This Is Guernsey

CLUB captain Peter Jory has made a great start to the fledgling full-bore season, winning the Falla, Renouf and Albany trophies, as well as the grand aggregate at the spring prize meeting.

Before he started his run of successes, the Guernsey Rifle Club three-stage competition for the Albiges Trophy was won by Bob Cushing with a total score of 298.37 ex 305.61.

Richard Perkins followed on 294.26 and Sylvia Sirett continued her current run of good form by taking third spot on 293.29. Her husband, new Environment minister Peter, took the Durrington for the  B-class shots with a score of 287.23.
But it was at the Spring Prize Meeting that Jory (pictured) came into his own.

It started with a Queen’s I comprising two sighters and seven to count at 300, 500 and 600 yards and carries a maximum possible score of 105.21.

Jory showed his skills to take the Falla Trophy with a string of three possibles for a score of 105.14, but he was closely followed by John Norman on 104.13 and Sylvia Sirett on 104.12.

The Highfield for the B-class marksmen was taken by Jeremy Witham on 99.11 ahead of a string of Elizabeth College students who demonstrated that yet again the college has produced a group of good shooters.

Shooting on target five, club president Peter Sirett had what can only be described as a ‘senior moment’ that not only gave the watching gallery a good laugh but also cost him five points.

Somehow, he managed to place a perfect V bull on target three, which was rather difficult to understand as there were only two in use at the time and they are some 10 feet apart.

The second Spring Meeting competition is for the Renouf Trophy and is the classic Queen’s II format of two sighters and 10 shots to count at each range for a grand total of 150.30.

Again, it was Jory who led from the start.

A maximum 50.08 at 300 yards was followed by a 49.08 at 500 and another possible, a 50.06, at the longest range gave him a final score of 149.22 and victory.

Perkins who dropped a single point at each range for a 147.20 total, took the runner-up spot just three V bulls ahead of Sylvia Sirett on 147.17 with Norman a further three Vs behind on 147.14. Jonnie Branch, younger brother of current club champion Nick, took the B class Randall Trophy with a 144.14, just shading out Peter Sirett on 143.17.

Going into the final afternoon Jory was leading the Grand Aggregate with 254.36, followed by Sylvia Sirett on 251.29, Norman on 251.27 with Perkins hovering on 250.31.

The one remaining competition was for the Albany Trophy, donated originally by Perkins’ father in the 1970s and although he had won it on the first two occasions, it had been missing from the Perkins sideboard ever since.

Competitors were required to fire two sighters and then 15 shots to count at 500 and 600 for a maximum possible score of 150.30.

Perkins opened his account at the shorter range with a 75.14, missing the central V bull with just one of his 15 shots, but Cushing managed to post the identical score and the two old rivals looked set for a good showdown at 600 yards.

Jory looked likely to join them but one shot strayed into the inner ring and he finished on 74.14 just two Vs ahead of Sylvia Sirett.

Karen Shepherd, a newcomer to full-bore shooting but a very accomplished .22 shooter on the indoor range, posted a 73.07 and looks certain to make her mark later in the season.

At 600 yards Perkins fired a mediocre 74.06 for a total of 149.20 and he watched nervously, knowing that any one of his three main rivals could wrest the Albany from his grasp.

Cushing fired an uncharacteristic 71.06 to drop out of the chase and Sirett dropped two for a total of 147.22.

Jory could not afford to miss the bull and everyone knew that he was well capable of scoring a possible.

It was, though, not to be and an inner left him on 74.10 and a score of 148.24.

The good news for him was his overall total of 402.60 for the three competitions gave him a comprehensive three-point victory in the aggregate ahead of Perkins on 399.51, with  Sylvia Sirett claiming third place with her highest ever score of 398.51.

College student Brett Benest took the B section Shieling Cup with a good 143.11 just one point ahead of Witham, but it was Branch who claimed the overall B Grand Aggregate with a total of 380.28 from Witham on 379.34.

With so many top shooters on form it is hoped that the island team will give the NRA visitors a run for their money at the end of the month.

Article posted on 16th May, 2008 - 2.29pm