Club gives it both barrels

By John Wood
WHAT a glorious start to the 2011 shooting year for the Woods Point Gun Club – beautiful weather, a good attendance and some great shooting.
The 10 target Eye opener was won by Dave Hoon and Ross Elstrek with maximum 30/30 points scores.
The first championship for 2011 was the 25 target Hector Stewart Double Barrel Memorial sponsored by Lyn and Rod Stewart of the Stewart Bus Company.
After all competitors had returned to the club house only Ross Elstrek and Phillip Desmond had managed a perfect 25/25.
With the excellent shooting conditions the shoot off was expected to be a long tussle between two of our best shooters, but after only 18 more targets Elstrek let one get away leaving Desmond to shoot to win. He shot! He won! Phillip Desmond, the first championship sash winner for 2011.
The grade winners were: AA Grade: Elstrek 1st with 25/25, Mick Ward 2nd with 24/25. Desmond won A Grade with 25/25 and Trevor Newman came 2nd with 24/25.
In B Grade age and wisdom beat youth and enthusiasm with Laurie Poile beating Tom Allen, 27/28 to 26/28 respectively. C Grade was all juniors, Sam Tindley-Roe first with 24/28, James Guppy 2nd with 23/28.
Another long term supporter, Scott McKenzie of Jamieson River Autos, sponsored the next event, 25 target Jamieson Double Barrel Points Championship.
No one managed the perfect 75/75. Mick Ward with 74/75 took the championship sash outright – another excellent performance.
No shoot offs were required to separate the Grade winners with Ward taking AA Grade, 74/75, Elstrek 2nd, 69/75.
The Hoon won A Grade, 70/75, Alan Guppy 2nd, 69/75. B Grade was a win for Kevin Kirley, 69/75, Glen Coolahan 2nd, 63/75.
C grade saw youth and enthusiasm this time beat age and wisdom with Jack Kirley 56/75 beating Darren Shepherd 53/75.
To finish members had the 20 target Gaffney’s Creek Double Barrel Handicap Championship sponsored by Chuck and Linda Lay.
Glen Coolahan shot an excellent 20/20 to take the event outright and win his first ever championship sash. Great effort Glen!
Trevor Newman took 2nd place with 19/20 and after a short shoot off Poile again held Allen out. Poile 3rd 27/29, Allen 4th, 26/29.
The Junior High Gun winners over the day were: Tom Allen first with 105/120, Jack Kirley 2nd, 90/120 and James Guppy 3rd, 87/120.
At the start of the day a quick check of Ross Elstrek’s previous scores saw him upgraded from A Grade to AA Grade, the highest grading in Australian Clay Target Shooting competition. Congratulations Ross!
The club’s next two shoots are the McMadman’s Cup, Sunday 13 February at McAdams Gap and the Jack Scott Memorial shoot on 27 February at Woods Point.