PIGEON SHOOTING.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 227, 23 December 1859, Page 3

PIGEON SHOOTING.

SWEEPSTAKES AT THB YOUNG QUEEN ON TH^ SYDNEY ROAD The subscription for the Grand Champion Match, announced to take place at Mr. white's; tlie Young Queen.' in the Sydney road, did not fill and .instead of fifteen members at £5 each, the following gentlemen shot a sweep of £3 each, j namely :—Messrs. Duppa, Ret wood, Mills, I Kelsall,'and Liardet. It was agreed to shoot.at 1 five birds each, twenty-one yards rise, to take the fence of the field as the boundary, and that the prizes should be £10 for the first, and £5 for the second.- There was no stipulation as to loading, provided 'tbe shooter used a double barrel gun. Mr. Duppa commenced the match by bringing down the first bird, which example was followed by Mri, Redwood. Mr. Mills was the first to. miss, evidently to his great chagrin. Mr. Kelsall was equally unfortunate, but Mr. Liardet, the last on the list, scored Ito his name. In the second round Mr. Duppa's bird went straight away, but Messrs. Redwood, Mills and Kelsall all killed. 2 to lon the -gunfwas now freely laid. Mr. Liardet's bird "was hit, but nevertheless escaped. In the third -round Messrs. Duppa, Redwood, Mills, all killed cleanly and as Air. Kelsall missed, Mr. Redwood became the favorite against the. field. Mr. Liardet brought down his fourth bird, thus i" 'he event.-of Mills missing his fifth pigeon giving him a chance for the Becond prize. Mr. Duppa was unfortunate in his fifth bird, for. although Jie hit it sufliciciently hard to scatter a handful of feathers it was yet strong enough on the wing to get out of the bounds. Mr Redwood brought down his bird almost before it was on a level with his gun, thereby winning the first prize. Mills, who followed, also killed, and the match was at an end; Mr. Liardet, who had loaded in the hope that Mills might miss, resigned. The following is the, score: — •■• Duppa .; ; 10 10 0-2 Redwood 1 1 1.1 I—s Mills '.. 0111 1-4 Kelsall 0 10 0 -1 dr. Liardet 1001 -2 dr.

A second sweepstake was shot for at three birds each by the following nine competitors, viz *"■■» Messrs. Liardet, Kelsall. Duppa, Goldstone, Herbert, Redwood, Bryan, Bavin and Mills. Just before the commencement of the match Mr. Redwood, who had not recovered from the shock his nervous system had sustained by the explosion of a flask of powder in his face about a tortnight since, requested Mr. Duppa to shoot his his chance for him, provided the other competitors were agreeable; this was affirmatively responded to, as it was generally acknowledged that the absence, of so eminent a shot as Mr. Redwood, would rather, add to than militate against individual chance of success; in the first round Mr. Duppa killed for himself and Mr. Redwood with great neatness. Mr. T. Bavin also shot with great precision; in the the third round, however a bird reminding us of Barber s Blue rocks, succeeded in getting away with a broken leg. Mr. Duppa killed all his birds, both for himself and his friend ■—the only other competitor who was equally successful being Mr. Herbert, The following is the "balance-sheet." — Liardet 0 0 I—l Kelsall .P 1 I—2 Duppa 1 1 I—3 Goldstone 1 0.1-2 Herbert .....: ~.1.11—3... Redwood ...♦*.. '..'•• 1 * I_"3 Bryan ~.. 10 I—2 Bavin HO-2 Mills ......'. 0 1 —dr. It was agreed, between Mr. Duppa and Mr. Herbert to shoot off the ties at a bird each till one missed. Mr. Duppa killed for himself and Mr. Redwood, but as Mr. Herbert missed, Mr. Duppa was declared the winner ofthe first and second prizes, beating a field of eight (supposed) best shots in Victoria. Mr. Duppa then shot Mr. Goldstone several matches with double barrels, (two birds being trapped at a time), and won the majority of them ; on one occasion bringing down both birds with one barrel. In most of the matches we have had to chronicle, the birds have been squeakers, or very little older than squeaks. In- this match it was acknowledged that Mr. White had produced the.best birds that had hitherto been provided, and that he had an abundant supply. There are many ardent admirers of this sport in the colony, and the difficulty, in getting up pigeon shooting matches has been the scarcity of birds. The host of the Young Queen informs us that he has made such arrangements as will enable him to provide any quantity of birds, and that he intends to get up a sweepstake once a fortnight. We may here remark that the visitors from the sister colonies^ —New Zealand in particular—have shown an immense superiority over the denizens of Victoria in this particular sport. The £5 sweepstakes at Brighton was won by Mr. Dargin, of Sydney; the sweep at the Race-course hotel, the match with St. Clair Liardet, and the principal prize on this occasion by Mr. Redwood, of New Zealand; while the pony, at Prahran and the double first, above described when Mr. Redwood retired, fell to the lot of Mr. Duppa, also of New Zealand, In the advertisement of the match it was stated " some of our Victorians were anxious for a slip of the laurels gained by our New Zealand friends." The results of these matches have added very considerably to the visitors and unless Mr. J. Bevan (who a short time since challenged Mr. Duppa) .comes to the rescue, Messrs Redwood and Duppa 'will leave us as the acknowledged best shots'ih'Port Phillip. We believe the two last mentioned gentlemen would not refuse to shoot a match against any 6ther two previous to their departure, for any sum that might be agreed bnyßell's Life in Victoria, November 26.