June 2019 and Brisbane’s weather didn’t disappoint as the sun shone reliably and wind conditions were for the best part, quite readable.
F Class Trans-Tasman Match
The Championships began with the F Class Trans-Tasman match. This year saw a new format with the teams being a composite team of F Open and FTR.
Match one was contested at 1000 yards with 20 shots. Australia was successful in winning by seven points.
Tim Nugent coached by Greg Warrian lead the way with a score of 118.10.
Day two saw the main match being shot over 800, 900 and 1000 yards with 15 shots. Australia was dominant at 800 yards taking the lead by eight points.
Moving back to 900 yards, the New Zealand Team came out strong, winning the range by one point. Australia held onto their lead at 1000 yards winning the match convincingly.
Peter Carter, coached by Greg Warrian shot an impressive 267.19 to top score the match.
The NRAA extends its appreciation to the New Zealand F Class Team for attending the match and look forward to the next competition to be held in New Zealand.
Queens TR-A – Alex Davies 
Queens FTR – Gary Faulkner 
Pres – FO – Craig McGowan 
Queens TR-C Catherine Jones 
Queens FS-A Bill Hallam
Presidents Match
Darren Bradley was dominant in the FTR Presidents Match with a clear win from West Australian Shaun Stoffels by four points, while Marty Kelly was only one point be Shaun. All three shooters are trialling to represent Australia at the 2021 World Championships, these results put Australia in good stead.
Denis Aarons lead the FSA Presidents match taking the First Badge with Andrew McKillop, the QRA President, only two points behind. Ivor Davidson from Ipswich and District was a clear winner in FSB leading from Wayne Blair by five points.
NRAA Director Craig McGowan was in an intense competition with Brian Carter from New Zealand for the number one Presidents badge in F Open. Craig was successful in winning by 15 centres, both with scores of 419. Mark Azzopardi took the third badge only one point behind Brian.
James Corbett added to his extensive badge collection by winning the Presidents match only centres ahead of Ashley Bidgood, last year’s QRA Queens Winner. In the top four A grade shooters in the Presidents, only eight centres separated them, Junior Shooter Josh Pratt taking the fourth Badge.
Anne Chinnery successfully won the B Grade Presidents ahead of Derek Sharp and Junior Shooter Jeremy Chan. Malcolm Flavel had a clean sweep of the C Grade Aggregate coming up against little to no competition.
Queens, F Class Championships
This country has seen the emergence of numerous aspiring and capable young stars in full bore shooting over recent years. Without naming them, there has been a particularly strong level of capability in the Under 25 ranks over the last decade.
West Wallsend Rifle Club shooter Alex Davies, while scoring 498.56, demonstrated both his shooting capability and calm confidence, to win a point clear of Jim Bailey Holsworthy RC and 2 points up on both Duncan Davies (his dad) and Mitch Bailey (Jim’s lad), another prodigy.
Alex’s confidence spilled over into the trophy presentation as he delivered one of the most spontaneous and entertaining victory speeches in Australian shooting history.
Alex (915.102) also held firm to take the Grand Aggregate ahead of Geoff Grenfell (914.105), Geoff Grosskreutz (911.97), James Corbett (910.115) and his dad, Duncan Davies (909.119).
Graham Kelly, Coonabarabran Rifle Club, won TR B Grade with 485.48 ahead of Jeremy Chan (Sydney High School) 485.47.
Emerging young lady shooter, Catherine Jones of Beaudesert Rifle Club, blitzed C Grade with 479.41, while making the most of the training experience which a Queen’s Prize provides.
Bill Hallam of Beverly in WA won F Standard A Grade with 587.43, 3 points ahead of the nearest contender Andrew MacKillop 584.42.
F Standard B Grade was won convincingly bv Ipswich & District Rifle Club’s Brian Hansen on 567.26 from Marty Duffield Brisbane Mariners, 542.15.
A large field of 30 shooters in F Open was led by an experienced F Open championship winner, Matt Paroz with 597.58, ahead of Brett Bunyan (593.54) Boddington WA and Lowell Tillack (590.48) Goondiwindi Rifle Club.
FTR has also emerged as a strongly contested class with 30 shooters in the nationals this year. Gary Faulkner Roseville Rifle Club emerged victorious by a Super V, on 580.35, ahead of Marty Kelly, Wangaratta 580.34. Franz Knox Brisbane was only a point behind with 579.43.
Kaltenberg (TR) and Mace Medal (F CLASS)
The Kaltenberg and Mace medal are contested at 1000 yards shot Bisley style with 15 shots. This year, Geoff Grenfell lead TR with a score of 73.4. Denis Aarons won FS with 82.5, Brett Bunyan was successful in FO scoring 86.6 and Shaun Stoffels finished with 83.2 winning FTR.
Grand Aggregate
After five days of intense competition, Bill Hallam FSA, Brian Hansen FSB, Brett Bunyan FO and Shaun Stoffels FTR held on to win the number one badges in the F Class Grand Aggregate. Alex Davies continued his winning streak in A Grade. Jeremy Chan, B Grade and Malcolm Flavel, C Grade also took home the number one Grand Aggregate badges.
This year’s presentation included the popular announcement of Brigadier Bruce Scott (ret’d) as the NRAA President elect, taking effect in November this year. Bruce reiterated the association’s gratitude to Major General John Hartley (ret’d) for his passion and loyalty to NRAA. Bruce assisted in the presentation following his brief address to the members and guests present.
