Sporter Prize Meeting Proves Successful

Busselton-Bunbury RC Host ‘Silver Bullet’

It would come as no surprise to followers of the Sporter discipline that the Busselton-Bunbury Rifle Club undertook to run a Sporter Prize Meeting at the Coolilup Range due to the fact that it was a committee from this range that sat down in 2018 and came up with what was the original set of NRAA SSRs governing the introduction of Sporter Discipline in 2019.

Hot on the heels of the QRA/TIKKA championship held at Belmont, the BBRC’s shoot had the common goal of demonstrating to National and State Associations, that given the opportunity and recognition, Sporter class shooters will attend Prize Meetings in sufficient numbers to enhance regular PMs and based on the current trend, show the potential to become a main-stream component of future events.

The Silver Bullet differed from the QRA event in that it was an NRAA member-only event, and was shot over 400m – 500m.  Another important difference was that while PC and PCO classes were used, there was a further subdivision, with shooters who had previous competition experience forming one group while first competitor Tyros formed another.  Volunteer club members were available to assist new comers to get ‘in the black’ to begin their string thereby ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.

In order to facilitate placings and avoid shoot-offs, the Silver Mountain monitors were set to ‘F Class’ thus giving a wider spread of results at the top end.

Cash prizes were awarded to Range winners, and First-Third cash prizes given to Aggregate Scores.  Local businesses, Brendon May Electrical, South-West Firearms & Gun Smithing and South West Precision Print stepped up to provide significant and much appreciated sponsorship for the program.

81 shooters took to the field, including 25 first time tyros who judging by the feedback obtained on the mound, will definitely be keen to attend prize meetings that cater for them.

Conditions on the day were fine and hot, with an easterly left to right wind which gradually turned during the day to a southwesterly right to left.  A fierce mirage added to the calculations required to remain in the centre.

With up to 25% of competitors being tyros who occasionally called on a range official for assistance in finding the black meant that the first range took approximately three hours to complete.  In a sense, the program became a victim of its own success and as a consequence, and because the match committee was mindful that many had long distances to travel home, the program was amended so that the third match, rather than being 15 shots at 600m became 10 shots at 500m for a second time.

The shoot was successful in terms of attendance and competition as well as introducing ‘new’ shooters to the joys of prize meeting competition. The preparation and execution on the day were a credit to the willing group of club and other volunteers under the leadership of club treasurer, Mike Bradshaw.

RESULTS:

Match 1:  15 shots @ 400m.
Tyro – Production Class:              Greg Pearce (Buss-Bun)                    74.7
Tyro – Production Class Open:     Gian Kurmann (Buss-Bun)              75.8
Production Class:                          Melanie Duff (Bass-Bellvue)             75.7
Production Class Open:                David Bliss (Pinjar)                            75.12

Match 2: 15 shots @500m.
Tyro – Production Class:               Peter Cherry (Buss-Bun)                  75.9
Tyro – Production Class Open:     Ian Hume (Buss-Bun)                      75.10
Production Class:                          John Roche (Buss-Bun)                     75.11
Production Class Open:                Brett Merritt (Buss-Bun)                  75.13

Match 3: 10 shots @ 500m
Tyro – Production Class:               Peter Cherry (Buss-Bun)                  50.10
Tyro – Production Class Open:     Jake Clark (Buss-Bun)                      50.7
Production Class:                          Anthony Drilich (Bass-Bellvue)        50.7
Production Class Open:                David Bliss (Pinjar)                            50.9

Aggregate:
Tyro – PC:  Max Mueller198.18(1); Peter Cherry 195.21(2); John Hull 195.17(3)
Tyro – PCO: Ian Hume 199.21(1); Gian Kurmann 199.19(2); Leth Rickman 196.18(3)
PC:   Damien Clover 199.24(1); Anthony Drilich 199.21 (2); Melanie Duff 198.22(3)
PCO: David Bliss 200.31(1); Jake Van Den Elzan 200.27; Brendon May 200.26(3)

Silver Bullet Trophy:

PC:           Damien Clover          (Perth Fremantle)                 199.24
PCO:        David Bliss                 (Pinjar)                                   200.31