News

Bathurst Rifle Club Inc. 8th April 2017, Captains Trophy, 900yards

            Saturdays’ shoot was conducted in what appeared to be benign weather but which turned out to be lethal. The breeze, or what there was of it, did not appear to favour any direction, rather it swirled around and changed direction throughout the day, at first from the south west, then from the north east, and all directions in between.

            The real killer was the mirage which hardly let up all day and was much more contrary than any puff of breeze. With the flags displaying little to help shooters the ability to read the mirage was critical. Only Steve Williams showed any understanding of the conditions although Graeme Bright and Grahame Willis had their moments. 

            Williams held a tight group after a slow start, finishing his first stage 48.5 with a string of five centre bull’s eyes. His second stage was a scramble to master the mirage and he almost beat it, albeit with few centres, shooting a 49.01. Gordon Shepherd slipped up with three inner fours but still managed a 47.04 whilst Bright wobbled to a 45.02 with an outer two poking onto his scorecard.

            Whilst Bright regrouped with a 49.05 second stage Shepherd succumbed to the mirage with an outer two and three inner fours. Dennis Lavelle avoided the outers but couldn’t resist the lure of the magpies but John Coghill went one better adding an outer two to a number of magpie threes in another inept display. 

            Willis and Ben Wright were left to themselves as State and National team practice depleted their competition. Willis shot a good 58.6 first stage but crashed in the second stage dropping seven points in his last 4 shots. Ben Wright’s first stage was a little wayward but he tightened up in the second dig to make his score more credible. 

            Jim Jeffries from Lyndhurst dropped in to resettle his new front ladder sight and after a string of centre bull’s eyes called it a success. 

            Lavelle won the Captains Trophy by a point from Shepherd 198 ½ to 197 ½. 

            The range is shut for Easter and shooting will resume on the 22nd April with the L Williams Cup over 300 yards.                

Scores: 

S Williams TRA 97.06 (3 ¼) 100

D Lavelle TRB 88.07 (12) 100

B Wright FSB 106.3 (12) 98 ¼

G Bright TRA 94.07 (4) 98

G Shepherd TRA 91.06 (6 ½) 97 ½

G P Willis FSA 111.7 (6) 97 ½

J Coghill TRB 84.01 (12) 96

By John Coghill