Six shooters in contention

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33110, 28 December 1972, Page 3

Six shooters in contention

Contestants in the Canterbury rifleshooting championship found the blustery southerly wind difficult to cope with at the West Melton range yesterday. Scores were inconsistent.

However, at the end of the four match shoots, the title was still very open, six marksmen being grouped within two points.

Only one shoot—over the shortest range of 300 yards —remains this .morning, and the winner will almost certainly come from this group. Last year’s champion and one of Canterbury’s most experienced shooters, R. E. Taylor, and a visitor from the Masterton-Opaki club, J. R. Sutherland, lead the field with 192 from a possible of 200.

Taylor has registered one more central bull than Sutherland, which could prove vital if the championship is to be decided on a count-back.

The Olympic representative, I. R. Ballinger (Sydenham), is poised to capitalise on any errors made by the top pair on the final range. He is on 191 with J. E. Bishop (Ashburton) and A. A. Marshall (Malvern). Both Ballinger and Bishop had the chance to hold an outright lead, but each returned one disappointing total. Ballinger fired a mag-

nificent possible at 600 yards —the only competitor to achieve this—but dropped six points at his next attempt over that distance.

Like Ballinger, Bishop had three excellent totals, but a 44 at the first 600 yard range prevented him from taking a commanding position. For the veteran Sydenham shooter, C. Thom, seeking his seventh Canterbury belt, the day was one of disaster —at the second match, he struck rifle troubles and returned a 39, probably his worst result for many years. After the Canterbury title is decided, the South Island championship will be held over three ranges. Results:— MATCH 1, 500 YARDS A grade.—J. E. Bishop (Ashburton), 50.6; A. F. Paynter (Blenheim), 50.5; B. A C. Hoban (Waiau), 50.5; H. Barker (Sydenham), 43.7; R. E. Taylor (Christchurch), 49.6. B grade.—H. R. Hammond (Waiau), 50.3; Mrs J. Robertson (Sydenham), 49.5; A. McLachlan (Christchurch), 49.4; T. Duncan (Christchurch), 48.6. C grade.—C. Goldsmith (Balclutha), 49.5; E. Duncan (Ashburton), 48.3; A. Burgess (Christchurch), 48.2. MATCH 2, 600 YARDS A grade.—l. R. Ballinger (Sydenham), 50.3; L. C. Smith (Malvern), 48.2; J. Sutherland (Masterton-Opaki), 48.2; A. Nieholl (Sydenham), 48.1; J. H. Bennett (Timaru). 47.3; Taylor. 47.3; O. J. Smith (Timaru), 47.3. B grade.—D. McLenaghen (Ashburton), 47.2; C. T. Clark (Ashburton), 46.4: G. D. Palmer (Whangarei), 46.1: D. Wilton (Masterton-Opaki), 45.2. C grade.—Duncan. 46.4; N. Bishop (Ashburton). 45.1; Mrs R. Oakley (Malvern), 44.2. MATCH 3, 600 YARDS A grade.—Bishop. 48.5: G B. Hunt (Ashburton). 48.4; J. F. Dodson 'Blenheim). 48.1: G. R. H. Smith (Malvern), 47.3; Sutherland, 47.3. B grade.—-Wilton. 48.2: E. Grafton (Christchurch), 47.3: Mrs Robertson, 46.5; G. Ballinger (Sydenham). 46.4; J. C. Gibbs (Nelson), 46.2. C grade.—M. R. Tapp (Malvern), 45.3: W. H. Davies (Waiau), 45.0; Burgess, 44.3; Duncan, 44.3. MATCH 4, 300 YARDS A grade.—Nicholl, 50.2: J. R. Keoghan (Westport). 49.6; L. Smith, 49.5; K. Smith (Timaru), 49.5. B grade.—Clark. 49.4; Hammond. 49.0; J. K. McArthur (Clyde). 48,4: Mrs Robertson, 48.2; Major H. Aldred (Somerset, England), 48 2. C grade.—Davies, 48.2: K. D. Rushton (Masterton-Opaki), 47.3; Duncan, 47.3. DAY'S AGGREGATE A grade.—Taylor. 192.14; Sutherland. 192.13: Bishop, 191.17: Ballinger. 191.10; Marshall. 191.9; L. Smith! 196 9; Dodson. 189.13. B grade —Wilton. 188.13; Hammond, 188.6: Mrs Robertson, 186.14: Ballinger, 183.11; McLenaghen. 183.10. C grade.—Duncan. 185.13: Burgess. 181.8; Bishop, 178.3; Davies, 178.3.