Winter 2002 - National Rifle Association

THEIRISHOPENPENby Richard BailieWith a dreadful weather forecast, and looming blackcloud, a hardy bunch turned out at Ballykinler Campon Saturday 25 May for the 91 st Irish OpenChampionships.With a total entry of 59, there was a notable increasein F Class but unusually only five overseas visitors,although encouragingly interest from the South ispicking up.A cold start, facing a strong headwind, blew thecobwebs out for many. For some, 2 and 20 to count at300 yards is a bit of a rude wake-up call, but organiserPeter Campbell wanted to try and get more shootinginto the programme. The ammunition certainlyproved up to the task with three TR shooters scoringa full house - David Calvert on 100.16 and MartinMillar on one V less, third was Dot Hume off to a flyingstart on 100.14. Des Parr from West of Scotland pippedPierce O’Brien in F Class with 100.16. By the seconddetail, the dark cloud had dispersed and the weatherlooked more hopeful, but that didn’t stop peoplewearing full wet weather gear (we’ve been therebefore), which served to protect from a bitingly coldwind. The troop shelter started to fill up!On to the first shoot of the Championship - 2 and 10 at300 yards before lunch; the Bangor Scouts in the buttswere getting the hang of it. The sun had come outand the headwind switched from one and a half rightand gusting, to a half right and dropping off. Onerange flag on the right was clearly going to leave usshort of indicators with the wind running too fast forany appreciable mirage. Ross McQuillan had noproblems with a 50.9 and Des Parr slotted in his secondF Class possible of the day. After a brief lunch periodand a portion of the famous Ballykinler Irish stew, itAlwyn takes it to bits . . . again!PEN 2002was back to 500 yards for similar conditions but withthe wind appearing stronger and coming back fromthe left, at one and a half to two minutes. Trevor Steeleled with a 50.7 for his second possible, while MichaelWentges, last years F Class runner up, spoke nicely tohis Carl Gustaf for a 50.8, and David Calvert and DesParr got their third possibles of the day.The final shoot for the Saturday at 600 yards was thewind buffeting test with a good deal of eye wateringinto the bargain. Just four possibles this time fromthe more experienced David Calvert for the SaturdayAggregate, and Alwyn McLean (who only took hisgun apart once during the day) together with Wentgesand Parr in F Class.So after Stage 1 of the Open, DC was favourite againwith a two point lead over Alwyn and Neil Andersonfrom Dungannon.Sunday started as a beautiful sunny spring morning,confounding the weather pundits, as shootersprepared for the three 2 and 15 shoots to see if theycould qualify for the top 16 places in the Final. DotHume decided to show the way with 75.14, leadingTrevor Steele by three Vs and Bob (“wanna buy a raffleticket?”) Aitken showing form on 75.10. In F Class,no surprises . . . Des Parr . . . all in . . . yet again!Wind was still steadyish at 500 yards but now with abit of mirage to spot the changes; some seriouslystraight shooting led to another 75 for Dot, with DCone V behind. Des Parr got his sixth possible.At 600 yards it was an RAF strike with DC and IanMollan getting the only two possibles including FClass. After a rapid calculation on the computer, awayfrom the madd(en)ing crowd, Peter Campbellannounced the 16 finalists, who took their places forthe 2 and 15 final at 600 yards.With a decidedly tricky wind still straight down therange, we couldn’t complain about the lack of freshair but again it was DC who topped the field with thebest 74 of six, closely followed by Alwyn McLean, whohad clearly taken his gun apart again but had refused“assistance” from Neil Anderson who was chasinghard in third place (can’t imagine why?!).For the Irish Open Championship, once again DC wasunbeatable, dropping just two points in the sevenshoots over two days. Neil Anderson had done wellwith seven off in the Championship and Martin Millarwas just one less.At the end some competitors were a little more tiredthan others through having shot TR in the first detailand F Class in the second detail at every range -congratulations to them for their hard efforts as wellas to all the organisers, markers and supporters for agreat weekend of shooting.21