TOP MARKSMEN: Mikayla Gardner (right) with Olivia Hendriks and Caitlin Reed. PICTURE/SUPPLIED
High school students from as far north as Kaitaia College to Maungaturoto in the south of the province represented their schools as individuals and in five person teams at the fifth and final event of the 2015 Northland Fish & Game Secondary Schools Clay Target competition at the Whangarei Combined
Gun Club earlier this month.
Top placings at the September 5, event were dominated by shooters from Whangarei Boys High, Tauraroa Area School teams in the boys' divisions, and Whangarei Girls High in the girls'. The best placed Far North shooter was Kaitaia College's Mikayla Gardner who finished 3rd overall in the HOA girls event behind Pompallier Catholic School's Olivia Hendriks, and Caitlin Reed from WGHS.
All those who gained top three placings received Fish and Game medals and sporting good prizes. As well, many will take part in the three-day Fish & Game North Island and New Zealand Secondary Schools Clay Target Championships in Hamilton from September 26-28. Event spokesman Rudi Hoetjes said that clay target shooting is a great, safe and supervised sport which could lead to New Zealand representation at international level.
"The competition also teaches young shooters the challenges of game bird hunting, and being able to put some wild meat on the table in the company of family or friends," he said, adding the students demonstrated some "outstanding" skills in the finale of their domestic season.
