CHAMPION MARKSMAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16986, 9 March 1923, Page 5

CHAMPION MARKSMAN.

KING’S PRIZE WINNER. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 8. Leslie G. Loved ay, who yesterday for the third time was “ chaired ” as a King’s Prize winner, is a son of G. Loveday, a member of the one time famous Woodville Rifles team, and 31 years of age. His three brothers also are good shots, one H. C-. Lovedav, having been near the top in the King’s match on several occasions. Leslie Loveday began shooting as a youth at Olmra, whither the family had moved, and when twenty won the belt at Tren-tha-m. In the previous year his performar.cep at Trent-ham were so good that he was selected as a member of the New Zealand team for Bisiey, where he won the Prinoe of Wales Match, seven shots at 300 yards and ten at 600 yards. Homeward bound from Bisiey Loveday competed at the N.R-.A. meeting at Randwick. heading the list in the Referee Match. Then came a period of war service, at the end of which, before returning to New Zealand, he attended Bisiey and won the King’s Prize. He was the first New Zealander to accomplish that feat. Now he is for the second time acclaimed the Dominion’s champion marksman. THE RUNNER-UP. Croxton, runner-up for the belt, and Butler, his next attendant, belong to the same club, Karori, which has had quite a record number of wins at this meeting. Croxton began shooting fifteen years ago as a member of the Wellington NavaJs. whose championship he won in 1911. This makes the sixth successive occasion he has found a place in the King’s Fifty. In 1920 he won the belt, was third in 1921 ana seventeenth last year at Grey town. He has been champion of his club four times, won the Hawke’s Bay championship in 1915 and last week annexed the Wairarapa championship. Ho represented New Zealand at Bisiey in 1920, and finished sixty-sixth out of some nine hundred competitors. Butler, who besides gaining third place in the King’s Prize, won the Bislev Aggregate, has been shooting well for some years. He won the Mddfie. 1 A g gregate at Grey town 1 ast week. and was third in the Wellington Rifle Association’s championship a year ago. Butler saw service at Gallipoli, where he held a commission in the New Zealand Forces.