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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc 6th June 2015 F A Wilde Trophy, 500yards

            Geoff Willis and Nick Cock took advantage of a perfect winters’ day to post big double possibles and completely dominate all other competitors. Cock who is preparing for a stint with the Australian Palma Rifle Team at Camp Perry in the USA later this year and Willis who has been chosen to represent NSW in the National F-class teams Championship in Brisbane later this year both showed why they have achieved such honours. 

           With the weather producing the same mild shooting conditions which are usually experienced during late autumn, scores were always going to be at the high end of the scale. Cock peeled off centre bull’s eyes with nonchalant regularity and collected six super bulls in his 13 centre bull’s eye romp, taking out the Cock of the Walk quite comfortably. 

           In F-class, Willis not to be outdone, audaciously cut a centre bull six sighter, in an attempt to shoot the perfect possible. After seeing Jeff Eppleston shoot a 59.9 (not watching the mirage closely enough) Willis knew that he needed to go for the lot, which he achieved but with only 5 super centres. Willis however completed the rout with a second possible, this time a 60.7 to win his COW.

           What little mirage there was played with the fortunes of most of the remaining competitors taking the top off almost all remaining stages. Two of those to grab their chances were Dennis Lavelle who surpassed all, bar Cock, to shoot the second best stage of the day, a 50.06, belying his status of B grade. Graeme Bright, Gordon Shepherd and John Coghill all succumbed to the subtleties of the mirage as did Eppleston in his second stage 58.4.

           Ben Wright just spoiled his great effort with double bull’s eye and bull’s eye finishes in his two stages. Wright was disappointed not to achieve another high score in his short shooting career, merely equaling last weeks’ effort. Visitors Ken Eppleston from West Wallsend and Bill Chandler from Tasmania dropped by to warm up for the National Queens Prize Meeting at Belmont in Queensland later this month.

           The F A Wilde Trophy will conclude next week at the 600 yards mound. 

Scores:

N Cock TRA 100.13 (1/4) 100

G S Willis FSA 120.12 (1/4) 100

D Lavelle TRB 98.09 (4) 100

J Coghill TRB 94.04 (6 ¾) 100

B Wright FSB 113.4 (6) 99 ¼

J Eppleston FSA 117.13 (1) 98 ½

G Shepherd TRA 97.08 (1 ¼) 98 ¼

G Bright TRA 97.12 (1) 98

K Eppleston ( W Wallsend) FSA 118.5

W Chandler (Tasmania) 114.8

by John Coghill