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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc 5th December 2015 Diggers & G James Cups, 600yards

            Weather conditions on the Bathurst Rifle Range at this time of the year generally combine to thwart shooters ambitions of a good start to the Championship year. Saturday was no exception as a forward fishtail of even greater strength than last weeks’ monster, and a mirage which bore no relation to the direction of the breeze, combined to make this weeks’ shoot a lottery.

           John Coghill had the better of the first stage managing to stay out of the magpie ring for a 46.03. Dennis Lavelle couldn’t avoid a magpie but he did keep his group relatively small in his 46.0, whilst Gordon Shepherd strung together two sets of triple inners in his 44.01. Graeme Bright (41.01) squeezed the trigger too early and missed the target altogether whilst Darren Crimston who hasn’t had much continuity in his shooting of late had a devil of a job to get on the target, eventually scoring 39.0.

           F-class did not fare any better with super centres at a premium and scores at a B grade level. Geoff Willis shooting FTR in preparation for a tilt at selection in the Australian team to Canada next year cursed the wind as he dropped eight points, two more than his brother Grahame who finished with a 54.2. Luke Harris even with a coach was battling and a misunderstanding about the scale on his telescope added to his woes.

           The second stage saw better scores with Bright setting the standard with a 47.04 but the missed shot left him lamenting. Shepherd also improved but an early magpie put him under pressure. Coghill couldn’t find the bull’s eyes at all but remarkably did collect six centre bull’s eyes before a wide magpie put his challenge at risk. Dennis Lavelle was right on target to tip Coghill out of top spot until a late meltdown ruined his chances. Crimston coped much better second time around and shot a 43.01 but Coghill hung on to take the B grade, and surprisingly, the overall Cock of the Walk for the first time in years.

           Geoff Willis shot a much better second stage but Grahame did just enough, and with a superior super V count, took out the F-class COW. Harris was right on target to usurp the Willis brothers, but with his coaches’ help, faltered on his last four shots. 

           Shepherd took out the Diggers Cup and Lavelle the G James Cup. 

           The W Northcott Memorial Trophy and the first 700 yard range of the Club Championship will be held next week. 

Scores: 

J Coghill TRB 91.09 (6 ¼) 97 ¼

D Lavelle TRB 90.02 (6 ¾) 96 ¾

G P Willis FSA 110.7 (3 ¾) 94 ¾

G S Willis FSA 109.3 (4) 94 ¼

G Shepherd TRA 90.03 (2 ¾) 92 ¾

G Bright TRA 88.05 (1 ¼) 89 ¼

D Crimston TRB 82.01

L Harris FSB 101.5