News

             Saturday was the day of the underdog with some startling performances from battling B graders who took on and beat the best in the club, national and international representatives included, in both Target Rifle and F-class. The weather produced a typical summers' day with bright sunshine and a gusty south west to west wind, which was never constant. There were rapid and sudden directional changes as well as big variations in wind strength.

 

             Graeme Bright's score of 47.03 was the best of the first stage as all shooters grappled with the uncertainty of the wind gusts. Both Dennis Lavelle and Steve Williams collected magpie three's whilst Gordon Shepherd after a great start was brought undone by badly timed target maintenance. Nick Cock and John Coghill just shot too many inner fours. The F-class contingent couldn't handle the wind any better than the TR group with Geoff Willis 57.2 and Ben Wright 56.2 the best of a sorry lot.

 

             The second stage produced two defining shoots by Lavelle and Wright. Both B graders simply out shot their vastly more experienced and talented rivals. Wright left it to the last to crown his Cock of the Walk performance with a day topping 58.1, as did Lavelle with a 48.2, justifying his return to the target rifle discipline. Lavelle who has been toying with F-class after months of poor scores, found the reason for his decline was a wonky rear peep sight distorting his vision, not declining eyesight as feared, his return to TR now sealed due to a change of peep. 

 

             Andrew Trevillion brought along a rifle made in Finland coupled with Bulgarian army ammunition but the two were totally incompatible, a day's shooting ruined. Steve Pelin who makes very irregular appearances shot one range before he also quit the mound.

 

             The black powder group arrived with competitors, coaches and markers from Sydney and Orange trying out the local conditions. Scores were largely irrelevant as competitors set about zeroing their rifles and trying out varying ammunition batches, all also being unfamiliar with the range. 

 

             The K Harvey Trophy which ran for six weeks and over six ranges was won by Nick Cock from Geoff Willis, regaining some credibility for the A grade shooters.

 

             Next week the Club Championship and the Gilmour Cup continue at 500 yards.

 

 

D Lavelle TRB 94.05 (9 ½) 100

B Wright FSB 114.3 (5 ½) 99 ½

J Coghill TRB 87.03 (12) 99

G S Willis FSA 113.4 (3 ¾) 97 ¼

S Williams TRA 93.10 (3 ½) 96 ½

J Eppleston FSA 108.5 (7 ¼) 96

N Cock TRA 92.05 (2 ½) 94 ½

G Bright TRA 91.07 (3 ½)94 ½

G Shepherd 89.06 (8) 94

C Howell FSB 86.2 (12) 81 ¾

S Pelin FSB 48.0-Rtd

A Trevillion FSB Rtd

K Moss 42/100

P Burgess 17-Rtd