Thom favoured shot

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 34

Thom favoured shot

! By 808 SCHUMACHER j If Colin Thom had his say [he would probably name a i dozen marskmen ahead of i himself who might win the [Canterbury fullbore rifle shooting championship at West Melton this week-end. However, the modest, veteran Sydenham shooter has shown such good early-sea-son form that he will start high among the favourites for the event over seven I matches. Thom has already won the championship a record six times; the first success in 1949, his most recent in ! 1970. At the recent opening of the Ashburton Club, he shot the possible 150 over three ranges with 20 inner) bulls. In a change from the usual, the competitors will face the longest ranges on the first day when matches over 800 yd, 900 yd, and two at 300 yd will be shot. On Sunday, they compete over 500 yd and two over 600 yd. Last year, a young marksman from Blenheim, Peter (Buckingham, became one of

the youngest shooters to win > the coveted belt. He will be , defending his title against j many more seasoned shoot- . ers. Another young shooter with the ability to finish near the top is the Christ’s . College pupil, Bill McCook, . who finished fourth behind Morrie Lattimore, Herbert Barker and Thom, in a quad- ; rangular shoot for the Jack Shield last month. I Banker (Sydenham), is an- . other evergreen marksman in top I'orm as shown by his recent success in the Nelson championship and second placing in the Jack Shield. I He is a remarkably steady shooter for his 73 years of age. Although Roy Taylor (Christchurch) has not produced his best form this season, he cannot be disregarded. It took Taylor a long time to win his first . Canterbury belt; he was 61 ■ when he ended the drought in 1971. But that heralded the start of a record un- ■ matched in the champion- ’ ship’s long history.

Taylor won the championship ' for three successive years to set a record, relinquished the belt to the Christchurch Commonwealth Games reserve, Sandy Marshall, in 1974, but was successful again in 1975. The Kgituna marksman, Ivan Pask, won the Blenheim championship over Labour week-end against strong company and he should be a threat. Other experienced shooters who should score well include Maurie Callaghan (Westport), the 1976 title-holder, Geoff and Lindsay Smith (Malvern), and the Ashburton shooters, .Jack Bishop and Jack Cameron. The smallbore specialist, lan Ballinger (Sydenham), has not shot in fullbore events since last January, concentrating mainly on international smallbore competitions. But he is a fine shot with the bigger gun — he has won the championship on four previous occasions — and might surprise if he competes.