FIGHTING FINISH FOR KING’S PRIZE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 120, 14 February 1929, Page 12

FIGHTING FINISH FOR KING’S PRIZE

SENSATIONAL TIE IN FINAL MATCH CHAMPION BELT TO MASEFIELD STRUGGLE FOR SECOND PLACE Captain W. N. Masefield, of Blenheim, was yesterday “chaired” at Trentham as the champion marksman of the Dominion, and the winner, for the second time in his life, of the Ballinger Rifle Champion Belt, the King’s Prize of £5O, and the gold medal of the National Rifle Association. The match for the King’s produced the most sensational finish ever seen on the range at Trentham. After having equal scores at the top of the King’s Fifty, at the conclusion of the Belt series of matches, Masefield, F. H. James, of Napier, and W. H. Ballinger, of Petone, all scored a forty-six in the King’s Prize match—ten rounds at 900 yards. A shoot-off five rounds at 900 yards—was, therefore, necessary between these three marksmen, Masefield winning the Belt by one point, with a 23.

All eyes were on the pennants standing out stiff in a steady breeze when the King’s Fifty. went down at the mounds for their final ten rounds at 900 yards. There was no mirage, and the light was dull but clear, and marksmen found that windage allowances from six to eight minutes right were necessary to put the bullet into the “bull.” The second twenty-five of the King’s Fifty were the first at the firing point, and they were followed by the .first twenty-five. With equal scores at the head of the King’s Fifty there was a dramatic ending to the King’s Prize' match, when Masefield, James and Ballinger all registered a 46 for their final ten rounds at 900 yards, the rules providing for a shoot-off in the event of ties for-the first four places in the King’s other places to be determined by the .count-back process. The shoot-off called for five rounds at 900 yards, one compulsory sighter. Masefield’s sighter. was, a “bull.” He followed with two flbulls.’’ an “Inner,” then a “bull,” and finished with an “inner,” his twenty-three 'giving him the belt by a point. :, Honour for Janies. James and Ballinger again tied with twenty-two, and again they had to shoot off for second place, this time shot for shot. They each had a “bull”

with their first shot- James had a “bull” with his second, but Ballinger, obviousy feeling the effects of strain and suffering from “nerves,” could not do better, thjin an “inner.” James was therefore runner-up for the belt —a' position he had last year—and Ballinger was* third. Riflemen with an encyclopaedic knowledge of marksmanship records cannot remember a previous case where three have tied in the King's Prize Match, although ties between two have not been uncommon.- It was an ordeal for Masefield, James and Ballinger to go through, and their brilliant marksmanship will live long in the memory of those present at yesterday’s King’s. Masefield was. the first to finish his five shots in the shootoff, ’ in which he obtained twenty-three. James was the next to get his; fifth shot away for a twenty-two. With a nineteen for his four shots, Ballinger had the Belt within his grasp, but he failed to get the necessary “bull,” and with an“inner” he was on a par with James, to whom he lost in the shot-for-shot shootoff for second place. The King’s was fired on the Sommerville range in the presence of a large crowd of interested spectators behind the mounds. Among the visitors were the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. P.

A. de la Perrelle), the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. G. A. Troup), Sir John Luke, and Mr. Arthur Ballinger, who donated the Ballinger Belt after winning it outright. The Minister was the first to extend his congratulations to. the winner, who was hoisted into the historic chair when the result was known, and carried shoulder high to the Y.M.C.A., where the prizes won at the meeting were presented. The Minister congratulated Captain Masefield on his success, and praised his high standard of marksmanship. Distinguished Shooting Careers. Biographical details of Captain Masefield are almost unnecessary. He is so well know in the rifle shooting world that they would be superfluous. Every rifleman in the Dominion knows him personally or by repute. He commenced competitive shooting in 1904, and yesterday’s success is the second time he has won the Belt, having won it previously in 1914. He has won the Grand Aggregate twice. In the New South Wales King’s Prize in 1927 he was third, 'and at Bisley in 1910 he secured a place in the Final Hundred, Masefield has represented. New Zealand on numerous occasions in international matches. James, like Masefield, has attended every Rifle Association meeting that has been held at Trentham. He won the Belt in. 1913, and has a win in the Trentham and Grand Aggregates tp his credit. On several occasions he>has won the Victorian .Grand Aggregate, and he was second in the New South Wales King’s in 1911. He also visited Bisley in 1911, and made top score in the Kola-

pore Match.' ' ; ’ Ballinger commenced shooting in 1910. He won the Wairarapa championship in 1920, and has won the Petone Club championship four times.- He has been in the King’s Fifty for the past four years, and strange to say, has been in tenth place on each occasion. ■■' ' ' : Masefield and James are both members of the New Zealand team which is to sail for Australia to-morrow. After competing in the Commonwealth Masefield will proceed to Great Britain for the English Bisley.

Champion Teams’ Match.

The morning yesterday was given over to the Champion Teams’ Match, which called for seven rounds at 300, 500 and 600 yards by teams-of five men. The match was won by the Akarana Rifle Club, Auckland, the best individual score being by Rifleman G. Devore, who registered 101 out of a possible 105. The service championship was decided in the afternoon before the King’s Prize Match. Twelve minutes were allowed for ten rounds at 600 yards application fire, and the score made in this practice was added to the aggregate for the rapid, snapshooting, tile competition, and moving target practices in the service series. Rifleman P. G. Devore, of Napier, who won the service championship, holds the

Ross Carbine Championship Belt for a year, in addition to receiving a prize of £lO and the gold medal of the National Rifle Association. , Criticism of Team.

With the New Zealand team which is to sail by the Maungauui for Sydney tomorrow to participate in the Victorian meeting, Riflemen T. Orr, F. S. Hood, C. Nix, F. Soler, F. Bolton, and J. Paterson will go as emergencies. From the emergencies and the team already announced the selection committee will choose a final representative team after the marksmen going to Melbourne have done some preliminary shooting under Australian conditions. Before the meeting there was an element of adverse criticism against the composition ■of the team, it being contended that a selection should, be made after the present meeting. This the committee fully recognised, but, as Colonel Cresswell pointed out when welcoming competitors at the opening of the meeting, this was not practicable, as the team would be on the water for Australia within forty-eight hours after the King’s Prize Match. The performances of the teain on the Trentham mounds during the past week, however, have fully justified their selection. Those who declared that past reputations instead of present performances weighed with the selection committee, that the honour of selection was confined to a narrow circle which ruled out the young man, and that it should not be necessary to turn up books of reference to discover what a man did in former years, have had these feelings about the team well dispelled. Standard of Shooting. The standard of marksmanship at the present meeting has been of a higher standard than that shown at the meeting twelve months ago, the more favourable weather experienced this year being the determining factor. If the meeting has been successful on the shooting side, it has also been equally as successful on the administrative side. Prize lists have been quickly posted by the statistical staff under Staff-Sergeant-Major J. W. E. Hudson, N.Z.A.P.C., after the conclusion of matches, and with the excellent work of the other officers, particularly that of the secretary, Mr. W. G. Fellingham, the wheels of the administrative machine have run smoothly. The arrangements for the catering this year have also given universal satisfaction.

KING’S PRIZE MATCH £5O, Ballinger Belt, gold medal and gold badge—W. N. Masefield (Blenheim), 5453455555-46 502 £25, silver star and badge—F. H. Janies (Napier), 4345555555 —46 .. 052 £l5, silver star and badge—W. H. Ballinger (Petone), 4552555555— 46 582 £lO, silver star and badge—P. B. ’ Goldfinch (Old Navals), 2455555555 '—44 548 £5 and badge—J. Buschl (Sydenham) 5555555555 —50 547 £5 and badge—H. Barlow (Winton), 5523554555—44 546 £5 and badge—A. Neilson (Napier), 5545435455-45 ................j... 046 £5 and badge—L. A. Caldwell (Kar- . orf), 4505454555—42 516 £5 and badge—H. R. Hunt (Suburbs), 5454045455—41 .............. 54£5 and badge—R. Piper (Christchurch),. 5554555554 —48 540 £4 and badge—F. Ching (Karori), 5554324354—40 .................... 540 £4 and badge—A. H. O’Donnell (Petone), 5554535552—44 ... .. 539 £4 and badge—E. Ballinger (Petone), 5534545455-45 538 £4 and badge—H. R. Boon (Karori), 3555355544—44 538 £4 and badge—W. Mclver- (Petone), 5453555552—44 538 £3 and badge—H. V. Croxton (Kardri), 5455435354—43 ■ 538 £3 and badge—.T. H. Kearney (Napier), 3350444545-42 538 £3 and badge—H. Harries (Christchurch), 5455554455 —47 537 £3 and . badge—F. H. Sharland (Nelson, 5554455535—46 ...... 536 £2 10s. and badge—N. Harris (Christchurch), 5545445434 —43 • 536 £2 10s. and badge—F. J. Soler (Wanganut), 5555435524 —43 536 £2 and badge—F. C. Hogg (Wanganui), 5545532543—41 536 £2 and badge—F. N. Monk (Old Navals), 4455535554 —45 535 £2 and badge—W. J. Green (Okawa), 5544542555—44 '. 535 £2 and badge—F. Porter (Ashburton), 5434244555—41 535 £l—F. Clark (Ashburton), 5444535545 , —44 ’. 534 £tt—P. C. Hamilton (Wanganui), 530 5453545—44 534 £l—R. A. Wilton (Petone), 3455545544 ■ 14 . ................ 534 £l—D. Roots (Patea), 5534553235— 40 ... 533 £l—S. Higgs (New Plymouth), 4553345452—40 532 £l—R. B. Hester 1 (Suburbs), 5534355555—45 532 £l—J. C. Feast (Greytown), 4554555453—45 '. 532 £l—S. F. Nelson (Christchurch), 5445452455—43 . 532 £l—R. Nicholson (Napier), 545455-' 3345—42 532 £l—E. S. King (Wanganui), 5555534325—42 532 £l—J. -C. Carter (Linton), 5454535553—44 • 531 £l—C. Carey (Patea), 4555255255 — 43 531 £l—W. Duncan (Westport),' 5405454554— ... 531 £1 —H. Frankland (Karori), 4353354445—40 ■••• 531 £l— J. Bryden (Karori), 5454355445— 44 530 £l—A. S. T. Butler - (Karori), 452-4555444-42 530 £l—W. Colquhoun (Akarana), 544530 £l—D. Calder (Akarana), 4555524343 ■. —4O ' 529 £l—D. McKenzie (Opakl), 6245044553—37 .529 £l—T. J. Chapman (Petone), 3534344555- v-L-AU”' 527 £l—H. W'. Feast (Greytown), 5425305433—39 ' 1.........). 527 £l—G. Te Whitl (Greytown),.;. 524-3334535—-37 526 £l—A. T. Patrick (City and Suburbs), 0000000454—13 504 A. R. Barker (Ronga) and C. Lovell (North Bank) who had a place in the King’s Fifty did not shoot.