News

            A disappointing clash of dates consigned the 2016 Bathurst Annual Open Prize meeting to secondary status and numbers suffered. With the Gosford Rifle Club given the same date only a few trepid shooters ventured over the Mountains, but fortunately Western area clubs turned out in support.

            The weather turned on a bright sunny day but refused to relent on the comfort level as the temperature hovered in the low single figures all day. Shooters were greeted by a cold south-south west breeze which turned into a forward fishtail of interesting proportions. Inner fours on the right turned into magpie threes on the left with regular monotony.

            That was not the end of the weather story as the fishtail breeze which tormented most of the competitors gave way to a strong front which came in from the south west and eventually settled as a strong gusting westerly.

            In the target rifle divisions there were only three 50's scored, all those shot in the early part of the day, two by Les Fraser from Lyndhurst RC who boasted some experience on the range, and one by Brett McCauley from Fashions Mount RC. There was not a single 60 from the F class disciplines, in fact, mid 50's were quite competitive.

            The 500 yard range was the most productive with the early fishtail breeze just getting interesting. Fraser with a 50.06 beat McCauley by a single centre bull's eye in TRA, Raymond Wilson Katoomba RC, took out the B grade with 47.03 and Lindsay Hough, Fashions Mount RC, won C grade with an impressive 47.0.

            F Std A was won by another familiar face on the Bathurst Range, Brett Bond from Lithgow RC with a 58.1, Garry Livingston from Eugowra RC won F Std B with 56.5 and Peter Duncan West Wallsend RC, a previous winner here took out the F Open with 58.5.

            The first 600 yard range started the game of snakes and ladders as winners in the first stage became losers in the second, all bar Fraser who again proved his mastery over the conditions with another 50, this time with 6 centre bull's eyes. Darren Crimston Bathurst RC rose to the top in TRB with his second 46.03 and Alexander Hoffman Concord RC took over the TRC mantle with a 48.03.

            Things became quite interesting in the F class section as some competitors rose from the depths and others sank into them. Geoff Willis Bathurst RC jumped to a good lead in the progressive aggregate with a 58.2 in FSA whilst Allister Kable, Eugowra RC grabbed a small lead in FSB with a 54.1 and Duncan kept his nose in front of the F open group with a 56.5.

            The breeze became a wind and the wind became very strong, coming in from the south west then turning right angles to the range as a full on gusting westerly. All scores dropped, some to alarming levels. Fraser dropped two points and McCauley seemed to have the grand aggregate in his hand, alas despite winning the last range, a last shot inner left him two centre bull's eyes short of Fraser's total aggregate score. Crimston scrambled a win on the last range and consequently the grand aggregate with all TRB competitors copping a lathering. The TRC group did somewhat better with Hoffman consolidating his position by winning the range and the Grand aggregate.

            Greg Emms Lyndhurst RC capped a consistent day by taking out the 2nd 600 yard range with 56.3 and snatching the FSA grand aggregate ahead of Bond. Ben Wright Bathurst RC whilst not winning a range was consistent enough to grab the FSB grand aggregate from dual range winner Livingston. In F Open Keith Hills, Lyndhurst RC with a superb 2nd 600 yard range score of 58.2 in difficult conditions took out the Grand aggregate by one point from dual range winner Duncan who shot a remarkable 14 super bulls eyes over the day.

            The days' success was helped immensely by the competence of the markers, a group of senior students from Denison College under the direction of Grahame Willis and Nicholas Cock. 

A Grade            Les Fraser  Lyndhurst RC 148.17

B Grade            Darren Crimston Bathurst RC 132.08

C Grade            Alexander Hoffman Concord RC 136.7

A Grade            Greg Emms Lyndhurst RC 167.8

B Grade            Ben Wright Bathurst RC 162.3

Keith Hills Lyndhurst RC 171.6