V35 #7 Jul 1982 - Australian Clay Target Association

NATIONALS '82
e 1982 National Skeet Champion, Ray Melville, receiving his Eley Silver Badge from Bruce Southgate.
Wednesday May 19, Thursday May 13
Eight days of keen competition began with shooter number
463, Peter White from Cranbourne, Victoria, firing the first
shot in the 13th Australian Skeet Championship.
The entry totalled 238, 171 fewer than in Melbourne in
1981. This trend continued right through the program with
numbers being down on Melbourne. . While no one expected
the 1981 entries to be beaten, many expected more shooters to
make the trip to Brisbane.
The Skeet Championship was conducted over 2 days. It soon
became clear that few possibles would contest the shoot off.
Some wags were heard to remark that the traps had not been
adjusted since the National I.S.U. Skeet Championship held
on this ground at Easter, so fast were the targets being
thrown.
Only three shooters had the magic 50 on the board. Ray
Melville from Tamworth, New South Wales, John Wton,
Ashburton, New Zealand and Gieoff Salmon, Winchester Sales
Promotion and .Advertising Manager from Melbourne.
John Turton was the first to go, Iettiig the third target past
him. Ray Melville and Geoff Salmon then traded target for
target until Geoff dropped his 64th to leave Ray the 1982
Champion.
Maree Rooke of Wagga, New South Wales, started what was
to be a marvellous series for her by taking out the Ladies and
Junior divisions of the Skeet Championship.
The International Skeet Match between Australia and New
Zealand concluded Thursday's program, resulting in a win
for Australia by six targets. Representing Australia were Ray
Melville. Geoff Salmon, Guy Beddington, John King and
Kevin Perkins.
Friday May 14
Grand Australian Handicap day and 464 competitors faced
the starter. For the first time, fifty targets were shot in one
visit to the traps. Competitors certainly appreciated shooting
the 50 in one visit, however, keen observers remarked that it
did seem to detract from the atmosphere of the Nationals with
fewer people remaining on the ground all day.
Staff Writer
Claybusting on Brisbane's ground is never easy, the gully
running along the line of traps makes the breeze, however
slight, do funny things. It was clear from the outset that
possibles would be scarce in all trap events.
At the end of the day, only two shooters had managed to
break all fifty targets. Jan Schuster, 15 year old son of the
Eurocut boss Dieter, from 14 metres, and a shooter who was
to figure in the results for most of the week in Graham
Willett, the Stationmaster from Sebastopol Club in Victoria.
The shoot-off lasted just ten targets with Willett dropping his
60th, leaving the schoolboy to break his to win, which he did.
Celebrations went on far into the night in the Eurocut
establishment as Jan admired the Remington 1100 Limited
Edition shotgun he had won, together with his Eley silver
badge, and MEC re-loader for top junior.
Julie Neve from Eastern. Goldfields Club in W.A. was top
lady from Maree Rooke, Wagga and Helen Wiese, Narrogin,
W.A. in third place.
Adrian Hayes, Hawkesbury. N.S.W. won the Veterans
Division, he too was to make regular appearances on the
winners dais as the week progressed.
Friday concluded with the staging of the 2nd Comark
Deauville Doubles Trophy Match for family teams. This event,
sponsored by Commercial Marketing Co. of Sydney attracted
48 teams to compete for the excellent tropfiies which would be
awarded down to fifth place. A change to the rules of
competition this year allowed husband and wife teams to
enter, as well as members of the one family a generation
apart.
The match proved popular for both competitors and specta-
tors, as it was concluded under lights.
After the shoot-off, Alf and Warold James from Marybor-
ough, Victoria, energed as the winners, each taking home a
Simson Skeet Gun for their efforts.
Bridesmaid for the second time this day was Graham
Willett, who with his son Peter, walked away with BRNO .22
Cont'd on page 6
AUSTRALIAN CLAY TARGET SHOOTING NEWS-JULY 1982