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Wide Bay Championships 2016
The Maryborough Rifle and Pistol Club held the Wide Bay Championships in Gympie on the 11th and 12th of June and a great weekend was had by all who attended. The festivities started off on Friday night with all the early arrivals, approx 30 enjoying a very tasty meal cooked by Laurie Aberdein assisted by Brian Cooper and the ladies in the canteen. After the meal there was many stories to be told and many remedies for rifles that were not shooting quite right. All this happened around a good fire drum to keep the chill out.
Saturday dawned to a brisk temperature and good shooting conditions. After a good breakfast of bacon and eggs cooked by Roy Muller and helped by Laurie Aberdein it was time to get down to business. First up was an 80 shot silhouette match which attracted 33 entries.
In A Grade Heyden Stey was the winner from Shannon Peters and John Patzwald after a hotly contested shoot off as they all ahd a perfect score of 80. B Grade was won by Kristine Crawford with 78 from Adrian Doesel 77 and Jessica Crawford 77. C Grade was won by Roy Bagust 73 from Callum Hickling 70 and Geoff Hammelswang 69. D Grade was won by Reg Morgenson 60 from Jakob Larsen 45.
The next was the 50 metre prone match which got 22 entries. A Grade was taken out by Robert Eckel from Charleville with a score of 581 from John Patzwald from Toowoomba with a score of 572. B Grade was won by Patrick Sullivan from Gympie with a score of 581 from Alan Smith 576 from Paramount and Rachael Ross 573 also from Paramount. C Grade was won by Bob Gunner 554 from N.S.W. from Courtney Martenelli 546 from Toowoomba and Heyden Stey 544 from Gympie club. D Grade was won by Heyden Stey 544 from Gympie club.
The next match was the 50 metre bench rest sporter match. A Grade in this match was won by Neil Digweed 732 Hornets club from Roy Muller 729 from Maryborough club and John Patzwald728 from Toowoomba. This was followed by a heavy varmit match. John Patzwald was successful here with a score of 748 from Murray Cole 741 and Maria Rizzo 740 from Lismore club. The next match was light varmit. This was won by Bill Simmons 743 from his son Jack 742 and John Patzwald 741.
Saturday night saw another sumptuous meal provided by the Gympie club and two roaring fire drums to keep everybody warm. Another very sociable night with a lot of merriment and stories, some a bit taller than others.
Sunday, Bacon and eggs for breakfast and back to business with 50 metre L/V match first up and the weather throwing up very different conditions to Saturday with plenty of wind and quick wind changes. Bill Simmons was the winner with 741 from John Patzwald 737 and Murray Cole 737. Next up was a H/V match. This was closely contested with Neil Digweed 741 coming out the winner from Bill Simmons 739 and John Patzwald 737.
The weekend was finished up with a 50 metre prone match. A Grade was won by Robert Eckel 590 a very credible score under the prevailing conditions from John Patzwald 585. B Grade was won by Andrew Pape 579 from Commercial club from Patrick Sullivan 576 and Robyn Sampson 574. C Grade was taken out by Bob Gunner 566 from Heyden Stey 547 and Courtney Martenelli 534. D Grade was won by Savanna Stey 538 from Gympie.
Wide Bay Prone Grand Champion was Robert Eckel from Charleville. Junior Prone Champion was Patrick Sullivan from Gympie.
The Maryborough club would like to thank Mick Schneider for donating the trophy for the two gun event which was won by John Patzwald. The club would also like to congratulate all the winners and thank all competitors for attending, coming from Mackay, Charleville , Lismore , Toowoomba ,Brisbane ,Newcastle as well as local area shooters. 148 nominations were taken over the weekend from 61 shooters. 74 benchrest , 41 prone , 33 silhouette, THANKYOU ALL!
The Maryborough Club would like to give a big thankyou to the Gympie Club for allowing us to use your range and facilities also all the help from their members and the good food all weekend. Hopefully we will have our range back next year.
Roy Muller President / Club Captain
Maryborough Rifle & Pistol Club
2016 Nationals 50m Prone Team Champions
Presented by: TRA President Rod Sampson.
Team: Bradley Lovett, Dane Sampson, Fred Woodhouse and Richard Toye (not present).
Comradery and the ANZAC Spirit
Author: Rachael Ross
Growing up, we’ve all watched movies that told the story of the ANZACs. On the 25th of April each year, we stand in complete silence. You can hear a pin drop. The bugle plays, flags are lowered. We pay tribute to those who gave their lives in the ultimate sacrifice. We hear of the comradery between Australia and New Zealand, strengthened by the atrocities the ANZACs endured together during the Great War.
I didn’t realise that this comradery extended beyond the history books and into our everyday lives. Earlier this month, Alyce Devlin, Tamsyn Henry and myself attended the New Zealand Nationals. From the moment we touched down in Wellington, we were welcomed with open arms. The customs officers joked with us about our ‘funny looking’ rifles, and told us to ‘shoot well, but not too well.’
As we arrived at Palmerston North, (where the NZ Nationals were being held) the view was almost postcard-perfect, with sheep frolicking in the distance as the trees waved in the breeze. We could not have asked for a better environment to compete in. It was a beautiful 24 degrees, and coming from the 40 degree Queensland summer, we were bundled up in our winter jumpers and scarves. Meanwhile, our Kiwi counterparts were in singlets and thongs, complaining about the heat.
To top it all off, the kiwi competitors treated us like we were their own. Coming from electronic targets to paper targets, meant we were not the best at setting up scopes. With no hesitation, they were on the scene and showing us the quickest way to move between positions.
Shot over 3 days, the competition was close. With scores going back and forth across the three events. The conditions for the 3P match were quite favourable; a nice constant breeze with only a few tricky changes. The air rifle range was homely and familiar, the paper targets barely changing the overall shooting experience.
Between these competitions, we dined together and shared stories, made plans for future visits. The only time things got heated, was when the origins of Pavlova was mentioned at the dinner table. I’m sure this discussion will be continued when we meet again.
The important part of these Nationals were not the results or which one of us won, it’s the rediscovered friendship between competitive shooters of our two countries that for many years seemed to be forgotten.
From South Africa to South Kolan
Author: Frans Snyman
Back in 1989 I joined my school’s target shooting team in South Africa. We practiced after school and had the occasional inter-school competition. Those were some of my fondest memories from high school – not so much the shooting itself: Spending time with friends, looking at each other’s targets and occasionally aiming at the washing pegs holding up your friend’s target.
Twenty years on I now live in Brisbane and a few years ago I joined Commercial Small Bore Rifle club and Queensland Target Sports. The shooting aspect is nice – it brings a level distraction from everyday work. Target shooting is a mentally demanding activity. Unlike the mainstream perception of associating shooting with aggression, to be good you need to be focused, calm and in control – it’s not supposed to be easy.
The best part of joining QTS though is meeting a community of like-minded people and making new friends. The Australian small bore target shooting community is smaller than I expected. It’s great to share ideas and to compete among some of the world’s best shooters.
The Belmont range is equipped with electronic targets. The new technology is great, however returning to paper targets during last week’s competition in South Kolan was wonderful. Apart from bringing back old memories, it had a fresh feel to it. The rural vibe and community at the range is nice. I was great to take a break after 20 shots, to chat with fellow competitors while walking to the targets and to see actual holes in paper again. It was easy to forget we were taking part in a competition. My average score perhaps explains that. But that doesn’t matter.
Our family made a weekend trip out of it and spent some time at Elliott Heads. We loved it. I will definitely return.
Record Turnout at Childers Cup
The cool fine weather and good shooting conditions set the tone for the Childers Cup held on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June at the Isis District Rifle Range with a record attendance of 47 shooters and 146 nominations.
This was the 7th Childers Cup shoot and the first time air pistol and air rifle were included in the program. Our new air shed was opened on the 31st of October last year and club members have been using it ever since. The club recently acquired some air rifles and air pistols and this has created a lot of interest from club members and new shooters to come and try.
This year’s competition attracted shooters from local clubs Childers, Maryborough, South Kolan, Mundubbera, Bundaberg and Gympie as well as Brisbane, Toowoomba and Lismore.
There were some PB’s recorded including a first ever silhouette 40 shot by young Riley Hammelswang from South Kolan. John Wooldridge was also on his game winning the overall benchrest and taking home papers to acquire a brand new air rifle – first prize for the air rifle novice match sponsored by Qld Gun Exchange and Pro-Tactical.
The camp fire was well attended as usual thanks to Kym for the huge supply of wood. On Saturday night Matt Murillo from Gympie entertained us with his antique record player and some old Slim Dusty and Chad Morgan records.
Many Thanks to the club members who did the work preparing the range and running the shoot. Thank you Roy, Marg, Alan, Robyn and Rod for help in the scoring room, and the ladies who kept everyone well fed and put on a selection of sumptuous hot-pots for Saturday night’s dinner.
A special thanks to all our sponsors including the great support we get from Inox Lubricants and the Childers ANZ Bank for the major cup trophies.
Childers Cup Target Rifle Champion – John Patzwald (Toowoomba)
Childers Cup Silhouette Rifle Champion – John Patzwald (Toowoomba)
Childers Cup Benchrest Champion – John Wooldridge (Mundubbera)
Childers Cup Junior Champion – Jimmy Wardell (Gympie)
To see all the scores for the weekend go to the QTS website.
Author: Lesley Perk
State Champions
Barry and Dane clean up at the State Championships. Barry takes out the Bench Rest Events while Dane takes out the Air Rifle, 3P and Prone events
