Anthony Gray an A-grade winner at Western Zone Championships

Wee Waa-based Narrabri Clay Target Club shooter Anthony Gray has gone from strength-to-strength since taking up the sport just 14 months ago.

Gray, who owns and manages Wee Waa Hot Bread, attended a sponsors’ day at the Narrabri Clay Target Club in 2018 and quickly developed a passion for the sport.

His first competitive shoot was in January 2019, and since then he has risen up the ranks from a C-grade debutant to an A-grade zone champion.

Gray recently travelled to Warren for the Warren Clay Target Club annual Golden Ibis shoot, which was held in conjunction with the Western Zone Championships on Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15.

The Wee Waa shooter was victorious in one of the Western Zone Champs’ events on the Saturday.

The first event in which Gray took part was the 50-Target Single Barrel Zone Champs event which he won A-grade with a near-perfect 49/50.

He then placed fourth in his second event which was the 30-Target Medley 10 Double Barrel/10 Single Barrel and 10 Point Score event.

In that he produced another remarkable effort, dropping just a single point in each section – scoring 9/10, 9/10 and 29/30 to finish on 47/50 which tied him with two other shooters for second place in A-grade.

That resulted in a fourth-place finish for Gray.

The third and final event on the Saturday was the 50-Target Double Barrel Zone Championship in which the Wee Waa shooter scored a 43/50 in.

Sunday’s program started with the 50-Target Points Score Zone Championship.

In that event Gray started extremely well, nailing his first 25 targets to shoot possible 75/75.

Following a shell break a loss of concentration and a couple of gun malfunctions saw him finish the event 134/150.

This event was part of the Zone Team’s postal score which takes the top 12 scores from the first 25 targets and is then taken to state to contest with other zones.

Gray’s good start saw him make that list.

The fifth event of the weekend was the 25-Target Handicap Zone Championship.

Gray produced another classy effort as he shot another possible 25/25.

He and one other shooter, Brewarrina’s Max Betts, were the only two who shot possible scores.

Another shoot off was then conducted with Betts getting the better of Gray which saw the Wee Waa shooter take out second place.

In the sixth and final event of the weekend Gray contested the 30-Target Points Score President’s Trophy.

In that he posted a score of 71/90.