WINDS AT TRENTHAM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 101, 2 May 1925, Page 8

WINDS AT TRENTHAM

RIFLEMEN UP AGAINST IT

(GREAT SHOOTING BY A TYRO.

XraOM OOK BPECIAI, RHPOBKR.)

TRENTHAM, This Day.

Riflemen are regarding the sky with anxious 'eyes;, to-day. Last ■ night a strong wind sprang up at Trentham, and thera were .occasional, showers of rain, ;which'made'the outlook- for the second flay of the 'W.R.A. meeting ..rather gloomy. Again, to-day there was a leaden sky, and the sun, which pre.yailed yesterday morning," was .'unable ;to make much progress against the heavy bank of clouds. Finally it gave jip the fight, and when riflemen went %o the ranges to complete the opening $natcn* they "were faced with conditions ■Vvhich'.lwere'anything but favourable for accurate shooting. The wind, 3ithough not particularly, strong, was inclined, to play tricks, and it needed very .careful ;watching.- Some competitors were fortunate to strike a good patch, and they made, the most of their luck, but others found themselves up against all sorts of variations. Trentham- winds to-day jvere in one of their most playful moods.. factor which militated against good shooting was the deceptive light. Just over'the targets was. a heavy bank of clouds, and with the .light changing rapidly -it was:; extremely difficult ;for tifiemen to get-a steady sight of the bull. ■ The unfavourable conditions are particularly unfortunate to-day, as once the opening match is completed every shot v fired on the ranges will count for the vßallinger Belt. That means' that competitors will be out for every possible point, and naturally they' are anxious about the weather. There were several, showers of rain between 8 and 9 ■o'clock ; this '.morning, and while they flid not cause any great degree of discomfort, they • were far from welcome, as it: was . felt that they might, be the {forerunners ,of more "soup." "I can stand the wind and the bad light," said jone;Well-known,sh6t this morning, ''but Mie rain—well,, it gets me." Although ..ihe'outlook-to-day is not very, bright, iriflemen are not giving up hopethat the 'meeting will be concluded in fair weatti- j jer. In the meantime they are settlingjdoiwn to serious work. ' " |

A fresh arrival in camp this morning. Jvas W. • H. Masefield, a former - Belt !winner, who -was in time to take part fonbhe last practice of the Belt series::;' •-'To-day's- programme will consist of rtlie 'final" practice of the Opening Match, two practices of. which were completed yesterday ■ afternoon, the Canterbury rmatcfi, which "is ten shots at. 600 yards), and the first stage of the Auckland match |300_ and 600 yards). The outstanding feature of the shooting in the opening jmatch was that, of a' tyro,' iVY.. J. Gibson, of Papakaio,, who finished up with 101 out of a possible of 105., He secured the .possible at 300 yards, a 5.4 at the .500,. and. a 32, at the 600. The first two 'practices -(300-and 500 yards) ;syere fired yesterday afternoon, and it is remarkable-that in those Gibson, who is 'n. youth of not more than 20 years, only •dropped one point. This morning, over a longer range and under ' conditions that were much more difficult, -he dropped three points, buthis aggregate X>i lttt was the'highest recorded in the match. As the opening match is purely a;grade match, Gibson is debarred from taking the first prize 61 SB, hut no doubt lie will bejnore than'satisfied with his .j^t.fp'rmance,' ;If he,maintains his form in the Belt matches he should be in the picture when the King's Fifty is announced. , Eor a tyro his performance ss_ unusual, and his career as a rifleman iWill he watched with interest.

J. C. Feast, of Greytown, topped the 'A grade list in the Opening Match with, •the very fine total of, 100. He shot consistently over all ranges, his totals ■being :—3OO yards, 34; 500 yards, 33: «00 yards,-33.. - . .

" H.r W: "Feast, also 'hi the' Greytcmn X)lub,:ivas;runner-up, just two points be-3iind.--;His-range totals were: 31,"35 (the possible), and . 32. Last year's ibelt-winner,. Captain H. Simmonds, of iWanganui, who yesterday won the Service. ..Championship, showed himself -to be in good form by getting into third place with a'total of 97. He scored a possible at 300. yards, and his other totals, were ,30 and 32.. . *'■

In.the-B''grade, H. Harris, of Christclurchy; headed the list with a total of 98, made up as follows :—34, 32, and 32. Others who did well in this gradft .were Potter, of 1 Akatarawa, Goldfinch tof Old Navals, and ■ Turnbull, of New Plymouth, all of whom secured 96. As indicated above, Gibson won the Tyro Match with a 101, which was the biggest aggregate of the whole . match. His card read as follows :—

■300 Yard 5—4.5.5,5,5,5,5—34 500 Yard 5.—5,5,5,5,5,5,5—35 600 Yard- -5,4,5,4,5,5,4,-32

Clement, of Ashburton, and Dudgeon, of Nelson, were other tyros to do well, their totals being 96. Tie Canterbury" Match (ten shots at 600 yards) was won by Captain Masefield, of Marlborough, with, a total of 46 out of a possible 50. Captain Masefield only arrived in camp this morning, having been delayed by illness in his family. Butler, of the Karori Club, ■was runner-up with 45, and others to secure that total were Soler (Marton) Anderson (Kaituna), and Heeley (Cambridge). , Detailed results of the shooting are not yet available.