Congratulations to Evan Little on winning A Grade at the North Island Open Champs at Palmerston North on Saturday with an impressive 395.24, an inner ahead of the 2^nd placegetter.  Wiko du Toit also shot in the North Island Champs, in both the prone and air rifle competitions, scoring well in both and finishing 4^th in the air rifle event.

For the second consecutive week, Chris Lockery and Emily Lockery have recorded new PBs of 95.2 and 96.2 respectively (an improvement on Emily’s previous PB by 7 points!!).  It is pleasing to see such a fantastic result for Emily.  Emily has put in a huge amount of effort this year, attending regularly, persevering each week with getting  her position sorted, and reasonably recently starting to self-manage this to shoot full cards.  Well done, Emily!

Best on the rest this week was Duncan Tabor with 79.2, his best score to date.  The top five D Graders were Anna 97.3, Emily Lockery 96.2, Chris Lockery 95.2, Melchior Meares 94.3 and Casey Israelson 90.2.  In C Grade Oscar Robinson had a great night, shooting a phenomenal 397.25 which included 100.6 and 100.5, while only an inner separated Erin Little and Inge Little (96.3 and 96.2 respectively).  It was also very close in B Grade – Wiko du Toit scored 97.6 ahead of Craig Fair on 97.2.  Evan Little’s 99.8 was best in A Grade, while top shot in Master Grade was Pratik Tailor with 100.8.  In the 20-shot competition Meredith Ackrill recorded the best score this week – 197.12.

In the Wellington v Hutt Valley C Grade representative match held on Friday 15 September, Hutt Valley proved too strong, finishing almost 30 points ahead of Wellington.  Top Wellington shooter was Erin Little with 194.10 followed by Oscar Robinson and Inge Little, both with 193.7.

The Wellington Closed Champs final was held on Tuesday evening.  Unfortunately Evan Little’s one-point lead going into the final wasn’t quite enough to secure top spot overall, scoring 195.11 to finish a point behind Neil Kinsey from Wellington Central.  Oscar Robinson shot a very commendable 196.9 which kept him in 3^rd position.

If you are not involved in any other competitive shooting this week, please now forward me your completed grading return.  All competition scores need to be recorded (whole numbers only, not inners) for cards shot between 1 April and 30 September.  It is each shooter’s individual responsibility to complete their grading return, which will be collated and forwarded to the national body, Target Shooting New Zealand.

Time to start thinking about the end-of-year WSRA prizegiving.  As this year marks the association’s centenary, a special dinner is being organised at the Pines, Houghton Bay, on Friday 13 October ($40 each).  A form will be available at the club each Sunday prior to this date for ticket purchases – please complete your name and how many tickets you require.  Payment can be made direct to the club’s bank account.  Trophies and representative badges will be awarded throughout the evening.  Family members, ex-members, future members are all invited.  So come along and help celebrate the association’s achievement, as well as our club and individual members’ achievements.

Good luck to our Wellington College team, competing in the interisland secondary schools match in Palmerston North this weekend.

Upcoming events:

• Thursday 28 September, 7.30pm, Wellington v Hertfordshire match, 1x10NZ, 1x10UK.  Team Craig Fair, Evan Little, Erin Little, Mark Riley.
• Friday 29 September to Sunday 1 October, Interisland secondary schools match, Palmerston North.  Wellington College: Oscar Robinson, Wiko du Toit, Amalamo Simi.
• Tuesday 10 October, Champion of Champions match, 8.00pm C/D Grades 1x10, 8.30pm Master/A/B Grades 1x20.  Champions to be named Monday 9 October.
• Friday 13 October, The Pines, Houghton Bay, 6.30pm, WSRA centenary prizegiving.  Tickets $40 each.
• Sunday 15 October, BSRC prizegiving/BBQ.