A relaxing day at the club yesterday with lots of the usual banter.  The four-week introductory programme has now been completed, and the club competition will commence on 5 April.  Each grade this season has a good number of shooters which should lead to excellent competition for both the club competition and securing a place in an interclub team.

Mark Baines took top 20-shot honours this week with a very impressive 198.13 (including a 99.9).  Meredith Ackrill finished four inners ahead of Bex Gibbs in the top grades (98.7 and 98.3 respectively), and Stephen Thessman recorded an excellent 97.5 in B Grade.  Emily Lockery’s 95.2 was best in C Grade, followed by Cassie Truscott with 93.1.  And in D Grade Jaz Hamilton scored highest with 92.1 ahead of Steven Jia on 86.0.  On the rest, top shot was Mitesh Mistra with 88.0.

The club is practising social distancing by using only even mounds with coaching from either the back of the mound or on the next even mound.  The committee welcomes other suggestions members may have.

The North Island Association has advised that with the Government’s announcement last Thursday of a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people indoors, the 2020 Teams of Ten match has had to be postponed.  The next step is to look at the possibility of holding the match later in 2020, which will be dependent on the progression of the COVID-19 virus. The trials scheduled to be held on 5 and 19 April will no longer take place.  A decision regarding the Wellington v Horowhenua match scheduled for Sunday 26 April at Poroutawhao will be advised once known. 

The Bulls Open Champs scheduled for 10 and 11 April has been cancelled.

BSRC will hold its 2020 AGM next Sunday at 7.30pm. The current committee would love to see some new members stepping up, so if you would like to be involved put your name forward at the meeting.  The committee meets monthly from March to October.  BSRC subs will be confirmed at the AGM.

Thanks to our many members who help out each week to ensure the smooth running of club days.  It’s great to see everyone pitching in.

Upcoming events:

• Sunday 29 March, 6.30pm.
• Sunday 29 March, 7.30pm, BSRC AGM.
• Saturday 4 April, Colyton Club Open Champs, Feilding.
• Sunday 5 April, club competition commences.

Last week’s Update missed noting 20-shot scores.  The highest score recorded was an impressive 197.9 shot by Mark Baines, followed by David Grain with 195.9.

This week’s top honours went to Meredith Ackrill with 197.13 which included 100.8, the first 100 shot at the club this season.  Erin Little’s 196.11 was next best, ahead of Bex Gibbs with 195.7.  Our shooters on rests continue to improve – Tiffany Kenyon scored highest with 88.0, two points ahead of mum, Natasha Kenyon.  Scores were extremely close in D Grade this week, the top three being within inners of each other (Jack Day 91.3, Daniel Johnson 91.1, Josh Whitehead 91.1).  In C Grade Cassie Truscott scored highest with a fantastic 96.3.  Only inners separated the top two B Graders as well (Mark Baines 97.5, Stephen Thessman 97.2) and in the higher grades Meredith Ackrill’s 99.5 was best followed by Bex Gibbs and Evan Little both with 98.6.

A reminder to help out with setting up and/or putting away each evening, and also for those using club rifles to wipe them down with an oily rag before leaving.

It was decided at the WSRA AGM on Friday to increase the WSRA affiliation fees to $50 rather than $47.50.  The BSRC subs will be confirmed at the club’s AGM but the Treasurer’s recommendation is they remain the same as last year.

Upcoming events:

• Sunday 22 March, 6.30pm, introduction programme followed by club practice session for 2020 members.
• Sunday 29 March, 6.30pm onwards, club practice session for 2020 members.
• Friday 27 March, deadline for Rees Scroll nominations.
• Saturday 4 April, Colyton Club Open Champs, Feilding.
• Sunday 5 April, 9.30am, Rees Scroll trials, 2x20.
• Sunday 5 April, club competition commences.
• Saturday 11 April, Bulls Club Open Champs, Palmerston North.

It was great to see so many members at the club yesterday, enduring the extremely hot conditions to get in some practice.

Congratulations to Finn Ashby on an amazing new PB of 97.2, three points higher than his previous PB.  New shooter Steven Jia will move to sling and jacket next week, having taken on board and put into practice all coaching advice over the last two weeks culminating in a very impressive 93.1.

Evan Little recorded the highest 10-shot score of 99.8, while Mark Baines led B Grade with an excellent 98.5, followed by Casey Israelson on 96.4.  C Grade looks set to be a very competitive group with four shooters recording 94s and 95s, highest honours going to Inge Little and Cassie Truscott jointly with 95.3.  Finn Ashby’s 97.2 was highest in D Grade followed by Jack Day with 92.1.

Many members are trialling new equipment, or tweaking current equipment to get a better fit.  Please ensure you let coaches know so that they can assist as necessary.

The 2020 membership fees will be set at the club’s AGM but the Treasurer’s recommendation is that the BSRC subs will remain the same as last year.  However both TSNZ and WSRA have had to increase their affiliation fees slightly for this season.

The Wellington Association AGM is being held on Friday 13 March at 7.30pm at the Royal Tiger Range.  There are vacancies on the Executive so if you’re keen to have an input into the decision-making of your Association, please attend and put your name forward.

Thanks to everyone for ensuring the club runs smoothly each week, particularly the newer shooters being proactive in putting targets into frames, changing targets, marking and check marking.  However a reminder for markers to ensure when recording scores that their handwriting is clearly legible.  If an alteration is required, please cross out the original score and write the new score in rather than overwriting the original score.  The club would like to encourage all members to have a go at coaching other shooters – this often leads to an improvement in the coach’s own shooting by reinforcing the basics.  A list of the usual fixes for new shooter issues has been produced to assist coaches, and experienced coaches are happy to help as needed.

Upcoming events:

• Friday 13 March, 7.30pm, WSRA AGM.
• Sundays from 15 to 22 March, 6.30pm, introduction programme.
• Sundays from 15 to 29 March, 7.30pm, club practice session for 2020 members.
• Saturday 4 April, Colyton Club Open Champs, Feilding.
• Sunday 5 April, 9.30am, Rees Scroll trials, 2x20.
• Sunday 5 April, club competition commences.
• Saturday 11 April, Bulls Club Open Champs, Palmerston North.

Many thanks to everyone who helped out with the social shoot on Wednesday.  With 29 shooters, all helpers were certainly busy!  The venturer group really seemed to enjoy themselves, with a number of very good scores recorded.

The 2020 season is now under way.  Top shot on the rest was Tiffany Kenyon with an outstanding 88.1.  Finn Ashby was highest in D Grade with 92.4, just inners ahead of Jack Day on 92.2.  Cassie Truscott has started the season in C Grade in fine form with 96.1, and Meredith Ackrill led the higher grades with 99.5.

The Wellington Association AGM is being held on Friday 13 March at 7.30pm at the Royal Tiger Range.  There are vacancies on the Executive so if you’re keen to have an input into the decision-making of your Association, please attend and put your name forward.

Brooklyn Club would like to encourage all members to have a go at coaching new shooters using the rest.  Remember: we all know more than the person who walks through the door for the first time.  A list of the usual fixes for new shooter issues has been produced to assist coaches, and experienced coaches are happy to help as needed.  It would be great if coaches were able to rotate on and off range to enable further discussion with shooters between squads.

One of the most exciting matches on the shooting calendar is the Teams of Ten match (also referred to as Rees Scroll).  This year marks the 60^th anniversary of this event, with the match being held in Palmerston North on Saturday 9 May.  All North Island associations form either one or two teams to compete in this event, therefore approximately 160–170 shooters are involved, leading to a very social event.  Wellington Association would like to enter two teams in this match, so if you are interested, fill in the nomination form (to be emailed to all WSRA members this week) and come along to the trials on 5 and 19 April at 9.30am.  The match comprises 2x20-shot targets so get in as much 20-shot practice as you can over the next couple of months.

Upcoming events:

• Sundays from 8 to 22 March, 6.30pm, introduction programme.
• Sundays from 8 to 29 March, 7.30pm, club practice session for 2020 members.
• Friday 13 March, 7.30pm, WSRA AGM.
• Sunday 5 April, 9.30am, Rees Scroll trials, 2x20.
• Sunday 5 April, club competition commences.