2005 NSW STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

By: Jamie Harris SDC

Sydney Branch hosted this year’s championships at the Malabar range, in unusually perfect conditions. Nobody could forget the weather of 2003 when the championships were in Sydney last time, and perhaps played a small roll in why the attendance was down this year. From calls made to the organisers up to the eave of the event, the Oct long weekend, during school holidays, during the NRL Grand Final, and while fuel prices are sky high and rising, in hindsight, there couldn’t have been a worse weekend to choose for this event to run. But next year will be different.

These events happen only after a lot of volunteers dedicate their precious time to coordinate activities for all others to enjoy. In the case of these events, all the visitors were treated to one of the best ran MSD events ever. It was a credit to the Sydney crew for a job very well done. Sydney ranges are not like many others where typically one club has control. Malabar, ANZAC, caters for many tens of groups, totalling ten thousand, or more, shooters. When a weekend event happens at Malabar, you can rest assured that work and planning had been taking place months before the event.

The weekend had something for everybody who enjoys shooting a discipline that is contested over multiple distances, multiple positions and multiple courses of fire. Snaps, Rapids and Slow Fire – the event had it all. Like the last few years, pistol was well catered for and had a good variety of core matches to form the championship. Also Rifle events for Martini Cadet, 22LR Trainers, As-Issued, Modified, Optical/Tactical etc, it was all there.

Shooting on the historic and well titled “ANZAC” range at Malabar, adds to the certain sentimental values that this discipline’s core is based on.

At the close of Sunday’s rifle activities, the discipline AGM was held, with David Waters opening the meeting and Jamie Harris second chair. David thanked all those who contributed to the discipline, spoke quickly about the decline in participation as compared to previous years (due to fuel and travel costs etc) and that shooters now, more than ever, need to unite and work/shoot together, irrespective of personal interests or agenda’s. His comments were met with very favourable toast from the floor, and a standing ovation, one that Dave will never forget.

With a tear in Dave’s eye, before declaring all office positions vacant, Dave announced to the floor that he was not standing for re-election and asked that nobody nominate him for any position. Dave also commented that he may not know what the future health of the discipline will be, but if all the rules are followed, without prejudice, he would support whoever is elected with his 100% support (Dave certainly hasn’t dedicated 8 years to this discipline to just walk away from it, he assures us).

With only 1 candidate standing for each Chairman and Deputy positions, the new Chairman for 2005/06 is Jamie Harris, of Tamworth, with the Deputy Chairman being Rob Irving from Southern Highlands. We hope the discipline will continue to grow, and be ever popular under the new leadership promising new ideas and drive.

After the last shots were fired, and the range was packed up, we all resigned to the club house where nice cool refreshments (appropriate of the hottest Sydney day on record for that date), were enjoyed while waiting the final results. The presentation followed afterwards and the trophies were presented by both the new SDC and Grant Bayley, SSAA Range Manager who was instrumental in this event being so well organised, and for providing all the hotel type comforts for those who chose the very economical accommodation on the range.

In closing, the event organisers wish to thank the long, long, long list of helpers, volunteers and sponsors. We thank all the shooters for contesting the event on a typically family weekend. We must give a very special thankyou to both NAVY Pistol Club lead by George Papallo, SSAA Sydney lead by David Waters, and all the tireless volunteers who scored, officered, catered, ran matches, operated target galleries etc etc.

At the close of the event, and for days after, organisers have received complimentary emails with opinions that the annual championships this year was one of the best run ever, and wished a lot more people had fronted the start line. Roll on 2006………..

Finally, we thank our sponsors, in no particular order:

- Lawrance Ordnance 9212 5673 for the competitor patches,

- McFarloans Finance 0414 465 852,

- Bespoke Leather 02 6767 0251 for the best leather slings and bolt holsters,

- PrerequisiteIT 0400 495 208 who are the proud hosts of our domain at no charge.

A full detailed list of results is available from the NSW web site.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS EVENT RESULTS.

NSW Pistol Championships:

Std Military/Service Championship Top Guns

1^st Rob Irving, 2^nd David Waters, 3^rd Grant Bayley

Class 4 (Rimfire) Service Championship Top Guns

1^st Rob Irving, 2^nd Daniel Ryder, 3^rd David Waters

Martini Cadet Championships:

1^st Rob Irving, 2^nd Rob Richards, 3^rd David Waters

.22LR Trainer Championships:

1^st Rob Irving, 2^nd Daniel Ryder, 3^rd Rob Richards

Standard Rifle Class A/B/C

3Position Core Match

M-grd 1^st David Waters, 2^nd Darren Ottery, 3^rd Rob Richards

A-grd 1^st Frank Gasparini, 2^nd Ian Mathison, 3^rd Kevin Gill

B-grd 1^st Bob Harrold, 2^nd Ray Harrold, 3^rd Andrew Goodsell

C-grd 1^st Mike Gammidge, 2^nd Norm Parker, 3^rd Toni-Ann Waldron (Jnr)

Championship Top Graders

M-grd 1^st David Waters, 2^nd Darren Ottery, 3^rd David Cornick

A-grd 1^st Ian Mathison, 2^nd Frank Gasparini, 3^rd Andrew Prowse

B-grd 1^st Bob Harrold, 2^nd Andrew Goodsell, 3^rd Ray Harrold

C-grd 1^st Mike Gammidge, 2^nd Norm Parker, 3^rd Danielle Robinson (Jnr)

Class A/B/C Championship Top Guns

1^st David Waters, 2^nd Darren Ottery, 3^rd Ian Mathison, 4^th David Cornick, 5^th Rob Richards, 6^th Bob Harrold

Modified Rifle Class H Championships Top Guns

1^st Zac Willett, 2^nd Peter Bourke, 3^rd Rob Richards, 4^th Aubrey Sonnenberg, 5^th Dick Bennett, 6^th Rob Irving

Optical Rifle Championships

Class F1/G (Std) 1^st Zac Willett, 2^nd Brad Hedges, 3^rd Rob Richards

Class F2/G (Std) 1^st David Cornick, 2^nd Grant Bayley, 3^rd Bob Harrold

Class J/T (Tact) 1^st David Waters, 2^nd Rob Irving, 3^rd Aubrey Sonnenberg, 4^th Dick Bennett, 5^th Andrew Radford, 6^th Derek Asirvadem

STATE ANNUAL CUMULATIVE RESULTS.

NSW 2005 Rifle

- State Team - David Waters (Sydney), Darren Ottery (Casino), Rob Irving (Southern Highlands), Dick Bennett (Sydney), Reserve) Ian Mathison (Casino)

- Shooter of the Year – David Waters

- Hall of Fame inductee’s – Rob Richards

NSW 2005 Pistol

- State Team – Rob Irving (Southern Highlands), David Waters (Sydney), Dick Bennett (Sydney), Wal Cameron (Tamworth), Reserve) Brian Haynes (Grafton).

- Shooter of the Year – Rob Irving

- Hall of Fame inductee’s of 2005 – David Waters and Rob Irving.