Back from his medal-winning effort at the World Down-The-Line Championships John Sleightholme (left) was in the ribbons at the Tamworth Clay Target Club’s shoot on the weekend. His results included second behind Port Macquarie’s Robert Clarke (right) in the double barrel. Photo: Geoff O’Neill 020912GOA01
TAMWORTH Clay Target Club hosted its 35th annual two-day trap shoot at its Loomberah grounds on the weekend and once again the scores reflected the quality of targets that the Tamworth club presents to shooters.
Almost 100 shooters took to the range competing for over $15,000 in prizes and trophies across several different events.
The first event was the RJN Transport/Tamworth Tilt trays and was won by local shooter Peter Holmes with a perfect score of 195/195.
The Dieselcare Single Barrel Championship saw Brad Henshall from Guyra prove too good for the rest with a score of 71/71 to take out the event ahead of John Sleightholme, the recent gold medal winner in the World Down-The-Line championships in the teams event held in Wales.
Sleightholme was then second in The Goodyear Autocare 50 target Double Barrel.
It was the final event on Saturday and proved to be an event of stamina, with 15 shooters recording the perfect 50/50.
The shoot-off began at 3.30pm and went until well after dark with the lights turned on.
Port Macquarie’s Robert Clark outlasted Sleightholme after he missed his 362nd target.
Young Gunnedah shooter Sophie Sainsbury shot exceptionally well to claim second in C grade and earn a regrade from C grade to B grade.
The first event on Sunday was the Australian Gunsmith Services Handicap, which was a 30 target event.
Only three shooters scored the perfect 30/30.
The shoot-off was shot off using the flash target as used at the Olympics by local shooter Clive Barton.
Dad Col was then the victor in the handicap event with a score of 37/37.
The Bearfast Champion of Champions was won by Dale Ellis from Guyra with a score of 149/150.
The final event of the weekend was the Engineering Unlimited Double Rise Championship – an event where two targets are thrown at once and you have to hit both.
Current national champion Sleightholme looked the shooter to beat when he once again posted the perfect 50/50 but it was Guyra shooter Dale Ellis who finished the weekend as the Double Rise Champion with a perfect 60/60 after the shoot-off ahead of Sleightholme.
Central Coast shooter Kevin Thompson showed why he is amongst the best, with a score of 278/ 280 for the weekend leaving him two points down over the six events and shooting the perfect score in four of the six events to win the Rusty Civil Overall high gun.
AA Grade was taken out by Sleightholme, while the A Grade Goodyear Autocare high gun was Narrabri’s John Harris with 265/280.
The Graham Wilson Memorial Junior High gun was won by Nick Tanner from Guyra with a score of 253/280, while Holmes took out the Dieselcare Veterans High Gun.