UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20621, 21 July 1930, Page 9

UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENT.

BISLEY RIFLE SHOOTING. WOMAN WINS KING'S PRIZE. FIRST TIME ON RECORD. HIS MAJESTY'S MESSAGE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received July 20. 5.-15 p.m.) LONDON, July 1!).

At the Bislcy riflo shooting meeting Miss Marjoric Foster, of the Women's League, won the King'.". Prize with a score ot 280. She is the first woman who has ever won this trophy. \ esterday Miss Foster had scored 48 at each range, her aggregate of 144 giving her fourth place in the competition. After winning she said: "I am a teetotaller, but to-day I think I will have a glass of champagne." This concession she made to mark her triumph over many of the Empire's best rifle shots. Miss Foster is doing her share in adding to women's laurels in a year which has seen Miss Amy Johnson's flight to Australia and Miss Winifred Brown's victory in tho King's Cup air race. Miss Foster is 33 years of age. She served in tho Women's Legion as an ambulance driver during tho war. Sho is a familiar figure at Bislcy in her rough tweeds and with her close-crop-ped hair under a beret. She has competed at the meeting for the past seven years. Not even the excitement of many chattering women watching her final shoot at 1000 yds. affected Miss Foster's imperturbability. Sho was equally calm, waving her hand in reply to terrific cheering, when sho was hoisted in the famous King's prizeman's chair and carried shoulder high round tho camp, tho band playing " See tho Conquering Hero Comes," while cavalrymen cleared the way. Miss Foster said she did not know it was such a close thing. She was merely having a comfortable afternoon s shoot. She did not know that she had won until Earl Jellicoe went to congratulate her. The winner scored 10 bulls'-cves at tho 1000 yds., of which seven wero consecutive and the last shot was a bull. Lieutenant Eccles, Seaforth Highlanders, was runner-up with 279. He had a great chance of beating l'oatcr. He needed a bull for his last shot but only scored an outer, giving him 66 out of a possible 75 for the match, against Miss Foster's 68. Lieutenant Andrews (London) and Quartermaster Fnrke, Army Service Corps, tied for third place with 2i3. The King telegraphed his heartiest congratulations to Miss Foster and desciibed her achievement as one of the most wonderful in the history of rifle shooting. Tho new gold medallist was not permitted to go home to her chicken farm at Frimley Green on her motor-cycle as usual. A fire-engine was used to take her back and she rode in triumph on the tender.

The King's Prize at Bisley was won last year by Colonel 1!. M. Blair, Canadian Sea forth Highlanders, with a score of In 192S the winner was Lanqe-Corporal Arthur C. Hale, of Birmingham, with a score of 283.