 |
Maryborough Clay Target Club News'n Views containing
President's Notes, members' achievements, information and anything
which comes to hand which members should know about. |
January 25th - Please note that due to bad weather Bundaberg are postponing their Two Day shoot on January 28th and 29th. A new date will be advised. Kaye and Rob apologise for any inconvenience. Bad luck Bundy.
From the President - January 16th 2012:
Happy New Year to you all and I trust a pleasant, healthy and prosperous one also. I hope your Christmas was enjoyable too and that the ham was tasty . A big year for our club as well so let's all enjoy it.
Our first comp for the year happens next weekend January 22nd and this shoot is always a popular day which includes the Harry Walker Memorial 25 Target Handicap event with placings 1- 3, fond memories eh. The other events include the Cash Divide, 25 Target Points and a 25 Target Continental ending the days events.
Zippy will be away so we will need a hand on Saturday afternoon at 1pm to check and load the traps. A little lawn mowing around the club and to give the club a spruce up prior to Sunday. We need a mower if anyone can loan us for a day that would be good until we purchase a new machine. Please let me know.
An 8am start Sunday will recheck our target heights and angles prior to our General Meeting commencing at 9.30am with competition commencing at 10.30am. Practice is this Wednesday 18 January at 1 pm should you wish to hone your skills prior to the weekend.
The club still has a Secretary vacancy. Should you know anyone who may be able to assist please let me know and I will speak with them. Consideration was also given at our last meeting as to what measurers can be taken to man our canteen. We are still looking for a convener and if not forthcoming a recommendation will be put forward to have a roster of all members drawn up to look after the canteen on their allocated day. This will involve purchasing the goodies and arranging the days food etc so it is important that serious consideration be given to this.
We will also consider at our meeting the matter of a new trailer as Mac has filled his at home and Zippy needs his too. So a few matters to be considered at our meeting and your say will be appreciated.
Not a lot happening around the traps however did get a chance to join Gympie the other Sunday with Greg and Malcolm with the spoils being spread about a bit. Not my way though. Greg lost his Mum last week and our sincere thoughts and condolences go out to Greg, Shirley and their family. At the grand old age of ninety what wonderful memories and stories she would have had to pass on.
Don't forget the following week after our shoot Bundaberg has its first two day shoot for the year. Saturday and Sunday the 28th and 29th of January with early starts. If you can make the both days it would be good or if not maybe join in on the one day. Kingaroy's two day shoot is the following weekend the 4th and 5th of February. I look forward to starting our year this Sunday with better scores than last year and remember all points add up to the Annual Club Championship.
See you Sunday and good shooting to all.President Trev
We are saddened to learn of the passing of George Sckaf.
From QCTA State Administrator and Gold Coast President, Debbie Young, Thursday January 19th...Dear Members and Friends,
It is with the deepest regret and sadness that I inform you of the passing of our club patron and very dear friend George Sckaf, who passed away on Tuesday evening.
George was a generous, warm-hearted family man who was always ready with a helping hand and we will miss him terribly. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very sad time.
The funeral service for George will be held on Saturday 21st January at St James Catholic Church, 165 Old Cleveland Road, Coorparoo at 11.00 am. For those interested there will be a period of viewing which will conclude at 10.30 am prior to the service. Refreshments will be offered at the church after the service.
A great friend, very sadly missed.
Regards
Debbie
Members' achievements around the traps in 2011: Gympie November 13 Greg Matthews
Malcolm ZipfAA Grade 25 DB CD 25/25
A Grade 25 DB CD 25/25Bundaberg November 6 Jack Zaric A Grade 25 DB PS 71/75 Bundaberg October 1 Greg Matthews AA Grade 50 PS 1st 138/150, High Gun 186/200, OA Badge 96/100 Redcliffe September 17-18 Jack Zaric B Grade 25 PS 1st 71/75; 30 DB CD share 29/30 Sunshine Coast September 17 Jack Zaric
Vince DollissonB Grade 30 Medley 1st 68/70, B Grade High Gun 198/212
B Grade 30 Continental 2nd 33/35Callide-Dawson September 3-4 Neil Berry Overall HG 304/320, A Grade 30 Medley 1st 50/50, 30 Cont 1st 40/41,
30 DB 1st 30/30, 50 PS 1st 142/150Bundaberg September 3 Jack Zaric B Grade 50 DB CS 48/50 Dalby August 27-28 Neil Berry Veteran High Gun, A Grade DR Gympie August 11 Vince Dollisson
Kevin PerkinsB Grade 25 DB 21/25; 25 PS 2nd 66/75; 15 pr DR 18/30
Aa Grade 25 PS 2nd 79/81Bundaberg August 7
Annual One DayPaul Anderson
Kevin Perkins
Malcolm Zipf
Neil BerryOverall HG 221/225; OA Medley 146/150; AA Grade 50 DB CS 169/170
OA 50 DB CS 180/180, OA 25 SB CS 25/25
A Grade 25 SB 25/25
A Grade 2nd 50 Medley 140/150Kingaroy QPCTC July 16-17 Neil Berry Veteran High Gun Gympie July 10 Malcolm Zipf
Vince Dollisson
Greg MatthewsAA Grade 50DB 55/57
B Grade 50DB 48/50
AA Grade 50 Cont 50/50Cecil Park July 9-10
NSW State ISSFKevin Perkins Veteran High Gun Bundaberg July 3 Malcolm Zipf
Linda McGregor
Trev CecilOverall HG; A Grade 25 PS 74/75; 25 DB 18m 25/25; and the meat tray raffle
B Grade 25 DB 18m 25/25
Quickie Board Scotch.....no doubt put to good useChinchilla July 2 & 3 Paul Anderson Overall 50 PS Championship 191/192 Gympie June 12 Greg Matthews AA Grade 25 DB 25/25 Herbert River June 11 Gerry Chizzotti Northern Zone Carnival Veteran High Gun 138/150 Gemfields QCTA State Carnival
April 30 to May 2Paul Anderson
Neil Berry
Gerry ChizzottiAA Grade 3rd, State 50 DB CS 200/201
Veteran HG, State 25 pr DR CS 45/50
Won a place in the Queensland State Veterans Team for 2012Bundaberg April 17 100tgt PS Greg Matthews
Mac McGregor
Jack ZaricAA Grade 2nd 282/300
A Grade 1st 272/300 + Jackpot
B Grade 3rd 253/300Gympie April 10 Greg Matthews
Malcolm Zipf
Vince DollissonAA Grade 25 DB 25/25, 25 DB 82/82, Medley 49/50, AA HG 124/125
A Grade 25 DB 24/25
B Grade 25 DB 25/25Kingaroy April 3 Dave Nicholson AA Grade 100 PS 2nd 288/300 Bendigo March 19 Neil Berry AA Grade 1st, Single Barrel Trophy 24/25 Bundaberg March 5 Kevin Perkins
Greg Matthews
Malcolm ZipfOverall & AA 25 SB CS 25/25, AA Grade 15 pr DR 24/30
AA Grade 25 Graded HC 25/25
A Grade DB CD 72/75, A Grade SB CS 22/25, A Grade Gr HC 23/2, HG 137/155New Zealand Nationals March 5-12 Neil Berry Double Rise Super Veteran, Triples Super Veteran Gympie February 13 Vince Dollisson B Grade 25 PS71/78 Bundaberg February 12 Kevin Perkins
Mac McGregorAA Grade DB CD 25/25
B Grade DB CD 24/25, B Grade 25 SB 21/25, B Grade Cont CS 24/25
Come and Try Day 30 July 2011 - Wrap Up
Unfortunately a lack of support from local media with pre-event advertising meant that the word about the event was not as widely spread as would be desired - but thanks to the Chronicle and Observer for the free plugs they did put in for us in the couple of days before the event. Even so, we had 26 people turn up to try our sport, including two juniors and seven women. We had 14 shooters in the morning and 12 in the afternoon.
All had a good time, with almost everyone hitting at least one target. Some shot really well and showed great potential. We sold 31 tickets for an additional 10 targets and the shooters really got into the spirit of the sport and the day. We are hopeful that we will get a few new members from the day, possibly as many as five, which would be a great strike rate from the numbers attending. Several of the attendees told us that it was the most fun they had had on a Saturday for a long time, and if nothing else comes from the day, there is a broader awareness and appreciation of our sport in the community. We also learned that people can eat a lot of sausages when they are free.
The Club members who assisted on the day did a brilliant job. Linda and Gerry acted as head coaches, with Mac looking after the canteen and sausage sizzle. Trevor, Malcolm and Peter Lewis were there for the whole day; Dick, Vince, Shaun, Glenn, Greg Matthews and Ken Stevenson helped out in the morning and Denver came for the afternoon. They were all worked off their feet coaching and supervising the shooters and deserve our heartfelt thanks. While it would have been nice to have a couple of extra assistant coaches in the afternoon, we got through the day in good form.
Channel 7 and the Chronicle sent out a cameraman and photographer so look for some coverage in the news and paper. Judd from Channel 7 joined in and had a shot as well as shooting lots of footage and doing a few interviews (all of which will probably be condensed down to 30 seconds on the news).
Overall, it was a very successful day. Numbers could have been higher, but those who attended had a ball. Due to the South East Zone's kind sponsorship of the event, it basically cost the club nothing, but even if we had been paying the full bill ourselves it was well worth the cost and effort for the positive public relations, good will and new members we hope to gain.Linda McGregor
New Zealand Clay Target Association President visits Maryborough Clay Target Club (and opens our eyes to initiatives in developing our sport)
Keith Livingstone - President of the New Zealand Clay Target Association - visited the Maryborough Clay Target Club for some practice on 7 April 2010. He was in town for the wedding of one our members and couldn't resist the opportunity to come and shoot some practice at our club.
Shooting with a borrowed gun Keith still managed to hit 75 out of 75 targets, with only two second barrels required. After watching such an exemplary demonstration of shooting skill, we would hate to see how well he can shoot with his own gun.
Talking after shooting was completed, he said that we have a wonderful facility for our community, but suggests that we should be promoting it further by running some high profile events such as corporate challenges and school programs. While we have run school programs in the past, we haven't done so for a few years. I know that Victoria has a very strong schools program, but is this something we should be looking at on a national basis to ensure the future of our sport?
Keith explained that In New Zealand, school programs are seen as a vital aspect of the sport. Through their Association's efforts, the majority of schools in New Zealand have clay target shooting as part of their curriculum (as a sports option, along with the more traditional sports such as netball, soccer and rugby). This year alone they have approximately 600 school students taking part in regular practice and competition.
Apart from generally getting young people involved in an interesting and challenging sport, they see the schools program as a means of identifying kids with the talent to go on to represent their country in the various disciplines of clay target shooting. They run training camps for Down the Line and Skeet, plus regular competition among participating schools and weekly practice. They identify those with the talent to participate in special training for the international shooting disciplines of Olympic Trap and Skeet.
The schools program has done a great deal to improve their results in international competition. For the first time ever, New Zealand holds both the Glenn Trophy (DTL) and Glenn Cup (Skeet). Keith sees the schools program and their Association's work in developing young talent as key to their success in these Trans Tasman events. In addition, he was happy to point out that New Zealand's Open Team beat Australia's at the recent World DTL Championships held in South Africa.
By coincidence, Keith's visit came just before Maryborough Clay Target Club's annual Trans Tasman competition against our sister club in New Zealand, the Marlborough Clay Target Club. They hold the trophy at the moment and with all the good work the New Zealanders are putting into talent development in their sport, it seems that we will have to work very hard to get it back.
As an aside, in the latest CTSN (May 2010), there is an article from Tony Turner of the Canberra International Clay Target Club about 'Growing your club and growing our sport'. It makes some salient points about the age profile of our sport and outlines some of the ways they have been working to gain more shooters, including 'come and try days' and corporate shoots. I would suggest that we all need to take notice of the success of the New Zealand Clay Target Association, the Canberra International Clay Target Club and Victoria's schools program and get out there promoting our sport and getting as many new shooters involved as we can.
A national program to involve schools in the sport is possibly the very thing we should be looking at to bring young shooters into the sport. Even if we only get one or two new shooters out of each batch of students who come to the sport through this avenue, it is worth the effort. I know that many individuals and clubs are doing good work in promoting and growing our sport, but some coordination and initiative at State and National level might be just the thing to get the attention of our target groups.
Linda McGregor
Secretary/Publicity Officer
Maryborough Clay Target Club
