By Rob Boutcher
Narrabri Pistol Club has embarked on an ambitious competition program in 2023 with the scheduling of five major competitions, including two opens, one zone, one state and one national event all within a five-month period.
The second of those events was held across the weekend when the club hosted the North West Zone Service Pistol and WA1500 Open on Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and 30.
Earlier in the year, the John Ford Memorial Metallic Silhouette 200-metre Big Bore Steel Challenge Open came to town from Friday to Sunday, May 5 to 7.
A far quicker turn around between events will see the club host the 2023 Narrabri Metallic Silhouette 100m Small Bore and Field Pistol Open from this Friday to Sunday, and later in the year, the club will host the NSW Service Pistol State Championships on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10, followed by the 2023 Pistol Australia Metallic Silhouette 200m Big Bore National Championships from Friday to Sunday, September 15 to 17, across what will be a quite busy eight days for the club.
Narrabri Pistol Club advises that the sponsorship and support from local businesses for these competitions has been fantastic, with donations of cash and products simply exceeding all of the local club’s expectations.
Narrabri is certainly a big-hearted town that lives up to its name as the sportiest town.
Narrabri Shire Council assisted the most recent event by upgrading the access road to ensure all vehicles did not have any problems driving into the range.
The annual North West Zone Service Pistol and WA 1500 Open was held in perfect shooting conditions – not too hot, not too cold – just right.
There were 34 competitors in action who came from a wide area, ranging from Sydney, Cowra, Orange, Dubbo, Port Macquarie, Cumnock, and many points in between.
There were also six Narrabri Pistol Club members who lined up to take part.
Other local club members worked tirelessly to ensure the competitors enjoyed great shooting conditions.
The catering by club members Lewis Griffiths and Melinda Marsh rivalled any commercial café with the quality and variety of food on offer, which included breakfast through to dinner.
There were three service pistol matches shot on Saturday and three WA1500 matches on Sunday.
Results from the event across the weekend are as follows:
Service pistol off gun:
First – Wayne Turner (Blue Mountains Pistol Club); second – John Nosworthy (Port Macquarie Pistol Club), third – David Stelzer (Prison Officers Pistol Club).
Narrabri Pistol Club members:
D-grade – second – David Dewsbury, fourth – Paul Wilkins.
Service pistol unrestricted off gun:
First – Wayne Turner (Blue Mountains Pistol Club), second – Don Pollard (Tamworth Pistol Club), third – Paul Williamson (Dubbo Pistol Club).
Narrabri Pistol Club members:
A-grade – sixth – Grahame Keys.
C-grade – first – David Hayne, sixth Graham Smith, ninth – Bruce Regan.
D-grade – third – David Dewsbury, fifth – Paul Wilkins.
Service pistol 25-yard off gun:
First – Paul Williamson (Dubbo Pistol Club), second – John Nosworthy (Port Macquarie Pistol Club), third – Wayne Turner (Blue Mountains Pistol Club).
Narrabri Pistol Club members:
Master grade – first – Grahame Keys.
B-grade – second – Graham Smith.
C-grade – third – Bruce Regan, seventh – David Dewsbury, ninth – David Hayne.
WA1500 revolver off gun:
First – Grahame Keys (Narrabri Pistol Club), second – Paul Williamson (Dubbo Pistol Club), third – Wayne Turner (Blue Mountains Pistol Club).
WA1500 pistol off gun:
First – Harrison Loftus (Tamworth Pistol Club), second – John Nosworthy (Port Macquarie Pistol Club), third – Grahame Keys (Narrabri Pistol Club).
WA1500 optical off gun:
First – Paul Williamson (Dubbo Pistol Club), second – Wayne Turner (Blue Mountains Pistol Club), third – Peter Komacha (Cessnock Pistol Club).
