March/April 2009 - New Zealand Clay Target Association

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SHOOTING MADE EASY Getting older and adapting your shooting Slow it down Carl’s tip It is a fact that we are all getting older and while in some ways we can improve with age, I’m afraid that this doesn’t apply to eyesight and reflexes. I am reminded of this when I am coaching pupils who are middle aged and upwards, particular when on a Skeet range. High two is the target which finds them out, particularly for those right handers who have to close their left eye. They don’t see the target clearly until it has gone 10-15 yards, yet turn back to the trap to call and look for it. What happens is that they see a blur then race after it and lose all control and technique. Exactly the same applies to a quartering Sporting target. Here a target might be faster and it will be 20-30 yards before it is clearly picked up by the shooter. The problem is exacerbated when the shooter is in a squad with younger guns, who have fast reflexes and 20/20 vision. They smoke the clay, and our older shooter attempts to do likewise. My advice in these instances is not to be greedy with your eyesight. Look where you see the target and don’t be flamboyant with an open choked gun, but give yourself time. Try putting _ or full choke into your gun, change your pick-up point to where you can see the target clearly and in focus. It doesn’t matter if the hit is not quite so good. You may have to adapt your style and learn to read targets differently – ironically a more distant target might not need so much forward allowance, but maybe a bit more drop. A good example is Paddy Howe, one of our finest Sporting shooters. Four or five years ago, in his mid-sixties, he switched to a tightly choked 32” gun. This was obviously quite radical for a man who had twice won the British and European with a 28” Browning. He explained that his reflexes weren’t what they were so he changed his style, riding targets out further and taking them later. And he did it with great effect, winning High Gun overall in a number of competitions. Even this summer he won European FITASC gold in the super vets with a very good score. I’m not suggesting that a 32” trap gun is the answer – they don’t suit everyone – but just giving an example that you should be open to change and ready to recognise that your eyes won’t permit you to do what was once second nature. Give yourself time. Veterans too should remember that in major tournaments particularly, they are competing against other veterans, not the whole field. So disregard the performances of younger fellow squad members. Holding the Lead Happily, I continue to get some very positive feedback about this column and I am obviously delighted that so many seem to enjoy it. Further to last month’s piece about shooting incomers however, I had one shooter who thought I was recommending maintained lead. Some things do not improve with age, but Carl Bloxham has a cunning plan for those wishing to maintain their scores. Paddy Howe switched from a 28” to a 32” gun. This wasn’t the case, but I can understand what led him to think this. What in fact I was suggesting was holding some lead. The incomer is an unusual target in that it can accelerate at the point at which you might want to shoot it. So I suggest holding the gun just underneath it so that you can keep it in view at all times – then take your shot as it stalls and starts to fall. You will have a clear picture and shoot it comfortably. So how does this differ from maintained lead? Maintained lead is having a visual lead of the target from the gun hold onwards. You mount the gun with lead and pull the trigger as it hits the shoulder. This can be very useful for certain types of shot, but you need to master it if you want it in your repertoire. For instance, if you hit the trigger a split second slower then you will miss the target. The co-ordination will have gone. John Bidwell has perfected a variation of this style and called it Move, Mount, Shoot. He shoots it to a very high standard. There are so many variations of style. If I have a squad of five shooters to coach, the chances are that they will all shoot differently – CPSA method, swing through, maintained lead, spot shooting, smoke trail and others which are unidentifiable (and do them no favours!). In a practice situation most can be made to work with reasonable results but under the pressure of competition and slightly harder targets, those without good technique will suffer. So I always say ‘what what you practice’. (Article by courtesy of PULL!) Gunshot 20
ProvincialsBay of plenty 31 January / 1 February 2009 Tauranga Clay Target Club Tony Truss from Rotorua Rod and Gun Club was in splendid form to win the High Gun (Norm Reeve Memorial Trophy) as well as High Overall Skeet and Double Rise. He was only four points down for the weekend. Jack Norwood competed on the Sunday and continues his long run. Unfortunately he forgot his Handicap Book again so his claimed long run of over 1300 targets cannot be verified at this time. However he shot brilliantly to win the Single Rise from Councillor Martin van de Wetering (Weka). We wish Jack the best of luck for the continuance of his long run and the establishment of a new record. Fine, warm typical Bay of Plenty weather was evident on both days of the weekend. We were privileged to be graced with the presence of all three North Island Councillors. So the shoot programme, with the assistance of the well drilled Team of Committee Members and Club Members from our Tauranga Club, headed by President Jim Dobson, ran smoothly and was concluded in good time. The help provided by Sally Van de Wetering was invaluable and made our Events Secretary’s (Pam Verran) job of running the office manageable. Martin (Weka) did a great job driving the camera for the recording of winners. Results Skeet – HOA Tony Truss, Rotorua 25. A grade 1st Guy Brooks, New Plymouth 25, 2nd Nick Gavin, Whangarei 25, 3rd Graeme Williams, Cambridge 25. B grade 1st Ross Ellis, Tauranga 24, 2nd Phillip Brown, Tauranga 24, 3rd Ted Tyrrell, Auckland Met 24. C grade 1st Mark Walsh, Tauranga 23, 2nd James Pritchard, Tauranga 22, 3rd Stephen Carran, Tauranga 21. Juniors Nick Gavin, Whangarei 25, Veterans Graeme Williams, Cambridge 25. Double Rise – HOA Tony Truss, Rotorua 19. A grade 1st Brian Hartley, Tauranga 19, 2nd Mark Walsh, Tauranga 19, 3rd Graham Geater, Rotorua 18. B grade 1st Bruce Sanderson, Kaikohe 17, 2nd Jarred McLeod, Tauranga 16, 3rd Bob Prescott, Thames 16. C grade 1st Peter Maguire, Tauranga 15, 2nd Conrad Addison 14, 3rd Brent Hallam, Waikato 12. Juniors Nick Gavin, Whangarei 18, Veterans Graham Geater, Rotorua 18. Triples – HOA Brian Hartley, Tauranga 50. A grade 1st Graeme Williams, Cambridge 50, 2nd Guy Brooks, New Plymouth 50, 3rd Tony Truss, Rotorua 50. B grade 1st James Pritchard, Tauranga 47, 2nd John Travers, Tauranga 44, 3rd Stephen Carran, Tauranga 44. C grade 1st Warren Holden, Te Kuiti 45, 2nd Darrel Crawford, Tauranga 44, 3rd Peter Maguire, Tauranga 41. Juniors James Pritchard, Tauranga 47, Veterans Graeme Williams, Cambridge 50. Minis – HOA Brian Hartley, Tauranga 15. A grade 1st Tony Truss, Rotorua 14, 2nd Neville Crawford, Tauranga 14, 3rd Keith Livingstone, Tauranga 14. B grade 1st Bruce Sanderson, Kaikohe 14, 2nd Jarred McLeod, Tauranga 14, 3rd James Pritchard, Tauranga 13. C grade 1st Tony Beaver, Tauranga 14, 2nd Conrad Addison 12, 3rd Warren Holden, Te Kuiti 12. Juniors Tony Beaver, Tauranga 14, Veterans Keith Livingstone, Tauranga 14. Single Rise – HOA Jack Norwood, Rotorua 25. A grade 1st Martin van de Wetering, Thames 25, 2nd Keith Livingstone, Tauranga 25, 3rd Brian Hartley, Tauranga 25. B grade 1st Bruce Parkin, Tauranga 25, 2nd Bruce Sanderson, Kaikohe 24, 3rd Stephen Carran, Tauranga 24. C grade 1st Damien Treloar, Tauranga 25, 2nd Conrad Addison 25, 3rd Colin Caws, Tauranga 24. Juniors Jack Norwood, Rotorua 25, Veterans Keith Livingstone, Tauranga 25. Points Score – HOA Graham Geater, Rotorua 75. A grade 1st Grant Nixon, Taupo 75, 2nd Tony Truss, Rotorua 75, 3rd John Waldon, Putaruru 75. B grade 1st Ashton Baird, Waihi 75, 2nd John Travers, Tauranga 73, 3rd Jarred McLeod, Tauranga 72. C grade 1st Brandon Clark, Tauranga 72, 2nd Brody Clark, Tauranga 71, 3rd Ross Baird, Waihi 70. Juniors Jack Norwood, Rotorua 75, Veterans Graham Geater, Rotorua 75. Single Barrel – HOA Nick Gavin, Whangarei 25. A grade 1st Paul Schmidt, Tauranga 25, 2nd Ross Ellis, Tauranga 25, 3rd Neville Crawford, Tauranga 25. B grade 1st Matthew Morley, Matamata 24, 2nd Danny Greaney, Tauranga 24, 3rd John Travers, Tauranga 23. C grade 1st Brody Clark, Tauranga 24, 2nd Brandon Clark, Tauranga 24, 3rd Peter Maguire, Tauranga 23. Juniors Nick Gavin, Whangarei 25, Veterans Paul Schmidt, Tauranga 25. Club Teams 1st Tauranga 2 (Brian Hartley, Ross Ellis, Paul Schmidt, Grant Castles), 2nd Tauranga 1. High Gun – Tony Truss, Rotorua 231. A grade Guy Brooks, New Plymouth 229, B grade Bruce Sanderson, Kaikohe 211, C grade Warren Holden, Te Kuiti 196. Juniors Nick Gavin, Whangarei 221, Veterans Graeme Williams, Cambridge 228. Gunshot 21
Page 1 and 2: Permit No. 1510 Permit Post NEW ZEA
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Page 5 and 6: Official Journal of the New Zealand
Page 7 and 8: President’s Report In early Febru
Page 9 and 10: 2009 National 5 Stand and Sporting
Page 11 and 12: NORTH Island DTL Championships Waik
Page 13 and 14: ProvincialsWESTLAND By Evan Johnsto
Page 15 and 16: Single Barrel HOA Daniel Warnock Sk
Page 17 and 18: ProvincialsSOUTHLAND High Gun Colin
Page 19: Ata shooting Christmas shoot Decemb
Page 23 and 24: Triples A Grade (L-R) Guy Brooks, G
Page 25 and 26: use of the forend hand to move the
Page 27 and 28: Stewart Island Club Closes Stewart
Page 29 and 30: Mirror and revo effect are fashiona
Page 31 and 32: THAMES VALLEY DISTRICT BALL TRAP CH
Page 33 and 34: Points Score: HOA. Logan Rankin 75.
Page 35 and 36: Gunshot 35
Page 37 and 38: gun-smith take a look before you ma
Page 39 and 40: Minis Kim Owen, John Malcolm, Chris
Page 41 and 42: Club information AHAURA: State High
Page 43 and 44: If you’ve had one you’ll unders
Page 45 and 46: Otherwise, you have to think about
Page 47 and 48: Around the Clubs AMBERLEY January S
Page 49 and 50: Around the Clubs A.Harkerss, C grad
Page 51 and 52: Around the Clubs 25/25; B: J Bradfo
Page 54: TEST FIRES AT THE NATIONALS Go to w

March/April 2009 - New Zealand Clay Target Association

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