Season’s final shots raise charity cash
THE Hinckley Air Rifle League’s latest season concluded in the traditional manner with the shooting at Ashby Road Sports Club of the Charity Pairs competition.
Open to all members of the league, the competition is the only one in the league’s calendar to be shot on paper targets.
The best shots score ten and there are five scoring shots, giving a maximum possible score of 50.
The turnout was a little disappointing with just 30 of the league’s 100-plus shooters taking part but the quality of the shooting was nevertheless of a high standard.
The highest individual first round score came from the rifles of Todd Astill, James Bend, Andrew Cryer and Paul Huddleston who all scored excellent 49s.
Three shooters - Giles Headley, Chris Sills and Mark Smith - who finished one shot back on 48.
Bill Bend was the only shooter to score a 47 but there were three 46s, from Mick Cryer, Ian Ratheram and Andrew Mitchell.
Leigh Hall, Jon Storer and Dave Brown all scored 45s while Simon Grewcock and Jackie Bend scored 44 apiece.
The only other scores to reach the 40s were the 43s of Rob Forman, Darren Houghton and Nigel Jackson; the 42s of Colin Rusted, Rob Wainwright and Phil Steele; the 41s of Katie Hartley, Paul Barwell and Lee Clark; and Chris Slimm’s 40.
Once the first round shooting had completed the shooters were randomly drawn into pairs, the top nine going forward to a final.
To give all the finalists a fair chance of winning the competitors were set level with only their final scores counting to the final result.
Of those nine pairs the lowest total came from Glenn Foxon and James Bend who, with 33 and 49 respectively, finished on 82.
Ian Ratheram (42) and Mick Cryer (42) finished a couple ahead on 84, while Roger Sills (40) and Giles Headley (47) came in seventh place with their 87 total.
One ahead with a total of 88 were Andrew Mitchell (42) and Mark Smith (46); Simon Grewcock (44) and Leigh Hall (46) took the fifth position with their 90; and the pairs of Chris Slimm (42) and Andrew Cryer (49) and Katie Hartley (42) and Chris Sills (49) tied for the third spot with their totals of 91.
The runner-up position went to the combination of Nigel Jackson (44) and Paul Huddlestone (49), finishing just one behind the winning pair, Dave Brown and Todd Astill, who scored 43 and 50 respectively to total 93.
Obviously congratulations should be extended to the Dave and Todd for their win.
Also to Todd individually for the highest individual score, and to Jackie Bend as the highest scoring female shooter.
But bit thanks should be given to all the attending shooters who between them raised £90 for the league’s chosen charity, the Leicestershire, Rutland and Derbyshire Air Ambulance.