Canterbury shooting title to Taylor

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32801, 29 December 1971, Page 3

Canterbury shooting title to Taylor

The overnight leader, R. E. Taylor (Christchurch), recorded an excellent score of 197.15 from a possible 200 to become the 1971 Canterbury rifle shooting champion. Taylor has gone close on many occasions, but it is the first time he has won the title.

When the final day’s shooting began at the West Melton range yesterday, Taylor shared the lead with three other shooters, but held a narrow advantage on the number of inner bulls scored.

However, he showed that he had no intention of relinquishing this hold and scored 50.5 at the first of the four match shoots. Three further high scores over the longer ranges proved more than his opponents could manage, and Taylor carried on in his unruffled manner to finish two points ahead of the young Malvern rifleman, G. H. R. Smith. “I shot fairly consistently, but made some silly mistakes that could have been costly,” Taylor said afterwards. Asked if he felt nervous at any "stage, the veteran replied: “1 got over that stage a long time ago.” STEADY SHOOTING Smith, as he did on Monday, shot very steadily, but this was not enough to make up the leeway on Taylor. This was his best performance in the Canterbury Agrade championship although he is the present South Island champion. The New South Wales marksman, N. Gannon, by winning the first two shoots in the morning, collected bis fair share of the prize money. E. Stacey (Blenheim), who led the B-grade field overnight, retained his lead to win the cup from A. Nichol! (Sydenham). The Malvern club dominated the teams events. Three of its four-man team finished

second, third and fourth on the A grade aggregate table.

Results:— MATCH t, 300 YARDS A grade.—N. Gannon (New South Wales), 50.6; A. A. Marshall (Malvern), 50.6; J. Cameron (Ashburton), 50.6; L. Smith (Malvern), 50.5; R. E. Taylor (Christchurch), 50.5. B grade.—V. G. Percy (Kiwi), 50.3; R. Weir (Banks Peninsula). 50J; F. -B. Reeves (East Christchurch), 4».5; F. Nlcholl (East Christchurch), 48.4; G. E. Lusk (Ashburton), 40.3. C grade.—B. A. Gilmour (SydR. P. King (Christchurch), 47.3. MATCH 1, SOO YARDS A grade.—Gannon, 50.6; J. Scott (Tlmaru). 50.4; C. Thom (Sydenham), 50.4; Cameron 50.4; Taylor 50.4; K. Smith (Tlmaru), 5.0.3. B grade.—P. Jacques (Blenheim), 50.5; J. S. Payne (Ashburton), 49.5; E. C. Judson (East Christchurch), 49.4; A. Nlcholl (Sydenham), 49.3; B. Hunt (Ashburton), 49.3; E. Duncan (Ashburton), 49.3. C grade.—P. J. Smith (Tlmaru), 50.4; J. Miller 49.7; King 49,3; Gilmour 47.4. MATCH », 400 YARDS A grade.—G. R..H. Smith (Malvern). 59.5; Scott 50.2; L. Smith (Malvern), 49.7; J. Dodson (Blenheim), 49.4; K. Smith 49.4. B grade.—Percy 48.5; Hunt 48.2; A. R. Tantrum (Nelson), 48.2; A. Nicholl 47.6. C grade.—D. McLenagheh (Ashburton), 48.5; King 46.3, Smith 44.2; J. Miller 44.1. , MATCH 10, 400 YARDS A grade.—Taylor 49.2; P. Le Cren (Sydenham), 43.4; B. A. C. Hoban (Walau), 48.2; W. Ooakley (Malvern), 48.2; J. R. Sutherland (Masterton-Opaki), 48.2; Bennett 48.2. G grade.—J. K. McArthur (Clyde). 49.4; E. V. Neal (Kaituna), 49.2; Reeves 48.3; Judson 48.2. C grade.—E. M. Spun (Christchurch), 47.0; King 44.4; J. Miller 44.1; Gilmour 44.0. SECOND DAY'S AGGREGATES A grade.—Taylor 197.15; G. Smith 195.20; L. Smith 195.19; K. Smith 194.11.

.„?„ gr , ad , e ~Reeve’ 191.12; Hunt 191.9; Judson 190.12; Stacey 190.8. C grade.—King 186.13; J. Miller 185.10; Smith 182.11; Gilmour

OVER-ALL AGGREGATE A grade.—Taylor, 394.37, 1; G. Smith, 392.33, 2; L. Smith, 390.34, 3; Marshall, 390.31. 4; Bennett. 388.28, 5; fc. Smith. 388.22 6 Caneron, 387.34, 7; Oakley. B grade.—Stacey, 384.23, 1; A. Nlcholl, 382.27, 2; Hunt, 382.21, 3; Judson, 381.28, 4; Reeves. 378.21, C grade.—King, 371.22. 1; J. Miller, 370.21, 2; Smith, 369.22, 3; g364,10 ’ *’ MeLenaghen, Women’s championship.—Mrs J. Robertson (Sydenham), 375.23, 1. Veteran’s aggregate: H. Barker (Sydenham). 373.25. TEAMS SHOOT Ashburton Trophy.—Malvern, 774.54, 1; Ashburton. 765.54. 2; Sydenham No. 1, 758.48. President’s Shield.—Malvern, 1558.115, 1.