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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc 30th July 2016 W & J Brown Shield, 700yards

            One would be forgiven for believing there were two separate events being held on the Bathurst Rifle Range on Saturday afternoon, each with entirely different weather conditions. Such was the disparity between Nick Cock and the rest of the competitors even some unseen lull in conditions could not explain the dominance Cock held over the rest of the field.

           With little breeze, a slight mirage and bright sunny skies conditions were ripe for the picking. But it was the conditions that did the picking as competitor after competitor threw inner fours, magpies threes and outer twos at the target. To compound matters there was even a hit on the wrong target.

           Cock was relentless as he raked the target with bull’s eye after bull’s eye with the occasional centre thrown in. His second stage was even more dominant with a tightening of his group as he completed a great double possible 100.08. The only other shooter to approach his skill level was Grahame Willis who slotted a 59.4 second stage in the F class discipline after a moderate 54.3 first stage.

           For the bulk of shooters there was great bewilderment in the wayward shots which seemed to wander all over the target without any visible help from the conditions. Even a normally accurate Steve Williams was all at sea in a first stage 44.03. Williams demise was followed by the totally dispirited B grade trio of Dennis Lavelle, Ron Gibson and John Coghill who found it impossible to hold in the bull’s eye ring. Graeme Bright and Gordon Shepherd who carry A grade status were little better than the B grade group.

           The second stage was no better, perhaps even worse, than the first with Shepherd falling for the wrong target trick. Darrin Crimston after a forgettable first stage 40.01 snatched an improbable B grade Cock of the Walk with a second stage 44.02, counting out Lavelle who finished with the same score. Colin Howell found this weekend’s weather far better than the rain and wind he experienced a week ago and his scores were a credible 51.1 and 54.2. The new 2016/17 Championship format has had a wobbly start with scores apart from Cock well below the standard required to represent the Club at outside competitions. 

           The W & J Brown Shield continues next week at 800 yards. 

Scores: 

N Cock TRA 100.08 (1/2) 100
G P Willis FSA 113.7 (7 ¾) 100
G Bright TRA 94.05 (3 ½) 97 ½
D Lavelle TRB 84.03 (11 ¼) 95 ¼
S Williams TRA 90.06 (5 ¼) 95 ¼
R Gibson TRB 83.02 (11 ¾) 94 ¾
J Coghill TRB 82.01 (12) 94
G Shepherd TRA 83.04 (8 ¾) 91 ¾
D Crimston TRB 84.03 (6 ½) 90 ½
C Howell FSB 103.3