Out-of-town competitor wins coveted skeet trophy
Monthly contest featured three events
The Dannevirke Clay Target Club held its monthly competition on Sunday, October 23, featuring three competitions: the Colin Wood 50-shot handicap Skeet, a 50-shot Single Rise and a 50-shot Points Score.
The major focus was on the Colin Wood Skeet Trophy first presented in 2005 and made by Colin from walnut wood. Colin was a highly skilled craftsman as well as shooter and he made gun stocks from walnut as well to sell.
He and wife Alison (known as Ali) were members of Patangata, Hawke’s Bay and Dannevirke for more than 70 years, regularly attending all the events. Colin performed at the highest level while Ali watched and became very knowledgeable about the sport although seldom participating herself.
She said Colin took her to a Hastings Gun Club event on their first date in 1953 and she could not see the point of the sport. Over time she came to love it and attended every event with Colin as “their combined hobby”.
Ali was secretary of the Dannevirke club for 18 years, never failed to make a Christmas cake for it each year and after 70 years is still attending most events and especially to present the trophy.
Colin suffered a severe stroke five years ago but with huge determination he still managed to prop up his gun and shoot competitively until he passed several years since.
The Colin Wood Trophy is popular because it is a handicap event, the less experienced shooters getting more shots to achieve their target.
Skeet is a two-shot (high and low) event over 50 rounds and this trophy attracted 28 shooters from throughout Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Manawatu, Tararua and even one from Taupo who was second in the Skeet this year with his first attempt at skeet shooting outside of his own club.
Success does not usually come that easily and for this year’s winner, Barry Hunt from Manawatu, it was at least his 10th attempt, coming second on three occasions.
In a peculiar twist of circumstances just like Colin in his later years, Barry was shooting with a disadvantage having to use a 28-gauge gun instead of a 12-gauge because an injury meant he could not stand the recoil of the bigger gun.
The Dannevirke Clay Target Club has had a long history starting out on Aerodrome Road in 1926 and moving to its present site in 1985. The club has worked hard to upgrade its facilities, a big change when it built two skeet towers financed by member Bill Anderson.
This has helped members to excel in the sport including national representatives
like Mark Johnston and Dave Smith, the most famous being present member John Farrell who shot internationally between 1981 and 1993 winning a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in the Skeet Pairs 1986 in Edinburgh.
John still shoots to “keep his hand in” and coaches where needed.
Clay target members are dwindling and ageing and for the sport to continue it needs new young blood but the sport is expensive for young people starting out, especially for ammunition.
One member said the sport is popular among high schools with good tuition and competitions but
shooters do not seem to go on after they leave school. It is up to clubs to encourage young people to join following in the footsteps of their fathers and promising peers like Maddy France who is looking very good following her dad Richard.
Look online to join a club. They will make you very welcome.