By John Wood
The competitors at the Woods Point Gun Club’s Howqua River Championships were greeted by a most difficult day for shooting, cold, continuous rain and overcast.
Still, Bill Forrest in AA Grade and Don Rhodes in A Grade managed perfect 15/15 scores in the Eye Opener while Peter Lang, 13/15, won B Grade. Ron Press and Tony Armstrong took the C Grade cash with 14/15.
The first of the main events was 20 targets Double Barrel Continental. Despite the conditions, the scores were pretty good with Mick Ward and Trevor Newman returning 20/20 and Armstrong, John Winters, Rhodes, Daniel Chinn, Steven Bedggood and Phillip Desmond close behind on 19/20.
After a flurry of shoot offs Ward won the Sash, 37/37 and took the AA Grade Prize from Newman, 36/37, second in AA.
A Grade was won by Rhodes, 27/28 from Chinn 26/28.
B Grade saw Peter Lang the winner, 18/20, followed by John Wood second, 17/20.
Bedggood won C Grade with a good 31/32 from Armstrong 30/32.
The start of the next event was halted by the breakdown of the main trap machine so event 4,15 Pair Double Rise Tower, was brought forward while Chuck Lay, the club’s Trap Mechanic investigated the problem.
The weather at this point, about 1.30pm, was so overcast that it looked like night was falling and the targets were nearly impossible to see.
However, Mick Ward returned 25/30 to take another sash for the day. Newman and Forrest shot off for second and third places, Newman winning 31/40 to Forrest’s 30/40. Rob Bevis took fourth place outright, 23/30.
With the aid of the back-up trap machines, members re-started event three, 20 Pair Deauville Doubles, shot from the 20 metre handicap mark.
Bevis, backed up by Ward, shot a great 19/20 under difficult conditions to win the event but as Ward had previously shot in this event with another partner, only Bevis was able to win a sash.
The second team was Forrest/Newman, 17/20, third Peter West and Chuck Lay, 16/20. Desmond and Shawn Wood teamed up to take fourth,14/20.
The overall High Gun was a close finish with Newman taking the sash 61/70 from Ward 60/70.
Plenty of good tucker and a warm pot belly stove made the clubhouse a welcome sanctuary from the outside conditions.
The club thanked sponsors for the day: Steven and Cassie Bedggood, Mick Ward and Peter and Ellen West.
It shows how far and wide the club’s shooters and sponsors come from with the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and the Alpine High Country all represented.
Next shoot is the Tear Arse Gully Championships on Sunday 25 June.
Hope to see you there.
