williams was not at his absolute best and despite a 50.04 first stage possible picked up two inner fours in succession in a 48.03 second stage. Gordon Shepherd was another to slip below his best but still managed a bag of 11 centre bulls eyes in his 97. Dennis Lavelle and John Coghill have both been enjoying the quieter weather and shot better than their handicaps indicated, recording 97.08 and 97.04 respectively.

The F-class contingent was not on their best form either and despite a handicap advantage could not compete with the target rifle group. Club Champion Jeff Eppleston had the best results but his pair of 57.3’s was a little disappointing, his six dropped points coming at regular intervals throughout both stages.

Geoff Willis likewise interspersed his centres and super V’s with just too many bullseyes, the 111.4 not his best days work. Aaron Smith has been working on tuning his ammunition to his new rifle and achieved his best result to date, a 54.0 first stage, but subtle changes to the breeze caught him out in a second stage 48.0. Jan Sibera suffered ammunition problems when he chose not to full length size his cases. The result was sticking cases and trouble ejecting the spent cartridges.

Liz Willis used the club 7.62 Omark on a front rest but without the aid of a telescope and did exceptionally well. After using a scoped rifle the change of equipment was very challenging, her 40.1 a good result. Newcomer Dominick Keniry also used a target rifle and a rest for scores of 43.0 and 44.2, an excellent result. The peep sights used in target rifle offer little help in F-class.

Coghill leads the J Sibera trophy by ½ point from Bright with Sim 1 ¼ points further back, the trophy concluding on the 30th July at 600 yards.

SCORES: G Bright 100.11 (1/2) 100 J Coghill 97.04 (4 ¼) 100 L Sim 98.08 (2 ¾) 100 D Lavelle 97.08 (3 ¾) 100 G Shepherd 97.11 (1 ¼) 98 ¼ S Williams 98.07 (1/4) 98 ¼ J Eppleston (F) 114.6 (2 ¼) 97 G S Willis (F) 111.4 (4 ½) 96 ¼ J Sibera (F) 95.0 (17 ¼) 93 ½ A Smith (F) 102.0 D Keniry (F) 87.2 E Willis (F) 40.1