News

Bathurst Rifle Club Inc. 20th May 2017, Secretary's Trophy, 800yards 

            Saturdays unseasonable weather was more than a match for shooters who fell for the fickle breeze, intermittent mirage and masking cloud cover. As in recent weeks the benign looking conditions hid some quirks that were not immediately apparent and scores, particularly in the first stage, were held in check.

            Steve Williams was the exception, with a high centre count possible setting the challenge for the day. Nick cock responded but dropped a point mid-stage whilst Graeme Bright after an early inner four dropped the batten with a double inner finish. Williams lost a point in the second stage to present Cock with a chance but despite shooting a 50.04 possible the task was beyond him due to Williams’ twelve centre bull’s eyes. Bright also shot a 50.05 possible but his first stage 47.04 sealed his fate.

            In B grade Ron Gibson fluffed a possible with magpie / inner four at the end of his stage whilst Dennis Lavelle just couldn’t start, dropping five points in his first four shots. John Coghill’s attempt was woeful and his shooting days appear numbered. The second stage produced another “Jekyll and Hyde” performance from Lavelle who shot a 50.03 possible to go with his terrible 43.0 first stage. When Lavelle puts two good stages together he is very hard to beat, but good/bad or bad/good seems to be a feature of his recent performances. Gibson couldn’t eliminate the magpie from his second stage but did enough to pip Lavelle for the Cock of the Walk. Coghill did a little better with a 44.02 stage. 

            F class saw another triumph for new comer Colin Howell who again usurped the top dog status with a second stage possible 60.5, and added to his first stage 59.3, gave him his highest score since beginning competitive shooting just two weeks after winning his first COW. Jeff Eppleston did his best to catch Howell by shooting a 60.5 possible second stage, but the effort was killed off by Howell’s superior effort. Ben Wright another relative newcomer shot a 59.3 first stage to stay in the hunt but had a meltdown with a poor 52.2 second stage.  

              Next week will be the final range of the Club Championship and the completion of the Secretary’s Trophy at 900 yards.             

Scores: 

C Howell FSB 119.9 (5) 100

N Cock TRA 99.08 (3/4) 99 ¾

G Bright TRA 97.09 (2 ½) 99 ½ 

J Eppleston FSA 118.8 (1 ¼) 99 ½ 

S Williams TRA 99.12 (1/2) 99 ½ 

R Gibson TRB 93.06 95 ¼) 98 ¼ 

B Wright FSB 111.5 (5 ¾) 97 ¼ 

D Lavelle TRB 93.03 (3 ½) 96 ½ 

J Coghill TRB 79.2 (12) 91

by John Coghill