ELLESMERE WINS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 3174, 6 December 1927, Page 7

ELLESMERE WINS

C.A.C. CUP FINAL,

REMARKABLY ACCURATE

SHOOTING,

WINNING TEAM AVERAGES 20

A MAN,

By putting up a score of 140 breaks, out of a possible of 147, the Ellesmere Gun Club's team established its claim, in decisive fashion, on Saturday afternoon, to ownership of the C.A.C. cup. The score is probably the best put up by any team under match conditions since the trophy was first competed for. It is certainly the best for first barrel performance, for only eight of the breaks were made with the second barrel. A representative of the C.A.C. Company, who was present at the shooting, ventured the opinion that no other Club in the Dominion could put forward a team to beat the score established by Ellesmere.

The cup was first competed for in 1923, the first holders being the Christchurch Club. The Ellesmere ;s Club's name appears on the cup ten times, Springston Club's name five times, Christchurch Club's three, Rangiora and Methven Club's names once each. The teams consist of seven men, all shooting being from the 16yds mark at 21 clays each man. It was decided quite recently by the donors of the cup that in order to finalise the competition each club with a win to its credit should be eligible to compete in a final shoot, the team with the best score to hold the cup permanently. Conditions for shooting on Saturday were as near perfect as anyone could have desired. It was one of the bestdays experienced for several months. Great interest was centred in the shooting, there being a good muster of spectators. Mr W. R. Donald acted as referee, and Messrs W. C. Shilton and W. Gilbert kept the scores. The outstanding performance of the day was that registered by J. Winchester, who, shooting with remarkable accuracy, scored a possible with his first I barrel. E. A. Washbourne and F. L. Graham also scored possibles for Ellesmere, each man using his second barrel only twice. Graham's ability as a very quick shooter was strikingly demonstrated on one occasion when he pulled with his gun at safe. With lightning rapidity he slipped the catch into place, took aim again and smashed the clay when it was within a yard or so of the ground. The crowd accorded him a well merited cheer. F. Alexander also pulled once with his gun at safe and registered a miss. But for this he would most likely have scored 21 with his first barrel.

Others who made possibles were: J. Davison g (Rangiora), A. Anderson (Rangiora, using second barrel only twice), and T. S. Harrison (Methven). The detailed scores are as follows:— ELLESMERE. F. Alexander .. 11111111111 1110111111—20 J. Winchester .. 11111111111 1111111111—21 G. Nairn ..' 10111101111 1011111111—18 L. C. Lemon .. 11110110111 1112121111—19 W. Patterson .. 11111111121 101121111^-20 E. A. Washbourne .. 11111112111 1111211111—21 F. L. Graham ... 11111111111 1212111111—21 140 1 RANGIORA. A. B. Kerr .. 10111222112 1021101120—17 G. Bruere .. 10111111111 1110112120—18 J. Matthews .. 10201111011 1212111111—18 D. Davison .., 11111211211 1221111121—21 J. Miles .. 01111011010 1120111111—16 J. Skilling ... 11101201101 1111110121—17 A. Anderson .. 12121111111 1111111111—21 128 SPRINGSTON. J. Digby .. 11111111011 0122121110—18

N. Powell .. 01101121111 1111111111—19 S. Henderson .. 10211110211 2111100111—17 S. Bennett .. 01120110011 111110102—14 W. Bennett .. 01120110111 1100111111—16 T. Kimber .. 10111111111 1111212121—20 R. Arnst .. 11012111111 1111112110—19 123 METHVEN. A. McLeod .. 11111101111 1111010112—18 S. Anderson .. 01211220121 0111012201—16 T. S. Harrison .. 12111211111 1211121111—21 H. Cromie .. 01011100110 1110111111—15 j C. C. Wynn .. 11111111111 1210111201—19 : S. Hands .. 21111001112 1002210202—16 , S. C. Anderson .. 11111010111 1110211111—18 l 123 CHRISTCHURCH. H. M. Wright .. 11111111111 1011011101—18 C. Jamieson .. 22101112021 1111121110—18 W. Reid .. 21101211110 0110121221—17 D. F. Dennehy .. 12211111110 1121121101—19 J. Wallace .. 11110011100 1210212012—15 C. Truscott ... 11211111011 1100111110—17 A. N. Turner .. 21111201111 0200210111—16 120 THE TROPHY PRESENTED. Immediately the shooting finished Mr A. McLeod, president of the Methven Club, the latest holders of the cup, handed the trophy to Mr J. Donnelly, representative of the C.A.C. Company, and asked him to present it to the winners. Mr Donnelly said it was abundantly clear, from what he had seen that afternoon, that the object the company had in view in giving the cup—the .fostering of clay bird shooting—had been achieved. The winning team had done well to put up a score of 140, and the scores of the unsuccessful teams were also very creditable. A similar cup had been given for competition amongst North Island Gun Clubs and he would very much like to see teams in both Islands meet. Personally, he j doubted very much if any other Club in the Dominion could pick a team capable of beating the Ellesmere team's score. It was very fitting indeed that Ellesmere, after winning the cup in ten matches with other clubs, ] j should now become the permanent owners. He thought it was the intention of the Company to give another cup, and no doubt different conditions would be laid down. Perhaps the best arrangement would be that the Club gaining most wins in a series of matches should hold the trophy for good. Mr Donnelly handed the trophy over, to the accompaniment of cheers for the winning team.

In accepting the cup Mr L. C. Lemon, president of the Ellesmere • Club, confessed that Ellesmere was at some slight advantage in having the shooting on its own grounds. This was due to the fine sporting spirit shown by certain other clubs. "I don't mind telling you that the majority of us have been fed on clay birds" and porridge during the last couple of months," said the president amidst laughter. Occasionally the diet had been varied by the introduction of a little Kruschen salts. Mr Lemon smilingly suggested that if there was to be a match between the winning teams in the North and South Islands the figures put up that afternoon should stand as the southern score.

Mr D. F. Dennehy congratulated the Ellesmere Club on behalf of the N.Z. Gun Clubs' Association. The score was one of the very best he had ever seen. Although Ellesmere was not an old Club, it had done wonderfully well in team shoots, having won the Vale Shield and another trophy. "If there is to be a match between the North Island cup team and Ellesmere I will be on Ellesmere," declared Mr Dennehy. Methven Club had shown a fine sporting spirit in giving up its right to have the final shoot at Methven, in

favour of the Ellesmere Club. An excellent afternoon tea was served at this stage. j GOOD SHOOTING IN SWEEPS. There were 29 competitors in a ninebird sweep. The following twelve, with all on, divided the money (over j£9): A. McLeod, S. Anderson, H. Cromie, F. L. Graham, J. Miles, C. Truscott, S. Hands, L. C. Lemon, J. Donnelly, R. C. Thian, A. Thian and G. Nairn. Those who broke all their clays with the first barrel were S. Anderson, F. L. Graham, S. Hands, L. C. Lemon and R. C. Thian. In an American sweep of 5 pairs each, all off 16yds, Anderson, F. Alexander, Washbourne, with all on, divided. F. Alexander's score was made with the first barrel. Cromie, Graham and Miles each broke nine. The last event was a double rise of three pairs, which drew seven entrants. Washbourne and Patterson, with all on, divided the money. The Club has received a telegram from the Colonial Ammunition Company conveying congratulations upon the team's victory in the cup final.