In the cool of the early morning, shooters once more gathered at the Mount Barker & District Rifle Club this ANZAC Day to remember the fallen, to pay tribute to both past and currently serving members of the Australian Defence Forces and to compete in the Annual Fathers and Sons Competition. The competition, now open to all possible combinations of family, collects many from around the state, those whose names have long histories within the shooting movement and those who are just beginning.
An eleven AM Anzac service was conducted as is the norm and mention was also made of a number of former Father & Sons Association members who had passed this year. The Brittain family unfortunately saw the passing of Wayne and Janette Flanagan and Mount Barker rifle lost one of its stalwarts in Dave Gardner in the last 12 months.
This year the 46 who competed were rewarded with cool conditions, with the rain holding off until after the shoot, and with the gentlest wind that can be remembered at the notoriously hard to read range in Mount Barker, which still held a surprise for anyone who let their guard down. Testament to this was the high number of shooters who didn’t drop a point during the two rounds of eight from 600 yards, and the very high scores registered in the shoot offs for the ANZAC Medals at the end of the day.
Individual honours for the day went to Philip Bradshaw (TR), Malcolm Hill (FStd) and John Cranwell (FO) who won the ANZAC Medals for their disciplines in a very tight contest, especially in TR where the shoot off went past the set 8 shots in order to determine a winner. Top off-rifle scores for the day went to Duncan Muller (TR) with 80.11, Bill Gillis (FStd) with 95.03 and John Cranwell (FO) with 96.08.
Other individual honours were the “Jock Waugh Trophy” for the top scoring veterans (over 60) was shared between Phil Bradshaw and Andrew Heard, both scoring 80.10. Andrew Heard’s score was also the top score on the day by an “Ex-Serviceman”. Rounding out the individual honours was Duncan Muller, who also won the “Robert Richards-Mousley Trophy” for the highest scoring junior shooter (under 25).
Family honours were divided initially into the historic “Father and Son” award, this year winning the “Stien Shield” in TR by father and daughter combination of Philip Bradshaw and Lynlee Lowe with 160.17. Philip and Lynlee also won the “Sarre Cup” handicapped trophy. The F-Open off-rifle winners, claiming the “Braund Family Shield”, were Stuart and Hamish Jolly scoring 184.07. The “Husband and Wife” Trophy went to Lynlee and Anaki Tovale, while Lynlee and sister Bronwyn Hajek won the “Ted Deed Trophy” for top scoring siblings. Phil Bradshaw was a winner again in the “Bill James Trophy” for top scoring Grandparent/Grandchild combination, with granddaughter Rachel Hajek, while Rachel and Lynlee Lowe claimed the “In-Laws Shield”.
The competition also recognizes those who come on their own to support the event and to commemorate ANZAC Day in this unique fashion by awarding “Open Pairs” in each discipline. This year in TR it was won by Andrew Heard and Daniel Nesbitt, while in F-Class the winners were Frank Marshall and Tyron Murphy.
The Fathers and Sons Association thanked everyone for their ongoing support of this special and unique event in the shooting calendar and looked forward to its continued success next year, when it will again be held on ANZAC Day at the Mount Barker & District Rifle Club.
