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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc 30th April / 7th May 2016 L Williams Cup 600yards. I Hughes / J Porter Trophies 700 yards

            The past two weeks have seen the final 600 yard and 700 yard ranges of the 2016 Championship season completed with just one 900 yard range (21st May) left to decide the Champions for this year. Competition has been tight but qualifying has become a difficult proposition for many with intra and interstate competitions including State Championships packed into the Club Championship season.

           Gordon Shepherd who last won the Club’s premier trophy in the 1990-91 season is in the box seat with Bright needing to beat him by 5 points or 4 points and a lot of centre bull’s eyes at the final range. Shepherd gave Steve Williams a run for his money last year and 2016 could see him win his third Championship over a 35 year period, his first being in the 1982-3 season; a perennial giant at the Club. At this stage there are no F class shooters qualified for the Champions Cup.

           Weather over the past 2 weeks has been fairly benign with light breezes and moderate mirages. At 600 yards the threat of rain did not eventuate but the day remained overcast whereas last Saturday was quite hazy for the entire day, the 700 yard targets, at times being quite difficult to see clearly.

           Grahame Willis and Jeff Eppleston had a very close tussle for F class honours at the 600 mound with scores being identical at the end of the day, Eppleston won on count back. Shepherd showed good consistency and beat Bright by 2 centre bulls for the A grade honours after Bright fought back with a final stage 50.05. Dennis Lavelle continued his dominant season with the B grade Cock of the Walk. Ron Wilson a visitor from Katoomba took the opportunity to shoot on the range before attending the Bathurst Rifle Club Annual Dinner and Trophy Presentation. Wilson showed the local shooters how to do it by shooting the days’ top score.

           Sighting at 700 yards was blurry but scores were mostly of a good standard although no possibles were shot, Nick Cock coming closest with a pair of 49.05’s and John Coghill coming out of the woodwork to notch a 49.01. Cock who has just returned from Adelaide where he finished 4th in the Queens at the South Australian State Championships took out the 700 yard COW, Gibson won B grade and Eppleston took out the F class award.

           Shepherd won the L Williams Cup from Eppleston and Coghill took out the I. Hughes Trophy. Eppleston won the J Porter Trophy. Next week is the Secretary’s trophy at 800 yards, the first of two ranges, the other being the last 900 yard Championship range on 21st May.

Scores: 600 yards: 

G P Willis FSA 115.6 (5 ¾) 100

G Shepherd TRA 96.09 (4) 100

D Lavelle TRB 95.07 (5) 100

J Eppleston FSA 115.6 (4 ¾) 99 ¾

G Bright TRA 96.07 (2 ¼) 98 ¼

J Coghill TRB 85.04 (12) 97

B Wright FSB 107.3 (8 ½) 96 ¼

R Wilson (Katoomba RC) TRA 97.09

700yards: 

J Coghill TRB 93.03 (12) 100

R Gibson TRB 93.05 (8 ¾) 100

J Eppleston FSA 115.7 (5 ¾) 100

N Cock TRA 98.10 (1 ¼) 99 ¼

G Bright TRA 95.07 (4) 99

G S Willis FSA 113.5 (5 ¾) 99

B Wright FSB 105.5 (12) 97 ½

D Lavelle TRB 91.04 (6) 97

G Shepherd TRA 93.05 (3 ¾) 96 ¾

S Williams TRA 89.03 (3) 92

Z Andre FSB 102.1