Castlemaine Rifle Club celebrated “Australia Day” with its annual Australia Day Shoot on Wednesday, 26th January, 2022. The event continues to grow in popularity attracting some of the state’s best shooters to Castlemaine. All shooting was from the 500 yard mound with 3 rounds of 10 scoring shots to count. It was a hot day, some breeze with lots of mirage.
At the first round in “Target Rifle” A Grade, Bendigo’s Geoff Grenfell with 50.5 won from John Keiffer with 49.7. In “B Grade” Doug Ratcliff from Maryborough was the winner with 49.3 from Castlemaine’s Alan Mills with 49.2 “C Grade” went to David Heath from Geelong with 47.5 followed by club mate, Tom Peoples with 40.0.
“F Class A grade” went to Darren Trevena from Castlemaine with 56.2 followed by Michael Hall from South Bendigo with 53.2 “F Class B” was won by Castlemaine’s Sam Swagemakers with 57.3 from Andrew Cook with 56.2 from Geelong. ”F Open” was won by Bendigo’s Brooke Grenfell with 60.6 from Alistair Lamour from Birchip with 60.4
The mirage persisted for the second round. In “Target Rifle A Grade” Geoff Grenfell shot his second possible being 50.6 again followed by team mate John Keiffer with 49.5 “B Grade” went to Doug Ratcliff with 45.2 followed by Richard Ruddick from Castlemaine with 45.2. “C Grade” was won by David Heath with 47.2 from Geelong followed by Castlemaine’s Phil Smith with 45.2. “F Class A” went to South Bendigo’s Michael Hall with 57.3 and Darren Trevena from Castlemaine with 54.2. “F Class B” went to Geelong’s Andrew Cook with 58.2 followed by Castlemaine’s Henry Smith with 55.3. “F Open” was won by Geoff Krake from Robinvale with 60.3 and Alistair Lamour from Birchip with 59.5.
Henry Smith, Castlemaine, scoring. 
Tom Christie, Castlemaine, competing. 
Phil Smith, Castlemaine, first comp on his elbows.
After a break for lunch, the third and final round was contested, only it was a bit hotter.
In “Target Rifle“ A Grade, Bendigo’s John Keiffer scored 50.4 to teammate Geoff Grenfell ‘s 49.5. In “B Grade” Doug Ratcliff won his third range with 48.4 followed by Richard Rudddick from Castlemaine with 48.3. “C Grade” went to David Heath with 47.2 from his Geelong teammate Tom Peoples with 39.0. ”F Class A” went to Andrew Cook from Geelong with 55.3 followed by Castlemaine’s Henry Smith with 52.0. In “F Open” the winner was Robert Bant from Bacchus Marsh with 59.5 from Alistair Lamour from Birchip with 59.4.
Final results were added up to determine the winners of the prestigious “Australia Day Medallions”.
In A Grade Target Rifle, Bendigo’s Geoff Grenfell was the winner scoring 149.16 with second place going to John Keiffer with 148.16, also from Bendigo. Target Rifle B Grade was won by Maryborough’s Doug Ratcliff with 142.9 from Richard Ruddick with 140.7 and Alan Mills with 136.2 both from Castlemaine. Target Rifle C Grade was won by Geelong’s David Heath with 141.9 and in second place Tom Peoples with 123.1 also from Geelong followed by Castlemaine’s Phil Smith in third place with 115.3.
A GRADE WINNER, GEOFF GRENFELL, BENDIGO. 
B GRADE WINNER, DOUG RATCLIFF, MARYBOROUGH 
C GRADE WINNER, DAVID HEATH, GEELONG
F Class A was won by Michael Hall scoring 160.6 from South Bendigo followed by Castlemaine’s Will Bell with 160.5 and Darren Trevena also from Castlemaine with 159.6. F Class B was won by Andrew Cook from Geelong with 169.7 from Castlemaine’s Henry Smith with 162.8 and third place to Sam Swagemakers with 162.8 also from Castlemaine. In F Open the medallion was won by Alistair Lamour from Birchip with 178.13 with Geoff Krake from Robinvale second with 176.12 and third place went to Brooke Grenfell from Bendigo with 176.12.
F CLASS A WINNER, MICHAEL HALL, SOUTH BENDIGO 
F CLASS B WINNER. ANDREW COOK, GEELONG 
F OPEN WINNER, ALISTAIR LAMOUR, BIRCHIP
It was a great day of shooting competition and an excellent way to celebrate Australia Day.
The next big event to be held by Castlemaine Rifle Club will be the first round of The Victorian Precision Service Rifle Series on Sunday 13th March.
A week later, on Saturday 19th March is our “ Classic and Military Shoot “ run in conjunction with Kyneton Rifle Club with sponsorship from the Bendigo RSL and the Golden City Collectors’ Association of Bendigo. This will be a great day with some unique and exciting live-fire demonstrations of historical firearms.
For information on any of these events, call the Captain on 03 54 74 2552.
