SHOOTING MATCH

Otago Witness, Issue 3342, 3 April 1918, Page 24

SHOOTING MATCH

A number of members of the North Dunedin Gun Club visited Omakau on Friday, and with several local gunmen held a series of pigeon shooting matches in conjunction with the Waterloo coursing fixturo, which commenced on the following day. The weather conditions during the greater part of the day were practically ideal for shooting, and the matches were watched by a good crowd of spectators, including a number of local enthusiasts. The day was opened with a sweepstake for six clay birds, this event attracting 17 competitors. The shooting, taken all round, was very good, and three of the entrantsMessrs W. M'Breen, A. King, and A. J. White —secured the maximum and divided the prize money. Then followed a live pigeon sweepstake, firs,t miss out, and owing to the shortage of birds the number of competitors was restricted to 10, these being selected by drawing. This event was won by W. White and T. W. King, who tied and divided on the eighth roiihd. In the afternoon the principal event of the day was held, this being a 15-bird sweepstake, in which 23 competitors took part. Three of these secured the possible—namely, Messrs A. Byrne, A. King, and A. Turner — and they divided the prize-money. This w&s followed by a nine clay bird match for trophies presented by Messrs W. Pitches, J. Dunsmuir, Ross, and J. A. Weir, and this competition, which produced 21 entrants, was won outright by A. King, who secured the possible. No fewer than seven others tied for second place, with a- score of eight out of nine, and in the shoot-off second place was secured by A. Byrne, with R, Gray third. The concluding event of the day was a sweepstake confined to local competitors, first miss out. This produced 14 ahootists,, and at the end of the third round three' competitors were still left. These took part of the pme-money and shot off for the balance. A. Becker proved the winner on the sixth round, with G. M'lntosh second and T. Clouston third. Although the gathering was organised by the North Dunedin Gun Club, and conducted under its a considerable proportion of *the competitors came from various parts of Central Otago. So enjoyable did the fixture prove, and so successful was it, that there "was a general desire that it should become an. annual gathering, and there seems to be a good prospect of this talcing place.