The Cobar Clay Target Club’s 44th Annual Golden Clay & NSW Junior Masters Championship shoot was held over the weekend with Darryn Nicholls, from
Broken Hill, winning the coveted Overall Golden Clay Championship from the field of 130.
Nicholls, a sterling competitor both at home, regionally, nationally, and internationally can now tick this event win off his bucket list.
The Overall Highgun Golden Clay Trophy, sponsored by Peak Gold Mines, this year was again a 9ct solid gold miniature clay.
The sponsorship of gold for this trophy by Peak Gold Mines reflects their continued support to local sporting organisations and community events.
Shooting commenced on Friday night with the Night Point Score, sponsored by CADJ Carwash & M&C Parisi Motorcycles.
From the field of 92 shooters a number of local shooters were successful in their grades, including: Damien Wray 2nd in C Grade with 83/90; Dick Tulloh 2nd in A Grade, 123/129; Brad Kendrick 1st in B Grade, 88/90, and Blake Dunne 1st in A Grade, 126/129.
The Golden Clay & NSW Junior Masters program was contested on Saturday and Sunday in clear, sunny and beautiful shooting conditions.
Dubbo Powerhouse sponsored the first event on Saturday, a 30 Target Point Score Championship. Local shooters fared well with Matt Harland 2nd in C Grade with 96/105; Sam Nardi was 1st A Grade, 104/105; and Michael McGuire was 1st AA Grade, 288/291.
Molly Barraclough received the Encouragement award for the Point Score.
In the 45 Target Gun Pro Medley, Ray Schiller was 2nd in A Grade with 139/150 and Robert Thompson was 2nd in AA Grade, 174/175.
Saturday’s final event was the 30 Target Double Barrel Championship, sponsored by SH Shooting. Matt Harland was once again 2nd in C Grade, 29/30 and Ross Morris was 2nd in A Grade, 47/48. Both only missed one shot.
Sunday morning promised to a beautiful day, but some competitors were however reluctant to face the bright morning sunshine.
A 30 Target Single Barrel Championship, sponsored by CSA Mine Glencore commenced (somewhat slowly) with Damien Wray 2nd in C Grade, 26/32; Geoff Turton 2nd B Grade, 31/33; Matthew Stokes 2nd AA Grade, 56/57; Blake Dunne 1st A Grade, 33/34; and Peter Hosie was 1st Overall and the Single Barrel Champion with 70/70.
Hosier did well as he had a gun malfunction in this shoot off, and managed to keep his wits about him to go on and win the event.
Molly Barraclough received the Encouragement award for the Single Barrel event.
The second event on Sunday was the 30 Target Bryan’s Empire Hotel Mafeesh Handicap, co-sponsored by the Hawkins Family in memory of ‘Frosty’ Singleton who was instrumental in commencement of Clay Target Shooting on Mafeesh Station in Cobar.
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This event carries a reward of the Mafeesh Cup with placings from 1st to 5th.
Additional enthusiasm is generated throughout the weekend with a Calcutta being held in conjunction with this event.
A total of five competitors shot a possible score and then went on to a shoot-off until the final placements were achieved.
Cobar club members Matthew Stokes, Kevin Hatch and Edward Fryer were among the contenders with Fryer the eventual winner with a perfect score of 37/37.
The final event of the weekend was the 15 Pair Double Rise Championship sponsored by Epiroc.
Bryan Manns finished as the Overall Double Rise Champion and Matt Harland placed 2nd in C Grade with a score of 29/40.
Joseph Ellison, from Condobolin, was the Junior Masters Champion of Champions with a score of 164/175, dropping only 11 targets over the three events, which was a champion effort.
High Gun winners for the weekend were: Ladies (sponsored by Taylor Family) Tracey Barton 269/285; Veterans (sponsored by GE & L Jones) Max Betts 264/285; Juniors (sponsored by The Nardi Family) Joseph Ellison 255/285; C Grade (sponsored by LGB Marine & Contracting) Matt Harland 252/285; B Grade, William Abbott 262/285; A Grade, (sponsored by JnB Industries) Allen Cole 265/285; AA Grade (sponsored by Inland Pest Management) Glen Castellaro 279/285 and Overall Highgun (sponsored by Peak Gold Mines) Darryn Nicholls 280/285.
