Scott well placed in Games trials

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33189, 31 March 1973, Page 4

Scott well placed in Games trials

The second New Zealand smallbore shooting trial at Putaruru will be an important test for the 35-year-old Timaru farmer, J. A. Scott. At present he has become a definite possibility for one of the two places in the New Zealand team to compete in the smallbore event at the Commonwealth Games next year. After the first trial at the Burnett range recently, the two very experienced national representatives, S. G. Nairn (Waikato) and I. R. Ballinger (Canterbury), and Scott had established a lead of nine points over the other 10 final trialists. Because of their reputations and previous good results in international competition. Nairn and Ballinger probably have a

slight advantage at this stage, but neither can afford a lapse at Putaruru as consistency has marked Scott’s scoring this season. A competitive shooter since he was 14, Scott has performed successfully in both the 7.62 rifle events and the .22 calibre contests, having been selected for inter-island and national smallbore teams. After an absence from the competitive scene of about four seasons, he returned last year with a new rifle, which he fancied immediately, and started registering the scores that won him a place among the 13 trialists. After he had completed the final match shoot last Sunday, Scott said that he was satisfied with his performance and hoped to repeat the showing at Putaruru.