Trans Tasman New Zealand 5-Stand Championships
1-2 February 2009
Thames Valley Deer Stalkers Club

Greg Allen prepares for a long-distance
downhill target.


Veteran David Brenton lines up a target.


The Graded Team of Doug Brenton, left, David
Brenton, Tara Lawrence, Bradley Schmidt and
Ben Cox.


Kevin Raymond accepts the Trans Tasman Trophy
on behalf of the Australian Open Team Dean
Delaney, left, Kevin Raymond, Frank Sgambellone,
Stephen Newcombe and Greg Allen. The SSAA Australian Open Shotgun Team successfully retained the Trans Tasman 5-Stand Trophy at the New Zealand National 5-Stand Championships, which were held at the Thames Valley Deer Stalkers Club at Paeroa near Auckland on February 1 and 2. The host club had prepared four impressive 5-Stand layouts with an excellent variety of targets to challenge more that 100 competitors in attendance. Set on the sides of hills and over large gullies, the four quite different layouts provided some interesting and very different targets for the Aussie competitors, who are generally used to shooting on flatter terrain.

The Championships comprised the North Island and NZ 5-Stand Championships comprising 200 targets over two days. While the bushfires raged in Victoria and temperatures reached well into the 40s back home, the local weather was ideal, with clear, warm days, but with some sudden wind shifts that kept all competitors on their mettle.

At the conclusion of the Championships, the New Zealand and Australian Teams shot-off for the Trans Tasman Trophies. The Open Team comprised Frank Sgambellone, Stephen Newcombe, Greg Allen, Kevin Raymond and Dean Delaney. After a full round of 5-Stand for each team, the Australian Team was triumphant, winning the Trans Tasman Trophy 96 points to New Zealand’s 84 points. This is the second consecutive year that Australia has managed to defeat the cream of NZ's Sporting Clays shooters on their home ground.

The SSAA Shotgun discipline supports a Graded Team of up and coming competitors to compete at these Championships. This year's team comprised Bradley Schmidt (B grade), Ben Cox (C grade) and David Brenton (Veteran). SSAA member Doug Brenton, who was in attendance, substituted in the A grade position and as we were without any female competitors, NZ Junior Lady shooter Tara Lawrence assisted.

After a full round of 5-Stand, both teams tied after some excellent shooting with 106 points each. David Brenton excelled himself with a perfect round of 25 targets broken. This necessitated a further shoot-off on another layout with 10 targets per competitor.

At the conclusion of this, the NZ Graded Team emerged the winner, with 39 points to Australia’s 30 points. The NZ Team was the inaugural recipient of the recently donated SSAA Trans Tasman Graded Team Shield.
The overall winner of the Championships was top NZ shooter Des Coe, with a score of 183/200. While individual grade wins eluded the Aussie Team members, SSAA member Doug Brenton kept the Aussie flag flying with a second in B grade and Veterans.

The 5-Stand Championships were followed by the NZ Sporting Clays Championships. Some of the Australian competitors stayed on to enjoy three more days of excellent Simulated Field shooting and to build upon the excellent camaraderie that had developed among the Australian and New Zealand competitors present.

by National Shotgun Discipline Chairman Warren Brown