Breeze ruffles kings

By John Wood
A GLORIOUS sunny day greeted the competitors at the Woods Point Gun Club for the September King of the Mountain Championships and the shooting range looked resplendent, however a blustery breeze brought havoc with the scores.
The Eye Opener, 10 targets Single Barrel ended with no possible 10/10 scores. John Wood, Chuck Lay, Mick Ward and Glen Coolahan shared the cash prize with 9/10 each.
The first of the championships was 20 targets Single Barrel sponsored by Eddy and Ros Woods.
Phil McDonough easily took the sash with 18/20 and showed a determination that boded well for his day’s shooting. In the grades the winners and second place-getters were: AA Mick Ward, 17/20, and Glen Coolahan 16/20. A Grade was Tom Allen, 20/23, Tom Apps, 19/23, and B Grade was Phil McDonough 18/10, and Shawnti Coolahan, 17/20, while C Grade was Chuck Lay, 14/20, and new member Euan Murphy, 13/20.
Event two was a 30 target Double Barrel Handicap Championship also sponsored by Eddy and Ros Woods. Again, no possibles.
John Butters this time took the honours and the sash with 28/30 in difficult windy conditions. McDonough and junior shooter Harry Ward were next best with 27/30 and after a short shoot off McDonough took second place, 29/32, Ward third, 28/32. Another junior, Tom Allen, shot off with Mick Ward for fourth place with Allen taking the prize, 28/32.
The last of the championships was the Steve and Cassy Bedggood sponsored 25 targets Double Barrel Tower where we are always guaranteed a few possible 25/25 scores. Not today though.
Phillip Desmond, Alan Guppy and Lay were the best with 24/25 and a 14 target shoot off resulted in Desmond taking the championship sash, 38/39. Guppy took second place, 37/39, Lay 3rd, 33/35. Fourth place was a very short contest between McDonough and Mick Ward with Ward the winner, 24/26.
McDonough however had the last laugh by taking the Overall High Gun Sash with a final score of 68/75 to Ward’s 66/75.
Not too far behind were two juniors, Tom Allen and Harry Ward with 65/75 each. After a short shoot off comprising two targets each of Single Barrel, Handicap and Tower, Harry won the Junior High Gun, 71/81, Tom second, 69/81. A pleasing result for the club to see these two young shooters doing so well. Steve and Cassy Bedggood also sponsored the High Gun Sash and the Junior prizes.
The next shoot is on Sunday 23 October and features the Bernie Elstrek Memorial Trophy plus two other championship events with great trophies and prizes and some keen competition.