FIRING FOR THE QUEEN'S PRIZE AT WIMBLEDON.

Kumara Times, Issue 3083, 20 September 1886, Page 2

FIRING FOR THE QUEEN'S PRIZE AT WIMBLEDON.

AN EXCITING FINISH,

As already announced Private Jackson, of the Ist V.B. Lincoln, had the good fortune to secure the much-coveted distinction of the Gold Medal and Badge, after the closest aod most exciting finish ever seen ou Wimbledon Common. Punctually at half-past two on July 20th the Queen's Hundred took up their positiou at the 800 yards firm* point of No. 6 butt, at which they had been squadded ten men to a target. The day was afc this time bright, the sun shining pretty strongly, whilst a light and steady wind blew directly across the range from the left. As in

the second stage, the competition assumcd something of the diameter of a handicap, since the men came up with allowances to their credit, varying from the 194 of Captain CortU and Private Jackson down to the 181 of several of their opponents. At the first stage ne.ther of the two leading men did anything special, Coitis putting on 31 and Jackson 35, giving them aggregates of 225 and 230 respectively. The best score made at the range was the 45 of Private Adams, sth Durham, giving him, with his 186, an aggregate of 231. Firing was resumed at 900 yards, and the scores of the leading men and of those who began to creep forward were watched with interest. Amongst the latter were Richardson, a youn<* Cambridge marksman, who shot well in the Inter-University match, and Color-Sergt. Barrett, 2nd V.B. Lancashire, a well-known shot from Rochdale. At length, to those who bad been keenly watching the progress of events, it became evident that the probable winner lay between these three. Their last shots were watched with interest, which was intensified when they resulted in a tie. A tie for the Gold Medal bus only once before occurred at Wimbledon. This was in 1874, when Peter Rae, of Stirling, tied with Atkin. son, of Durham, the latter winning on the shoot-off. But here was a triple one.

The tie was shot off at the sixth target of the butt amidst the most intense excitement. The crowd by this time had massed at the one spot, and the police bad some difficulty in maintaining a space even for the competitors, hampered as they were by the almost forcible intrusion of people claiming to be friends of those in authority. The three men, before lying down to fire, had a little private' conversation, in course of which they agreed to add together and then equally divide the three first money prizes, the shooting, therefore, really being for the medal and badge, with its qualification of premier shot of the meeting. Richardson, a dark young fellow, with black curly hair, wearing the grey uuiform with red facings of the University corp.«, was first to fire, and made a low magpie. Jackson, who wore a red tunic with yellow facings, and a black cap, was next off his shot, lodging just within the bottom of the bull's-eye. An approving murmur swelling almost to a cheer went up, hut was quickly hushed. Barrett, a man with a dark full beard, who was also ia scarlet, but with a white cap cover, was the only man of the three firing in the back position, the others shooting prone. He pulled tiigger, but this time there was no answering signal from the bulls, and a challenge by the range officer only served to confirm tho fact that he had missed. Jackson turned to him, and, with a generosity deserving of recognition said, " Barrett, old man, I think you are low," the fact being that the shot had hit the ground in front of the target. Richardson fired a second time, aud got an outer very low to the light, Jackson's second Bhot was a magpie, almost directly under his first hit. Barrett, taking Jackson's advice, increased his elevatiou, and was rewarded by an inner just to right of tho bull's-eye, and all but within it. For the third time Richardson pulled the trigger and missed, his full score being five points. As Jackson had already eight to his credit, it followed that if he even hit the target he must win, while even if he missed Barrett would need a bull's-eye to win and au inner to tie. The Lincolnshire man shot and made a magpie ripht over the bull's eye his three shots being in an almost perpendicular line. The bulk of the spectators had followed the contest so closely that they at once realised the state of affairs, and a general cheer, followed by an equally general rush,' took place. It was with difficulty indeed that the crowd could be kept back whilst Barrett got off his last shot, an outer. The full tie shot was Corporal Richardson, 5; Private Jackson, 8; Color-Sergeant Barrett, 6. At the close of the shooting the winner was carried to the enclosure, where his rifle was tested. The bad»e was then piuned on his arm by Lady Wilmott, and he was hoisted on to the chair, photographed in that position, and carried round the camp. He is a stationer and bookseller, at Grimsby, and has a good reputation as a county shot and a bronze medallist.