Dannevirke: Calibre of shooters high for smallbore champs

Shooters ready themselves on the range at the Dannevirke Smallbore Rifle Club's southern Hawke's Bay championships on Saturday. Top: Wade Mace, left, Bruce Marchant, Grant Taylor, Max Kinsey and Gillian Cahill. Bottom: Bruce Cameron, left, Neil Harris, Bronwyn Shields and Doug Gibson.

The 110 jackpot may not have been struck at the Dannevirke Smallbore Rifle Club's two-day championships, but the calibre of the competitors was spot on.

"We've been running an optimum 110 shot jackpot for a number of years, but it hasn't been struck yet, although someone came close on Friday night with 108," Hazel Knight from Central Hawke's Bay said.

Hazel wasn't one of the more than 60 competitors taking part, kept busy with inputting data, but she still felt the buzz of excitment.

Trophy winners: Chris Harrison (left), Kerrin Stuart, Janet Hunt, Grant Taylor, Caley McNair, Ruth McNair, Anne Harris, Taresa Morris and Robbie McNair at the prizegiving Saturday night.

"It really gets exciting towards the end of the competition," she said on Saturday night as the shoot out to find the winner of the Southern Hawke's Bay championship began.

For Gillian Cahill, in her first year with the Dannevirke club, shooting a personal best of 97 was exciting.

"I moved here from Australia three and half years ago and I've taken part in two shoots over the last year and I'm very surprised to find out I've achieved a 97," she said.

"This sport is a personal challenge, with great coaching here at the club. My friend Ingrid and I joined together to encourage and support each other and I'm thoroughly enjoying the sport."

Gillian has had her gun licence since last May and enjoys deer hunting and duck shooting.

"Like all sport, it's about meeting people," she said.

Hazel is enthusiastic about newcomers to the sport like Gillian.

"She's doing brilliantly," she said.

"Smallbore is a family sport and although I'm over 80 I still enjoy shooting. It's a life-long sport."

Grant Taylor, from Poroutwhao, winner of the Southern Hawke's Bay open championship, said the Dannevirke event was well run.

Along with the traditional A, B, C, D grade and masters competitions, this year a new grade, rested rifles for primary school-aged shooters, was held catering for the large number of young competitors. This was won by Caley McNair on 185.02, from Daniel Aide on 177.03.

Results: Teams: Rongotea 1, 1. A grade open: Chris Harrison, Ruahine 1 on countback; Jess Burgess-Smith, RR&G 2; David Belworthy, Wainuiomata 3. A grade closed: Chris Harrison Ruahine. B grade open: Samuel Porter, Upper Hutt 1; Sarah Reesby, Rongotea 2; Cameron Eveleigh, Rongotea 3. Closed: Carl Sigvertsen, Ruahine. C grade open: Kerrin Stuart, Rongotea 1; Allan Wright, Marton 2; Ken Baldwin, Ruahine 3. Closed: Ken Baldwin, Ruahine. D grade open: Fabin Sinclair, Martinborough 1; Taresa Morris, Wallingford 2; Tony Gore, Upper Hutt 3. Closed, Taresa Morris.

Rested rifles: Caley McNair 1; Daniel Adie 2, both Dannevirke.

Masters: Anne Harris, Te Puke 1; Janet Hunt, Rongotea 2; Grant Taylor, Poroutwhao 3. Closed, Robbie McNair, Dannevirke.