News

Bathurst Rifle Club 20th June The F A Wilde Trophy 600 yards

            The final round of the F A Wilde Trophy was completed on Saturday and the winner evoked little surprise as Dennis Lavelle continued his hot streak with the rifle. His unorthodox methods of hand reaming his front sight rings to suit his eyesight seems to work a treat, much to the astonishment of his more experienced shooting companions. 

           A light northeasterly breeze floating over the left shoulder and flicking up the range on occasion kept shooters on their toes, robbing both Graeme Bright and Jan Sibera of maximum points. Bright with 49.05, and Sibera, 49.03 were the early leaders from a group including John Coghill 47.03, Ron Gibson, and Lavelle, neither of the latter pair able to snag a single centre bulls eye in their 47.0’s.

           Tim Robinson continued the amazing start to his full bore experience again prodding the regulars with a competitive 46.01 whilst veteran Keith Redding shot a steady stage of 44.01 holding firm within the inner ring. Jeff Eppleston, after a couple of weeks break, came back onto the mound as though he’d never been away, shooting a tight 57/60.

           The second stage produced the days’ highlights with both Bright and Lavelle shooting high centre count 50.07 possibles. Lavelle had, perhaps, his best ever shoot, with seven consecutive centre bulls eyes, his shots using little more than half the centre ring and hitting the spotter on more than one occasion. Bright took out the days Cock of the Walk, and Lavelle B grade, and the pair fought out the F A Wilde Trophy, Lavelle winning 298 ¼ to Bright’s 297 ½. 

           As for the rest of the pack, Coghill improved somewhat with a 49.04, Sibera dropped off with 47.03 in the late gloom and Gibson was below his recent form with a moderate 47.01. Robinson continued to power on with a 47.03 again knocking a hole in his progressive handicap, which has now dropped to 4 ½ points. Redding couldn’t resist a low magpie but held his own with a repeat 44.01 again shooting better than his handicap.

           Eppleston showed why he will represent the Bathurst Rifle Club at the regional BMDRA Champion of Champions shoot at Lithgow in a weeks time with a withering 59/60 for a days total of 116/120. 2009 Club Champion, Steve Williams will also represent the BRC at Lithgow when he returns from the National Queens in Brisbane this week.

           The next shoot on the program is the C R Kelly Cup. Which starts next week at 700 yards, and continues over 800 and 900 yards in the following weeks.


Scores:
K Redding 88.02 (17 ½) 100
D Lavelle 97.07 (3 ¼) 100
J Sibera 96.06 (4) 100
G Bright 99.12 (1/2) 99 ½
J Eppleston 116 (3) 99 ¼
J Coghill 96.07 (2 ½) 98 ½
R Gibson 94.01 (4) 98
T Robinson 93.04 (4 ½) 97 ½

by John Coghill