RIFLE SHOOTING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 30, 6 February 1915, Page 3

RIFLE SHOOTING.

— hunt wins the championship The Taranaki llillo Association’s meeting was concluded yesterday. Shooting opened promptly with the Stratford match, 800 and 1000 yards. It could early be seen (reports the News) that this would tell a "ale, and that the championship would be fought out between Hunt (Suburbs) autf Hoots (Kaponga), the former starting with a lead of one. The match was won by Roots, with the score of 61, three others scoring 00. Hunt was 1 down on the 900 yards, and 4 down on the 1000 yards, so that he started the final match 4 points behind the Patea man. The final contest was in the New Plymouth match, seven shots at 800 and 000 yards.’ Hunt scored 34 and Roots 33 at the first range. With only mo range to fire, and Roots 3 in the lead, he looked like annexing the championship again. Hunt got two shots away before Roots went down. The Suburbs man’s sighters produced 3, 4, and he cut both out. His first business shot was a 5, followed by 4, 53 3 5,5, making a total of 30. Roots, who had got 2,3, for his sighter, had throe shots to go when Hunt finished. His four shots had produced 16, so that he had to average 4’s to win. His next shot only pioduced 2, and he now required two “huHV’ jf he was to he champion. But he got a 3, and his chance went, for though he found the. “bull with his last shot he finished one point short of Hunt’s total. His card read, 4, 4, 3,5, 2,3, 5,-26. Hunt also won the match, with his score of 61. In the Stratford match (won by Rflm. IX Roots, with a score of Cl), Pres. G. Loveday (Olinra) put on 61 (£3); Rflm. G. Smith (Kaponga) was third with 60 (£2), and Rflm. C. King (Kaponga) was placed seventh wdh 58 (15s). Pres. C. Bacon (Whanga- ■ monionu) tied with Champion .Hunt s score, with 56, Rflm. B. Wickham (Stratford) made 55 (each 10s). Sergt. Major Yoyle was sixth in the Tyros with 42.

The New Plymouth match was won by Hunt with a score of 64. Pflm. Healy and Loveday (Ohura), and Rfl.n. C. Speck (Stratford) were next with 62. Roots went down badly, scoring 59. Rflm. C. Jackson (Stratford) made 58. Ohura Team (Rflmn. W. Healy, H. Loveday, 0. Currie, Pros. G. Loveday, Rflmn. W. K. Williams) won the teams match with a score of 478. Wellington Suburbs (472) 2nd, Patea (464) 3rd, New Plymouth (446) 4th, Inglewood (141) sth, Kaponga (435) 6th, New Plymouth No. 2 (413) 7th, Patea B. (412) Bth, Stratford (Rflmn. C. Speck, C. Jackson, A. Watkins, S. M. Voyle, Brocklebank 413) 9th. Tahora (404) 10th.

GRAND AGGREGATE. Highest, scorers in Kaponga, Inglewood, Patea, Stratford, and New Plymouth Matches. Possible points, 350. Rflmn. H. Hunt (Suburbs), champion belt, presented by Rflmn. T. King, gold medal value £3 3s, and £4 ... ... 315 Rflmn. D. Roots (Patea), silver medal, presented by J. Bennett, - and £3 ... 315 Rflmn. W. K. Williams (Ohura), £2 :... 309 Rflmn. W. Hegly (Ohura), £1 301 Pres. G. Loveday (Ohura) 15s 299 Rflmn. C. Speck (Stratford), 15s 298 Rflmn. A. J- Jackson (Suburbs), 10s 297 Pres.'P. Palmer, (Patea), 10s ... 296 Rflmn. F. J. Shepherd (Opunake),

10s ■ ■ ... 395 Rflmn. R. Barkle (Suburbs), 5s 293 Rflmn. S.. J. Mayhew (Feilding),

5s ... 293 Rflmn. G. R. Smith (Kaponga) 292 Rflmn. H. Loveday (Ohura) ... 291 Rflmn. F. Bolton (Opaki) ... 191

Rflmn. C. Arnold (New Plymouth) 289 Rflmn. M. Marsh (Inglewood) ... 289 Rflmn. T. Marett (X.P.) ... 288 Rflmn. 1). McWhirter (X.P.) ... 287 Rflmn. 0. Currie (Ohura) ... 286 Rflmn. Gibbs (Patea) ... 285

Rflmn, H. C. Evans (X.P.) ... 281 Rflmn! H. H. Gilshnan, (Patea) ... 284 Rflmn. W. Monks (Rangitikei) 284

Rflmn. W. Bruce (N.P.) ... 282 Pres. C. E. Bacon (Whanga.) ... 280 Rflmn. L. Blanchett (X.P.) ... 280 Rflmn, T. King (Inglewood) ... 280 Rflmn. C. King (Kaponga) ... 280 Rflmn. T. Robinson (Inglewood) 280 WINNERS. The Cup was presented in 1909 bj Rifleman T. King, of Inglewood. li cannot be won outright, but after tun years the winner must present h again, when it becomes known as bis belt. It cannot be taken out of Taranaki, but the winner is entitled to have his name inscribed thereon.

1909, Capt. J. Potter (Auckland), 1910, Lieut. A. S. Marett (Xew Plymouth). 1911, Se'rgt. H. Frank (Xelson), 1912, Rflmn. I). Roots (Kaponga), 1913, Rflmn. W. Winslade (Xen Plymouth), 1914, Rflmn. H. H. Gilslinan( Patea), 1915, Rflmn. H. Hunt (Wellington Suburbs).

LONG-RANGE AGGREGATES. Possible Points 175.

Rflmn. I). Roots (Paten), £3 ... 155 Rflmn. H. Hunt (Suburbs), £2 152 Rflmn. W. K. Williams (Ohura), £1 150 Rflmn. G. Loveday (Ohura), 10s 117 Rflmn. R. Rarkle (Suburbs), 10s 117 Sergt. H. Lifcena (N.P.H.S.), 5s 115 Rflmn. W. Healy (Ohura), 5s ... 115 Rflmn. G, R. Smith (Kaponga) ... 143 Rflmn, F. Bolton (Opaki) ... 143 Rflmn. F. ,T. Shepherd (Opunnke) 142 Rflmn. C. Speck (Stratford) ... 142 Rflmn. A. J. Jackson (Suburbs) 110 Rflmn. T. Marett (New Plymouth) 110 TYRO AGGREGATE. Prize, Medal, presented by Mr W. Slaughter. Rflmn. Gibbs (Patea) ... ... 285

Rflmn. F. Ralfc (Rangitikei) ... 277 Sergt.-Major Hesp (Inglewood) 272 Rflmn. G. Shipman (Waverley) 264 Rflmn. S. O. Spindle (Inglewood) 260 Sergt.-Major Yoyle (Stratford) 257 Sergt. Hamblyn (N.P.H.S.) ■ 257 Rllmn. W. .Monks (Rangitikei) 255 Winners.—l9l3, Sergt.-Major O. Bond (Staff); 1914, Rllmn. W. Slaughter (New Plymouth) ; 1915, Rflmn. A. Gibbs (Patea). THE CHAMPION. The champion, H. Hunt, is in !ns twenty-fourth year. Ho is an elec trical engineer, and has beau shooting during the past five years. He commenced his shoo Sung career " ‘‘.h the Zealandia Rifles, a piommeut Wellington club, where he slu t with considerable success. He has fame annexed the North Island Championship at the Wanganui meeting, also acting as runner-up to T. King, of W anganui, in another year. fnis year he lias already annexed two champmuships, having, at New A ear, gained the championship of Wellington on the Trentham range, w lie re be averaged 47 out of a possible 50 right through. THE RUNNER-UP.

D. Roots, the runner-up, ; s one of the best-known shots in the Dom nan, having been champion of New Zealand in 1911, and of Taranaki in 1912. He is a farmer, and is 26 years of age. He has now been shooting eight years He commenced his shooting at Hurleyville, afterwards joining the Kaponga Rifle Club, and it was as a. member of that club that he annexed his championships. Two years ago he joined his present club, Patea. He lias competed at New Plymouth on three occasions, being champion in 1912, fourth in 1913, and runner-up in 1915. At the Dominion meeting he was champion in 1911, fourth in 1912, and seventh in 1913. Last year he failed to get into the final fifty. He has represented the Dominion both at Bisley and in Australia. 1