By Narrabri Pistol Club’s Robert Boutcher
The 43rd John Ford Steel Challenge Handicap Team Trophy event was conducted at the Narrabri Pistol Club range from Friday to Sunday, May 2 to 4.
The prestigious Steel Challenge Team handicap trophy was won by Merriganowry Pistol Club shooters Matt Seears and Peter Cooch, only just defeating Narrabri’s Chase and Jack Ford in second place and Inverell’s Glen Anderson and Tim Davey in third place.
Chase Ford and Tim Anderson were the most successful of the Narrabri Pistol Club members across the three days in the individual matches.
Chase continued his recent good form, taking out the junior four-gun aggregate with a personal best score of 104/160 and also placing in grade.
Tim won the production match with 40/40 after a four-way shoot off, placed second in unlimited match after a two-way shoot off with 38/40, and also placed second in full scale unlimited with 38/40.
Shooting conditions across all three days were very testing with strong, cool SE to SW winds.
Competitors came from Bowral in the south to Childers, Queensland, in the north and all points in between to compete.
The Australian team members who will be competing in Finland later this year in August, which include Jason Anderson (Narrabri), Tim Davey (Inverell RSM) and Glen Anderson (Inverell RSM), all competed across the weekend.
Big bore metallic silhouette is a very testing match for handguns. It consists of 40 shots at steel, animal-shaped targets, including 10 chickens at 50 metres, 10 pigs at 100 metres, 10 turkeys at 150 metres and 10 rams at 200 metres.
Targets must be knocked down to be scored as a hit. The rams are especially challenging at 200 metres as they weigh some 22kg each, therefore the load must be heavy enough to accomplish this.
Narrabri Pistol Club member Melinda Marsh cooked fantastic egg and bacon rolls for breakfast each day, with the Lions Auxiliary providing excellent morning tea, lunch and snacks over the three days – thanks to Denise Wall, Vicki Frater, Jean Fairless and Melissa Hancock.
Results from the three-day event are as follows:
Individual match results:
Revolver: First – Matt Seears (Merriganowry) with 40/40 after a three-way shoot off, second – Kim Emery (Mt Lindesay) with 40/40, third – Jason Anderson (Narrabri) with 40/40.
Production: First – Tim Anderson (Narrabri) with 40/40 after a four-way shoot off, second – Kim Emery (Mt Lindesay) with 40/40, third – Tim Davey (Inverell RSM) with 40/40.
Standing: First – Glen Anderson (Inverell RSM) with 30/40, second – Matt Seears (Merriganowry) with 29/40, third – Aidan Van Ee (Metro Brisbane) with 26/40.
Unlimited: First – Glen Anderson (Inverell RSM) with 39/40, second – Tim Anderson (Narrabri) with 38/40 after a two-way shoot off, third – Matt Seears (Merriganowry) with 38/40.
Unlimited full scale: First – Matt Seears (Merriganowry) with 40/40, second – Jason Anderson (Narrabri) with 39/40, third – Peter Cooch (Merriganowry) with 38/40.
Four-match aggregates:
Open: First – Matt Seears (Merriganowry) with 147/160 on count out, second – Glen Anderson (Inverell RSM) with 147/160, third – Kim Emery (Mt Lindesay) with 137/160.
Women’s: First – Judy Harding (Metro Brisbane) with 122/140, second – Mary Tobler (Bowral) with 64/160, third – Leanne Bennett (Childers R & P) with 20/160.
Junior: Chase Ford (Narrabri) with 104/160.
Narrabri Pistol Club members’ grade placings:
Production:
International: First – Tim Anderson with 40/40; AAA-grade: first – Billy-Dean Borodzicz with 36/40, third – Terry Anderson with 25/40; AA-grade: first – Chase Ford with 35/40, second – Matt Burke with 32/40.
Revolver:
International: Third – Jason Anderson with 40/40; AAA-grade: first – Paul Wilkins with 30/40, second – Billy-Dean Borodzicz with 29/40; AA-grade: second – Matt Burke with 32/40, third – Chase Ford with 30/40.
Standing:
AAA-grade: Second – Jack Ford with 23/40; AA-grade: first – Matt Burke with 16/40, second – Billy-Dean Borodzicz with 13/40; B-grade: first – Chase Ford with 7/40.
Unlimited:
International: Second – Tim Anderson with 38/40; AAA-grade: first – Jack Ford with 34/40, second – David Dewsbury with 34/40; AA-grade: first – Billy-Dean Borodzicz with 31/40; A-grade: first – Chase Ford with 32/40.
Unlimited full scale:
International: Second – Jason Anderson with 39/40; AAA-grade: second – Billy-Dean Borodzicz.
