303 Classic Invitational Shoot

Defibrillator Installed

The Violet Town Shooting complex is a safer place thanks to the installation, on Saturday, of a defibrillator provided by the State Government.  St John’s Ambulance members delivered the unit to the complex and then instructed the members of the East Central District Rifle Association and the Euroa Clay Target Club in the correct use of a defibrillator. The two clubs take the health and safety of their members and visitors very seriously and this is just one more step towards that goal. Surprisingly the current demographic of Target Shooters is in the older bracket.  The instructor said that since the program commenced many lives have been saved through prompt use of a defibrillator by the general public. Marty Kelly, Captain of the ECDRA, thanked the instructor for the unit and training and said it was good to know that all authorized users of the Violet Town Shooting Complex have access to this great life saving equipment.   The training concluded with lunch and then it was down to business with the classic 303 match.

Our local East Central District Rifle Association team  won the 2017 McAuliffe Shield pennant final with a final score of 889 points over Karramomus with 870 points on the Karramomus Rifle Range last Saturday.  This makes it a clean sweep for the ECDRA winning all MCAuliffe Shield  matches this year and  seventh consecutive winners of the McAuliffe Shield (2011 to 2017) a fantastic effort and exemplar teamwork by all members.

The  final was hotly contested under what can be best described as very difficult conditions.  A freezing, gusting wind out of the North East, straight off the snow fields blew down the range into the faces of the shooters.  The wind not only caused eyes to water, it cut through the many layers of warm clothing with a wind chill factor close to zero.  As it swept down the range it changed both strength and direction in an almost unpredictable way.  The scores tell it all, with only four possible scores for the whole day three of these were the target rifle shooters for the Karramomus team  using peep sights and one for the ECDRA, Rosco Davis who shot a brilliant 60.5 at 500 yards.  Despite the pressure and the conditions the ECDRA team was up to the task and the wind coaches Geoff James ( using all of his 60 plus years of rifle shooting experience) and Captain, Marty Kelly must be congratulated on their efforts throughout the entire shoot.  ECDRA ended up with 47 of the teams shots being in the dead center of the target while the Karramomus team on their home range could only manage 16 dead centres.  Rosso Davis shot brilliantly all day with very tight groups to top score for the ECDRA  both off rifle (174.11 out of 180) and on handicap saving 6 handicap points scoring 180 just ahead of David Wallace who also scored 180 on handicap.  Captain, Marty Kelly had the hard luck story of the day shooting last a 600 yards after a solid days coaching had a perfect score going until his 6th shot when he missed the target - a quick recovery meant he finished with 52 out of 60.  The over 80’s best shoot went to Norm Linehan who finished the first two 500 yard ranges only 4 points down with a couple of very tight groups then the long cold day took its toll at 600 when he shot a 53.   Well done Norm.  The ECDRA handicap team results were:  top shot, Rosco Davis 180.11 followed by David Wallace 180.6, Norm Linehan 178.10, Des Coulter 176.13 and Matt Frazer 175.7 . Other ECDRA handicap scores were: Marty Kelly 174.6, Geoff James 172.4 and Roger King 168.7.  The consistency of the team and the ability of the ECDRA shooters to shoot to their handicap has been a feature of the team’s performance all through the competition.  Next week it will be the annual Goulburn Vally DRA prize shoot on Saturday followed by the Karramomus picnic shoot on Sunday both shoots will be on the Karramomus range.  For those not going to the prize shoot there will be shooting at the Violet Town in preparation for the Chas Hayes Long range pennant consisting of three matches over 800 900 and 1000yards.  The 800 to 1000 yard distances are regarded as the First Class distances where the shooters have very little margin of error in both shooting and adjusting their sights for the prevailing conditions.  All State, National and “Bisley England” ( the home of long range precision shooting) finish at 1000 yards or just over 900 metres and a lot can happen to a projectile as it travels the 1.5 seconds from the rifle to the target.  We wish our local ECDRA team the best to retain the Chase Hayes Trophy that they won last year.

Roger King top scores  at the Chas Hayes 1000 yard (914 m) match.

Under freezing conditions with a blustery wind the local East Central District Rifle Association team took out the first round of the Chas Hayes memorial Pennant shot over 1000yuards(914m) at Karramomus on Saturday by 15 points. The results were: East Central 589  Shepparton Nathalia’s 574, Nagambie 559, Karramomus  553 and Katandra 114.

Geoff James on the right coaches Matt Frazer (next left) at 1000yards on the Karramomus Range on Saturday.  Note the warm clothing that was required to defeat the bitterly cold conditions.

With some very good marksman present this was a major achievement for the ECDRA.  An indication on how difficult the conditions were is that Len Hayes from Shepparton Nathalia was the only shooter to shoot a possible Off-Rifle. The 1000yard (914m) has been the nemesis of the ECDRA as so many variables have to be mastered to score well, some would say just hitting the target at this distance is a feat in istself.  Roger King proved that he was up to the task and in shooting a 127 (with handicap) top scored for the day for all the five teams.  It was Roger’s consistency with 54.2 and 58.4 off-rifle that ensured he shot to his handicap and above. Well done Roger.  Just behind him and the only other shooter to reach the 120 point score was the ECDRA’s Matt Frazer.    The local team coaches led by Geoff James OBE (Over B___ eighty) were tearing their hair out trying to read the conditions and at the end of the day were totally bushed.  The results and the shot plots show that they did a brilliant job as they worked with each shooter to keep them in the middle of the target.  The results were: Rodger King 54.2, 58.4, 112.6, 15,handicap for 120 (top score for the ECDRA and for all comers on the day); Matt Frazer 56.2, 54.2, 110.4, 10, handicap for120;  Des Coulter 58.4, 51.1,109.5, 6, handicap for 115; Marty Kelly 51.1, 54.1, 105.2, 9, handicap for 114; Neale Hambridge 50.1, 54.2, 104.3, 9, handicap for113; David Wallace 51.1, 53.2, 104.3, 9, handicap for 113; Graeme Kerr 51.1, 52.2,103.3, 6, handicap for109; Geoff James 47, 48.1, 95.1, 11 handicap for 106.  The shooters were not slow in getting to the club house to warm up and enjoy the now famous Karramomus hospitality.  The one thing that was consistent in all conversations was how difficult the day was, yes there were patches of easier conditions but you still had to shoot well to get a good score. It was also a relief that none of the ECDRA members were up for a flagon - the penalty for shooting on the wrong target.   Next week the ECDRA members will be seeking some relief of the pressure of match shooting and to refocus for the next two rounds of the Chase Hayes pennant and the Victoria Champions of Champions match in October ( these championships always finish at 1000 yards so the ECDRA members have had some good practice so far).  Shooting will be at Violet Town and new shooters are most welcome.

Karramomus Picnic Shoot 2017

What a weekend for our local Marksmen

David Wallace, member  of the East Central District Rifle Association Inc.,  won  the F Class Standard B grade Goulburn Valley DRA Prize shoot on Saturday and  ECDRA Captain Marty Kelly won  the F Class Standard A grade Karramomus Picnic shoot on Sunday.  Both shoots were held on the Karramomus rifle range under what can only be described as less than ideal conditions.  The cold, the wind and the rain conspired to sort out the top marksmen, the only relief was that both shoots were conducted over 500 and 600 yards and not the 1000 yards where the conditions would have been almost impossible.  It was not a weekend for the faint hearted as Marty found when he shot 60.5 only to find he was fifth at the first 500 yard range on Saturday.  On Sunday he made sure he was on the top of the podium in first place with a 60.6 at the first range.

Marty Kelly displaying with pride his No 1 Badge F Class  Standard A grade for the Karramomus Picnic shoot held last Sunday.

On both days, David Wallace (at his first Prize shoot) shot very consistently including a first place on the second 500 yards on Saturday with a 58.4.   Both marksmen were challenged by the high number of 60’s being shot and it was with a sense of surprise and pride that at the end of the day on Saturday David had taken first place in the F Class Standard B grade and  on Sunday 4th place.  Marty found he had shot his way into third place on Saturday and then on Sunday  first place ( dropping only two points for the day) in F class Standard A grade.  Both marksmen commented on how they had not noticed the rain as they were focused on one thing and that was placing their shots in the centre of the target.  David found that adjustments of his sights required very close attention to elevation as very small adjustments made a difference of one whole point as the wind gusted across the range.   The feature of the weekend was the great fellowship and sportsmanship of all participants and of course the fantastic Karramomus dinner on Saturday night was up to its usual high standards.  The results for David Wallace shooting F Class Standard B grade were:  Day one GVDRA Prize shoot - 500 yards  57.3 (third place) 500 yards 58.4 (first place) 600 yards 57.3 (second place)and a total of 172.10 - First Place.  On Day two the Karramomus picnic shoot 500 yards 56 (third place), 500 yards 56.2 (third place) 500yards 54.2 (third place) and a total of 166.4 fourth place.  Marty Kelly’s scores, shooting F Class Standard A grade were:  Day One, Goulburn Valley District Rifle Association 2017 prize shoot; 500yards 60.3 (5th place) 58.3 (7th place) and 600 yards 56.1(10th place)  for a total of 174.7 and third place; day two Karramomus Picnic shoot, 500 yards 60.6 (1st place) 500yards 58.2 (6th place) 60.7 (1st place) and a total of 178.15 (first place).   A feature of scores were the number of shots in the dead centre of the target signified by the number after the decimal point.  That Marty Kelly could shoot a 60.7 just 0.3 off a perfect score after a weekend of shooting in the most miserable of conditions is proof that he is ready for the Champions of Champions match to be held in October.  This year Marty will be joined by Matt Frazer who is the ECDRA’s champion in F Class Open.  Let us trust that the ECDRA marksmen’s good form holds to ensure they can do their best at the state championships.

Our local East Central District Rifle Association Inc team won the last round of the McAuliffe Shield pennant series for 2017 last Saturday at the Karramomus Rifle range.  The ECDRA scored 897 out of 900 on handicap while Karramomus scored 880 - the win making it 5 wins in a row for the ECDRA, well done.

The win puts the ECDRA team on the top of the ladder with 20 points, 8 points clear of the next team.  The challenge for the offical scorer is who will meet our local ECDRA team in the finals as Karramomus and Nagambie both finished the peanut series with 12 points and depending on the results from the local derby between the two Shepparton Nathalia teams one of those teams may also finish with 12 points.  2017 has been one of the most hotly contested McAuliffe Shield pennants for many years as demonstrated by the teams who are contesting second place on the ladder, we await the decision of the offical scorer to see who will contest the finals.   It was consistency that won the match for the ECDRA team  with Geoff James and Marty Kelly the only shooters who shot the possible 60 out of 60 however there were a host of 59s and 58s.  Captain Marty Kelly had his work cut out as both Graeme Kerr and Vaughan Murphy were absent and their extensive experience left a big hole in the wind coaches available on the day.  The conditions were very good most of the time and as the day drew to a close poor light and  a gusting wind were a real challenge. It was great to see Norm Linehan ( 81 years of age) step up and put in a good day on the other hand the light caught Rosco Davis out when he p[laced a shot on the wrong target.  The hard luck story of they was Geoff James’ ( also 81 years off age) dropped 10 points on the first stage only to record a 57 then a 60 on the last two stages.  Top Shots off-rifle were Matt Frazer 174.11 and Marty Kelly with 174.9, Matt took the top place with his 11 super centres to Marty’s 9, congratulations Matt.  The handicap adjusted scores (out 0f 180 points) were: Mat Frazer 180, Marty Kelly 180, Rosco Davis 180,Norm Linehan 179, Neal Hambridge  178, Des Coulter 176, Geoff James 175 and Roger King 174.  The hot topic of conversation over afternoon tea in the WARM club house was who is available for next weeks final shoot for the McAuliffe shield?  The team(s) to meet the ECDRA team and the host Club/range  have yet to be determined.  ECDRA members will be contacted as soon as these are known.  There will be no shooting at Violet Town Range next week.  We wish our local team well as they strive to win the Shield for the 6th time in a row.  Breaking News;  the 2017 McAuliffe Shield final will be between ECDRA and Karramomus.  Karramomus pipped Nagambie by 2 points to make the finals, it was a very closely contested pennant series! The location for the finals has not been determined yet.