March/April 2009 - New Zealand Clay Target Association

and controlled when using the pivot.
If anything above the waist moves,
everything above the waist moves. This
will allow you to prevent your mount
from falling apart as you approach your
targets, and your gun will shoot where
you expect it to every time.
Just a simple weight shift should allow
all of us to have fewer bad days and far
more good days on the range. Pivot
to your targets, and you will likely put
more shot on more targets regardless
of what class you may be in.
I would have told Smitty what he was
doing wrong when I first noticed it, but
he’s the kind of guy who would rub it in
if he ended up beating me, so I decided
to make him read the column. I would
like to thank Smitty and all you other
guys whose problems I’ve borrowed.
Without you, I wouldn’t have much to
write about. The names used may be
fictitious, but it seems that everyone
recognises themselves no matter what
name I use.
Thanks, guys.
Quick Shots by courtesy of Trap & Field
Wanaka Gun Club 50 th Anniversary report
By 2low8s
On the 4th of March 1959 a group of sportsmen formed a club
for the purpose of clay bird shooting and named it the Wanaka
Gun Club. 50 years later at our Anniversary dinner the original
minutes were read out and any of those gentlemen present at
the first meeting were asked to move that the minutes were a
true record of that meeting.
Mr. George Studholme stood and moved the motion and Mr.
Dick Scaife stood to second the motion. That was the beginning
of a weekend of remembrance and celebration to honour the
people who had gone before us to build our Club.
The dinner was well attended with 70 current and past members
enjoying the fantastic food provided by the Wanaka Airport Café
catering team. Guests of Honour were Jan Burdon, wife of long
serving past Club President Cotty Burdon and NZCTA President
Trevor Manson and his wife Jan. Two of the Club’s previous
Presidents and First Ladies as well Moa Creek President Ned
Kelland and wife Chris made up the official table.
Peter Cooke and Ray Anderson were presented with Club Life
Memberships by Trevor Manson while Mary Anderson and
Patron George Studholme were honoured with 50th Anniversary
Gold medals for their services to the Club.
Saturday 7th. Anniversary shoot day. The weather was fine,
very warm with a constant breeze that didn’t affect the targets
too much.
Jim Haugh, or ‘Gentleman Jim’ was a long serving President of
the Club and the J Haugh Skeet Teams Trophy, which Moa Creek
was due to host, was offered back to us for our Anniversary
shoot. Only two possibles were shot in the 50 target match
with Sam Forsyth and Rex Smart going into a shoot off for the
HOA individual honours with Rex winning.
A five bird eye-opener was followed by a 15 target Single Rise
then a 15 target Points Score match.
Bill Gillespie, an original of the Club, has a 25 target single
barrel trophy in his honour. This was the final of the official
matches for the day and this trophy was presented by Central
Otago Association President Brian Thurlow to Brent Rissman
who also has had a long association with the Wanaka Club.
At the prize giving, Peter Cooke and Ray Anderson received their
silver lapel badges from His Eminence (Trevor). Jan Manson, the
‘First Lady’ of the NZCTA, showed once again that ‘girls can do
anything’ by beating the rest of the field to win the HOA gold
medal for the DTL events.
The High Gun for the day was a three horse race with Donald
Taylor, Bill Jones and Rex Smart tied on 132/135. Donald pipped
Bill at the post while Rex fell at the first fence. Donald has had
a long association with the Club and was very happy to receive
the Cotty Burdon medal which was presented by Jan Burdon.
Mary and Ray Anderson with their awards
Brent Rissman receiving the Bill Gillespie Trophy for Single Barrel
from Brian Thurlow.
Jan Burdon presenting Donald Taylor with the Cotty Burdon
High Gun Medal.
Gunshot 26