MARKSMEN’S CONTESTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 67, 2 March 1935, Page 6

MARKSMEN’S CONTESTS

Meeting at Trentham OPENING DAY'S SHOOTING Results of Service Matches (By Telegraph—Press Association.) TRENTHAM, March 2. Two hundred marksmen from all parts of the Dominion are competing at the annual meeting ot the National Rifle Association, which opened at Trentham yesterday in fine weather. A heavy day’s programme was set the competitors, but by making an early aturt and shooting late they were able t<> complete three range matches and th© compulsory service matches. The latter were fired in the afternoon. The entries arc up on last year by 17. E’ghty-six of the competitor* are |) grade marksmen and tho remainder A grade. This year’s entry i s the best since 1930, when there were 269 competing. Ten ex-champion belt-winners ar© competing. The reigning champion, R. H. Nicholl, Petone, is defending his title. There * one woman competitor, Mrs E. D. Hill, Whangarei, who also attended last year’s meeting.

A notable absentee is Colonel E. R. Smith, Dunedin, who won the championship belt 41 years ago. For over half a century he has been a regular competitor at the national meeting. He always fired without a sling, even though its use were permitted. His view was that tho steadying of the rifle by means of a sling was not a true test of marksmanship. “I had hoped to live long enough to see tho sling abolished and all competitors required to shoot off their muscles instead of leather strap*, - ’ wrote the colonel in a letter received by the association apologising for his absence from the meeting. Elevation trouble* upset the calculations of some ot the firet squads to shoot in the morning, tho sun being behind the targets. As tho morning advanced the light improved, but the wind began to freshen and a fishtail breeze required careful watching. Conditions for service shooting in the afternoon were good.

The firing commenced with tho threerange King and Henry match, which called for seven rounds at <MX), 000 and 800 yards. This match does not count for the belt, but it allows marksmen, more particularly tho visiting competitor* to become acquainted with 1 rentham conditions. Jhe winner of tho match was a B grade marksman, L. W . Greatbatch (lakapau), who nnisnei witu IU2 out ot a possible 103. M slings or scientific aids to accurate ehooting were allowed in the services matches. No. 2 service match, comprising ■even rounds application, ten rounds rapid and ten rounds snap shooting, all at 300 yards, »»« won by K. H. Nicholls (I’etone) with 111 out oi a possible 133 Nicholls takes £4. iho runner ui* was W N. Masefield (Blenheim), with no, and C. J. Nix (Featherston) was third with 110. Matefield, who collects £3, also wins the G. J. Cup tor highest score in snap shooting. takes £2 and fifteen others £l. No 3 service match, comprising tile and moving target competition, was won by F. J- Soler (Wanganui) with 73 out of a possible 80. Soler collects £4. Second prize money of £3 was collected by E. M. Wrigley (Opaki) with 60, and M. Hugo (Old Navals), who finished third with 59, received £2. Fifteen others received £1 each. King and Henry Match, 7 shots at 300, 600 and 800 yards:—£s and King and Henry trophy, L. W. Greatbatch (Takapau), 102; £4, H. Simmonds (Auckland City), 101; £3 each. T. Goodall (Suburbs) 101, 11. H. Mclntosh (Blenheim) 101; £2 each, L. H. Proffitt (Napier) 99, I’. Berry (Tararua) 99, H. V. Croxton (Karori) 99, D. Boots (I’atea) 99. Others took £1 each and 14 took 10/- each. The winner of the B grade was C. B. Benton (Okato). who took £3. N. Mac Williams (Invereargill) and M. Hugo (Old NavaVO were second and third respectively and took £2 each. With the completion of the service matches the 40 highest scorers were compiled, marksmen securing places in the service forty qualifying to shoot m the final match for the service championship. They are as follows:—F. A. FJiscock (Christchurch) lf>o, W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) 159, R. H. Nicholl (Petone) 159. S. McKay (Alfredton) 151, G. G. Kelly (Auckland City) 151, F. J. Soler (Wanganui) 150, V. X’arkiiuun (Auckland 15U, E. M. Wrigley (Opaki) 149, H. R. Hunt (Suburbs) 149, C J. Nix (Featherston) 148, J. L. Farley (Wanganui) 147, J. C. Feast (Gieylowu) 147, T. McNab (Petone) 146, L. \f. Greatbatch (takapuu) 146, C. H. Gower (Wanganui) 144, A. V. Barrow (Cheltenham) 143, D- McKenzie (Opaki) 141, H. 1 rankland (Karori) 141, J. H. Kearney (Napier) 141, R. F. Wakefield (Akarana) 140, H. C. Percy (Alfredton) II", G. T. Gardiner (Havelock) 139, H. Hughes (Wanganui) 139, Max Hugo 4O1«1 Navals) 138, 1.. A- Caldwell (Karori) 137, E. Ballinger (Petone) 137, F. H. Sharland (Nelson) 135, H. V. Croxton (Karori) 133, F. Bowes (Auckland <“'ty) 133, 11. Simmonds (Auckland City) J 3-, W. .1. Burton (Okawa) 131, W. McChesney (liner car-ill) 13", R. Donald (Featherston) 130. G. H. Darcy (Royal Marines) 110. A. G- Khodos (Greytown) 129, H. King (Opaki! 129, H- Whiteman (Upper Hutt) 128. K. C. Anderson (Inver, argill. 128, F. V. Wright (Nnpier) 127, F. E. Frankly n (Old Navals) 127.