Gisborne Clay Target Club marks its 100-year history with a special centenary shoot this month. Pictured are the victorious 2023 Rose Bowl Team (Regional interclub shoot): Kelven Ellison (left), past president Rick Spence, current president Chris Hurring holding the cup, Pip Rutland and Chris Hurlstone. Photo / Supplied
Gisborne Clay Target Club marks its 100-year history with a special centenary shoot this month. Pictured are the victorious 2023 Rose Bowl Team (Regional interclub shoot): Kelven Ellison (left), past president Rick Spence, current president Chris Hurring holding the cup, Pip Rutland and Chris Hurlstone. Photo / Supplied
Gisborne Clay Target Club marks its 100-year history with a special centenary shoot this month, which will also honour the contributions of the club patron.
The centenary celebration will take place on the weekend of November 14 to November 16 at the club’s Karau Rd, Manutūkē, home.
Committee member ChrisHurlstone gave an overview of the sport’s history in the region and the club’s development.
“The father of the sport in Poverty Bay was Mr SG Glennie, who gathered a group of shooters around him in 1912 and pioneered competitive trap shooting,” Hurlstone wrote.
“In earlier days, there were clubs at Tolaga Bay, Ruatōria, Te Araroa, Ngātapa and Te Hapara. All these clubs discontinued operations and joined the Tokomaru Bay club in 1925, which was the start of the Gisborne Gun Club.”
A significant club shoot held in the 70s.
Top row: Richard Black (left), Ray Ballard, Ian Kerr, Rex Newman, Peter Brownlie, Logan Cameron, Roger Hurlstone, Michael Millar, Richard Rice, (unknown).
Middle row: (Unknown), Richard Crawshaw, Don Allen, (unknown), (unknown), Brian Olsen, Jim Hart, Kahu Bullivant.
Front row: Christine Newman, Ernie White, (unknown), Jill Brownlie, Claire Brownlie, Nick James, Gordon Carmody, Shirley Black, Laurie Tidswell, Tony Kerr, (unknown).
After that, an automatic trap was purchased and installed at Tatapouri on property loaned by the local hotel free of charge.
“It must have been spectacular with the ocean as the backdrop.”
Later on, the club moved to the Peddle estate on Willows Rd.
In 1987, four members of the Gisborne Clay Target Association made the NZ Macintosh team: Roger Bright (left), Craig Brownlie (Junior team), Ross Tattle and Tony Ferkins. Photo / Gisborne Clay Target Club
“This was a fantastic set-up, with several fields for both trap and skeet, and a clubhouse with [a] kitchen, office and bar facilities.
“The current location is on council land at Karau Rd, Manutūkē, with exceptional fields for both skeet and trap with a very good backdrop.
“A clubhouse is on the wish list for the not-too-distant future.”
Bruce Smart, club patron and life member, lived to 100. The club's centenary celebrations begin on November 14. Photo / Gisborne Clay Target Club
Club patron Bruce Smart lived to the age of 100. Hurlstone said the 100 target centennial match would also be a " tip of the hat" to his contribution.
“He put his heart into the club through tough times and relocation, and was an inspirational coach to many up-and-coming shooters.”
In 2020, Clayton Hope from Gisborne Boys' High School (right) was winner of the NZ Secondary Schools Skeet Championship. Luke Hurlstone (left), from Campion College, was the North Island senior boys' single-barrel champ. Photo / Chris Hurlstone
The future of the sport in the region is looking bright. Two Gisborne schools, Gisborne Boys’ High School and Campion College, have clay target teams.
“We have a club shoot once a month on the fourth Sunday of the month, with a weekly practice on a Wednesday afternoon, alongside the secondary school practice after school,” Hurlstone said.
“The club also hosts corporate or team-building events for work functions, social clubs, etc.”
Millie Galloway (Woodford House) beat the boys to win the Secondary School Cup at the 2024 club champs. Photo / Supplied
Hurlstone said the centenary celebrations will begin on Friday, November 14, at midday.
“We will cut the cake and have a wee address to past and present members (all welcome), followed by a 100 target match.”
