BLANKET FINISH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1939, Page 8

BLANKET FINISH

WAIRARAPA RIFLE SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES AT PAPAWAI YESTERDAY. F. J. SOLER. WINS NARROWLY. (“Times-Age” Special.) The picturesque and normally peaceful pasture lands of Papawai were disturbed throughout yesterday by the cracKie of rifle fire «s 107 competitors, some coming from as far away as Whangarei and Invercargill, contested the events at the Wairarapa Rifle Association’s annual championship meeting. Held on the eve of the National meeting, the fixture is widely regarded as a final testing ground and the results usually provide a fairly reliable guide for Trentham. The conditions yesterday were excellent and the riflemen showed their appreciation by returning uniformly good scores. Taken throughout, the shooting was of a remarkably high standard. There was a blanket finish to the championship and the result was in doubt until the end. When the competitors ..went to the mounds for the 900 yards event, F. J. Soler, Wanganui, B. Masefield, Blenheim, and A. H. O’Donnell, Petone, were running necx and neck. Soler was the last of the three to shoot and he required a 47 for a win. Veteran of many a tense finish; Soler was coolness personified as rhe crowd gathered round keenly interested. With three shots to go, the Wanganui marksman needed three bulls-eyes to clinch the championship. Shooting brilliantly and apparently unconcernedly, he landed all three and was heartily applauded. Masefield and O’Donnell tied for second place, but the young Blenheim rifleman won on the count back. Masefield is a son of W. N. Masefield, several times winner of the National title and one of the best-known shots in the Dominion. He is apparently a “chip of the old block” and he shot with rare judgment when recording a possible at 600 yards. R. Ingley, a 17-year-old Greytown competitor, also shot remarkably well and gave promise of developings into a first-class . marksman. Among the competitors was Mrs T. Hills, of Auckland, who “was in the money” in several matches and scored 9 out of ten bulls at 300 yards. The meeting was most successful and was capably organised and controlled by the secretary, Mr J. B. Bairstow, and his assistants. Results after going to press yesterday were as follow: — BUCHANAN MATCH. (10 shots at 500 yards.) A GRADE. £3 each: E. Farley (Wanganui), 50; I. Ford (Wanganui), 50; R. H. Hunt (Suburbs),' 50. £2: H. Seymour (Alfredton), 49. 17s each: A. H. O’Donnell (Petone), R. J. King (Opaki), E. A. Johns (Kaitata), S. Pruden (New Plymouth), 49; N. Mac Williams, J*. Paterson (Wanganui), H R. Feast (Greytown), '4B. 10s each: D. P. Donald (Opaki), R. H. Nicholl (Petone), A. R. Wills (Invercargill). B. H. Whyte (Petone), W. Norris (Whangarei), F. J. Soler (Wanganui), G. Te Whaiti (Greytown), P. B. Goldfinch (Karori), T. Goodall (Suburbs), D. Roots (Palea), A. Ford (Invercargill), H. K. Smith (Opaki), T. Whiteman, A. G. Rhodes (Greytown), 48. 6s 8d each: H. C. Percy (Alfredton), G. Day (Tararua), F. Paynter, 47. Counted out - L. G. Benton, J. H. MacDonald, H. West, W. A. Kenning, S. L. Lumsden, H. A. Lumsden, W. N. Masefield, P. R. Catley, V. E. Donald, N. Perkins, H. Koppert, R. R. Torrie, E. M. Wrigley, V. G. Hunter. F. Sharland. B GRADE. £2 10s: R. V. Mason (Opaki), 49. £2: R. Gurney (Hautere),,49. £1: S. A. Christensen (Kaitaia), 48. 15s each: B. Masefield (Blenheim). F. H. Monk, 48. 10s each: M. E. Taylor (Blenheim), A. L. Ferguson, H. Hughes (Wanganui). R. T. Ingley (Greytown), B. R. Jenkins (Opaki), 48; C. C. Bidwill (Turakina), 47. 5s each: R. Catley (Nelson), I. Sutherland (Opaki). Palmer (Marsden), Mrs T. Hill (Auckland City),-J. Day, J. W. Curtin (Opaki), 47; H. J. Foster (Wairoa), J. W. McKenzie (Opaki), J.Reid, K. McCalmont (Opaki), 46. Counted out: S. M. Meads (Wairekei). WELLINGTON MATCH. (10 shots al 600 yards.) A GRADE. £3 10s each: J. R. Keoghan (Westport), 50; B. Masefield (Blenheim), 50. £2 each: F. J. Soler (Wanganui), 49; A. H. O’Donnell (Petone), 48. £1 each: R. B. Gray (Okato), H. W. Feast (Greytown), H. Seymour (Alfredton), G. Te Whaiti (Greytown), R. H. Nicholl (Petone), 48. 10s each: J. H. MacDonald (Alfredton), 48; W. H. West (Blenheim), T. McNab (Petone), R. H. Hunt (Suburbs), I. Ford (Wanganui), W. H. Kenning (Nelson), J. P. Sigvertsen (Tararua), 47; N. Perkins (Westport), T. Whiteman. J. H. Ashton (Whangarei), E. A. Johns (Kaitaia), R. J. King (Opaki), D. P. Donald (Opaki), V. E. Donald (Opaki), E. Farley (Wanganui), H. H. Mawley (Opaki), W. N. Masefield (Blenheim), H. K. Smith (Opaki), 46. B GRADE. £2 10s: A. L. Ferguson, 48. £2: J. W. Curtin (Opaki), 48. £1: F. H. Monk, 48. 15s each: R. Catley (Nelson), 48; B. B. Crocker (Auckland), 47. 10s each: H. Hughes (Wanganui), J. Day (Makomako), 47; F. Mace (New Plymouth). R. Gurney (Hautere), 46; K. McCalmont (Opaki), H. J. Foster (Wairoa), 45. 5s each: Mrs T. Hill (Auckland City), R. V. Mason (Opaki), J. W. McKenzie (Opaki), 45; M. E. Taylor (Blenheim), W. J. Mansen (Tararua), A. Cook (Featherston), J. Hart' (Wairoa), I. Feast (Featherston), 44; S. M. Meads, F. F. Palmer, 43. Counted out: S. A. Christensen (Kaitaia). H. V. Donald (Opaki), J. Johnson (Toko). WAIRARAPA MATCH. (10 shots at 900 yards). A GRADE. £3 10s each: 'A. E. Edmonds (Alfredton). 50; J. Hart (Wairoa), 50. £2 each: H. A. Lumsden, V. E. Donald (Opaki), 49. £1 each: H. C. Percy (Alfredton), J. Bouzaid (Opaki), R. H. Nicholl (Petone), L. S. Hare, N. Mac Williams (Invercargill) , 48. 10s each: A. Ford (Invercargill), H. W. Feast (Greytown), E. A. Johns (Kaitaia), H. R. Feast (Greytown), if. J. Soler (Wanganui), G. Te Whaiti (Greytown), H. K. Smith (Opaki), R. R. Torrie, 47; T. McNab (Petone), R. H. Hunt (Suburbs), A. H. O’Donnell (Petone), R. R. D. Rolston (Levin), D. P.

Donald (Opaki), H. H. Mawley (Opaki), 46; E. Farley (Wanganui). W. Norris (Whangarei), J. Clark driver-, cargill). F. Sharland, 45. Counted out: S. L. Lumsden, I. Ford. W. H. West, S. Pruden, J. P. Sigvertsen. J. Paterson, H. Koppert, J. R. Keoghan. B GRADE. £2 10s: J. W. Curtin (Opaki), 48. £2: F. H. Monk, 48. £1: R. T. Ingley, 46. 15s each: M. E. Taylor, O. B. Masefield. 46. 10s each: R. V. Mason (Opaki), 46; B. R. Jenkins (Opaki), R. Gurney, 45; J. Day, 44; H. J. Foster, Mrs T. Hill, 43. 5s each: J. Whiteman (Opaki), E. B. Crocker (Auckland), S. A. Christensen, S. M. Meads, 43; K. McCalmont (Opaki), H. V. Donald, J. Johnson iToko). 42; A. L. Ferguson, W. J. Mansen (Tararua), 41; R. A. Sangster (Toko), 40. Counted out: I. Sutherland, J. Reid. TEAMS MATCH. £3: Wanganui (F. J. Soler 146, E. Farley 140. I. Ford 145, J. Patterson 141), 572. £1 16s: Alfredton (J. H. McDonald 140, H. Seymour 143, C. Morrison 140, H. C. Percy 140), 563. £1 4s: Greytown (H. W. Feast 144, H. R. Feast 137, G. To Whaiti 144, D. J. Flynn 135), 560. GRAND AGGREGATES. A GRADE. £7: F. J. Soler, 193. £3: B. Masefield, 192. £2: A. H. O’Donnell, 192. £1 10s: G. Te Whaiti, 191; H. W. Feast. 191. £1: A. Ford, 190; D. P. Donald, 190. 14s each: R. H. Nicholl, R. H. Hunt, J. R. Keoghan, T. A. Johns, W. H. West, 189. 10s each: V. E. Donald. J. McWilliams, H. C. Percy, H. A. Lumsden, 188; H. Seymour, 187; R. J. King, H. K. Smith, J. Paterson, 186; E. Farley, H. Koppert, L. S. Hare. S. A. Lumsden, S. Pruden, 185. B GRADE. £2 10s: F. H. Monk, 190. £2: J. Day, 187. 16s 8d each: J. W. Curtin, R. V. Mason, J. Hart, 186. 10s each: M. E. Taylor, R. T. Ingley, 185; H. Hughes, Mrs Hills, 183; R. Gticrney, A. L. Fergusson. 182; H. J. Foster, B. R. Jenkins, R. Catley, K. McCalmont, 179: J. W. McKenzie, F. A. Christianson, 178; T. B. Crocker. C. E. Sigvertseh, 176: J. Johnson, A. H. Oxenham, 175.