N.Z. TRAPSHOOTING TITLES TO BE HELD AT YALDHURST

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30998, 2 March 1966, Page 15

N.Z. TRAPSHOOTING TITLES TO BE HELD AT YALDHURST

CHRISTCHURCH will be the focal point for all trapshooters throughout the Dominion later this month, when the Christchurch Gun Club conducts the 1966 New Zealand Championships on its grounds at Yaldhurst. Although interest in clay target shooting at club level has waxed and waned from year to year, the popularity of national tournaments has grown at a phenomenal rate over the past decade. In 1956 the championships were shared by several clubs in

Canterbury, with events being shot on different grounds. This year’s tournament, for the first time, extends over seven days, from March 27 to April 2, with a total of 18 separate events on the programme. These include five New Zealand championships, an international teams match and five and two-man team matches held in conjunction with some events. The tournament commences with a varied programme of events acting as

eye openers ror me single rise, double rise, single barrel, sparrow clay and skeet championships, decided during the week. Up to 300 entries are expected for the premier event, the single rise championship, and to cope with increased entries with equal conditions in the skeet championship, shooters will complete one each of their two rounds on succeeding days. The top trophy is a skeet shotgun valued at approximately £290, donated by a leading arms manufacturer for presentation to the shooter who scores the highest aggregate over the five championship events. All present title holders, R. Gray (single rise), BClinch (skeet), C. F. Gunn (double rise), A W. H. Walker (sparrow) and the Australian shooter, M. Fuller (single barrel), together with a considerable contingent from Australia, are expected to compete. J. McKenzie, from Southland, four times winner of the skeet title and “high gun” over all championships in 1962 and 1965, will again be a starter, no doubt with his sights set on adding the comparatively recently introduced sparrow and single barrel championships to his already amazing list of successes. A local shooter has not won a championship event since T. A Everest took the double rise in 1960, although J. Sluis was runner-up in the single rise in 1964. The present form of both Everest and Sluis could give either of them any of the titles this year, while W. T. Morton, a young shooter who was the highest New Zealand scorer in last year’s international teams match, could make this his tournament-

Canterbury’s previous champions and prominent shooters who will again be taking part include L. W. Kerr, A. W. H. and H. C. Walker, J. C. Streeter, B. G. Begg, S. R. Marston, G. V. R. Read, S- W. Geddes, C. W. Stott, R. E. McHwrick, J. Berry, L. J. Eden and W. G. Brunton. It is unusual for one club to organise and administer a national sporting tournament of this magnitude, and the committee of the Christchurch Gun Club which has already been hard at work bringing facilities and equipment up to first class standard, is to be congratulated.