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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc. 16 June 2018, F A Wilde Trophy, 500yards

            The snow hadn’t arrived but the cold westerly wind certainly had and it whistled across the range with little regard to the small group of intrepid shooters who had ignored the weather forecast. Being the first of the 2018-19 Championship ranges the day took on some importance particularly as an early “keeper” takes pressure off when the conditions are less favourable.

            The cold wind was quite strong but fairly steady with just the occasional, albeit quick, change in strength. The day suited the F class shooters who are very quick to fire their stages thus making it less likely they will be caught out with wind changes.

            And so it turned out as the top four shooters on handicap were all F class. Geoff Willis took out the F class Cock of the Walk with a pair of 59’s although Colin Howell who dropped two points in a first stage 58.5 and a further point in his second stage outpointed Willis on Super bull’s eyes. Howell who regularly challenges the A graders has not been shooting for long and does little travel which limits his progression to A grade.

            Jeff Eppleston and Grahame Willis did not take advantage of the conditions or perhaps they were caught in between the quieter patches but their efforts were not rewarded and produced results which for them were less than expected.

            Nick Webster with just his second shoot with his new rifle took some time and bullets to find the target but once there he shot good elevation but found the wind difficult. Likewise Phil Mahon had trouble with windage and John Coghill persevering with the target rifle set up off a rest, wasn’t competitive.

            The two target rifle contestants, Gordon Shepherd and Graeme Bright, found the wind variations quite difficult but both acknowledged their scores were affected more by their own errors than by the weather conditions. Shepherd won the COW by a single centre bull’s eye 93.07 to Brights' 93.06      

            Next Saturday the 23th June will see the first of the 600 yard Championship ranges for 2018-19 season and will conclude the F A Wilde Trophy.

Scores:  
G P Willis FSA 114.7 (6 ½) 100
C Howell FSB 117.8 (4 ¼) 100
G S Willis FSA 118.6 (1/2) 98 ¾
J Eppleston FSA113.6 (4 ¾) 98 ¼
G Shepherd TRA 93.07 (3 ¾) 96 ¾
G Bright TRA 93.06 (1 ¾) 94 ¾
N Webster FSB 102.3 (11 ¼) 94 ½
P Mahon FSB 101.1 (12) 94 ¼
J Coghill FSB 91.1

by John Coghill

All scores/plots can be found Here.