OKEHAMPTON Smallbore Club held its annual Open and South West Championships over the last three weekends, with competitors coming from far and wide for a wide variety of competitions.
Over the first two weekends, there were events for prone rifle, and on the last weekend competitors could shoot both long-range air pistol and lightweight sporting rifle. Local business had sponsored many of the events and the championships were well supported.
Scoring in the prone rifle was high and results close in most events. The overall winner of this part of the championships was John Pugsley (Pinhoe), but by a very narrow margin indeed ? his total score was the same as Greg Hamley from Stuart Road, but his higher score at 25-metres gave John victory on the ?count-back? ruling.
Scoring was also close in the ladies? championship, with Lindsay Agates from Pinhoe beating Ann Travis (Bideford) by just one point.
Pinhoe Rifle Club?s A team walked away with the club team event, beating their own B team by 38 points, and Nina Williams from Teign Valley Rifles won the Veterans comfortably, four points ahead of Mike Cosway from Pinhoe.
In the air pistol events, results were more clear-cut; Andy Ferrara (Paignton) was well clear in class A, county captain Mike Wannell easily won class B and Giles Jackson was comfortably ahead in class C.
The lightweight sport rifle events were tightly contested. Class A went on ?count-back? to Nigel Scott from Brian Sedgbeer; Rob Street won class B by just one point from Shaun Millership, and Joe Chamness was only two points in front to win class C.
Leading results: prone rifle: competition 1 (20 shots @ 25 yards): Class A, Greg Hamley (Stuart Road), 198; B, Paul Cann (Pinhoe) 198; C, John Sampson (Exeter)196; D, Alex Thwaite (Cheddar Valley) 188; E, Charlene Voss (Weymouth) 184..
Competition 2 (20 shots @ 25 yards): Class A, Greg Hamley 198; B Rodney Coffin (Pinhoe) 197; C, Colin Reeves (Paignton) 194; D, Amy McCann (Truro) 189; E, Sue Harper (Withampton) 186.
Competition 3 (20 shots @ 25 metres): Class A, Ann Travis (Bideford) 198, John Pugsley 198; B, Paul Cann (Pinhoe) 195, Ben Blewett (Tiverton) 195; C, Di Johnson (Okehampton) 194; D, Clive Abbey (Fonthill) 186; E Sue Harper 188.
Competition 4 (20 shots @25 metres): Class A, John Pugsley 200; B, A Sherman (Weymouth) 197; C, Keith Travis (Bideford) 194; D, Amy McCann 189; E Sue Harper 189.
Competition 5 (aggregate of comps 1-4): Class, A John Pugsley 788 (overall champion), Greg Hamley 788; B, Paul Cann 780; C, Colin Reeves 772; D, Amy McCann 739; E, Sue Harper 746.
Competition 6 (Ladies Championship): Class A, Lindsay Agates 786 (overall ladies? champion); B, Sarah Hortop (Okehampton) 765; C, Di Johnson 770; D, Ms M Smith (Bodmin) 728; E, Sue Harper 746.
Competition 7 (South West Championship): class A John Pugsley 788 (overall SW champion); B Rodney Coffin 776; C Colin Reeves 772; D Alex Thwaite 733; E Mervin Duke (Truro) 727.
Competition 8 (Ladies South West Championship): Class A, Lindsay Agates 786 (overall ladies SW champion); B, Sarah Hortop 765; C, Di Johnson 770; D, no entries; E, Charlene Voss 724.
Competition 9 (open junior championship): Classes A and B no entries; C, Samantha Harris (Truro) 770 (overall junior champion): D, Amy McCann 739; E, Charlene Voss 712.
Competition 10 (open veterans? championship): Class A, Nina Williams (Teign Valley Rifles) 782 (overall veterans champion); B, Rodney Coffin 776; C, John Sampson 766; D, M Jeffreys (Manaton) 717; E, D George (Cardiff) 719.
Long range air pistol:
Class 20 yds sport total
A Andrew Ferrara (Paignton) 376 578 954
B Mike Wannell (Pinhoe) 354 547 901
C Giles Jackson (Pinhoe) 316 530 846
Lightweight sporting rifle
Class 20 yds sport total
A Nigel Scott (Exmouth) 388 590 978
Brian Sedgbeer (Paignton) 393 585 978
B Rob Street 381 564 945
Shaun Millership (Okehampton) 375 569 944
C Joseph Chamness (Okehampton) 346 542 888
Barbara Lewis (Pinhoe) 357 529 886