National Muzzleloading Championships
2-5 April 2010
Perth Muzzleloading Club
The 2010 National Muzzleloading Championships were contested at the Perth Muzzle Loading Club over the Easter four-day holiday. The Western Australia heatwave went into hiding and the four days of shooting experienced cloudy conditions, mid-20C weather and at times an annoying cross-wind.
Shooters from all over Australia attended, with some driving all the way from Townsville. South Australia fielded a very strong team and won as many gold medals as the rest of the shooters combined! The number of caravans and tents at the range far surpassed any previous gathering, but everyone fitted in beautifully, with enough power and water for everyone, including interstate travelling dogs. There was ample food and drink available for the four days of competitions, with an excellent barbecue on Saturday evening, followed by a beautiful fireworks display and finished off with the Muzzleloading National AGM hosted by SSAA Muzzleloading National Discipline Chairman Kim Atkinson, who was re-elected for another term.
Several national records were broken over the Championships by the father and son duo of Steve and Michael Nicholas (SA), who dominated the gold medal count. Steve won nine individual golds including a new record, while Michael won three golds and a new record.
Other outstanding shooters included Justen McGowan (WA) with seven golds and two new records, Franko Della (WA) with four golds and a new record and Tony Van Elst (Qld) and Frank Verdini (SA), who took three gold medals each.
Two existing records were equalled with single golds going to John Humberstone (SA), Kerwin Bee (WA), Des Prowse (Qld), Tim Rogers (SA), Dianne Humberstone (SA), Jeff Delacey (Qld) and Peter Norgard (WA).
There were many outstanding scores, two of which are particularly worthy of mention. Dianne Humberstone won the 100m Open Bench Rest, beating the top two male shooters, Steve and Michael Nicholas. Even better was the new record set by Peter Norgard (WA) in the 50m Off Hand Open Musket; he scored a magnificent 96 with an exact copy of a 16th century smoothbore matchlock.
The complete results show just how well a large cross-section of competitors performed during the Championships, from the official cannon blast fired by local Wanneroo MP Paul Miles to the medal presentation dinner at the Stringy Bark Tavern Wanneroo.
The Grand Aggregate, a combination of Pistol/Revolver, Military/Traditional Rifle and Shotgun Percussion/Flintlock was won by Tony Van Elst, followed by Leo Laden (WA) and Des Prowse. Top it all off, the Super Grand Aggregate is the total of all 28 events contested. What was quite amazing this year was that the top three places were within 100 points of each other. The winner of the Super Grand Aggregate was Frank Verdini, followed by Tony Van Elast and Leo Laden.
So many Perth Muzzle Loading Club members contributed to the successful running of the Championships that it is impossible to thank them all individually. Many turned up on work days and during the competitions without ever firing a shot and we all thank you for your valuable contributions.
| 25m Precision Revolver | 25m Timed Revolver | |||||||
| Gold | J. Humberstone | (SA) | 90 | Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 89 | |
| Silver | T. Van Elst | (Q) | 90 | Silver | T. Van Elst | (Q) | 86 | |
| Bronze | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 89 | Bronze | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 78 | |
| Revolver Aggregate | 25m Precision Pistol | |||||||
| Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 178 R | Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 94 | |
| Silver | T. Van Elst | (Q) | 176 | Silver | K. Bee | (WA) | 92 | |
| Bronze | K. Bee | (WA) | 165 | Bronze | J. Humberstone | (SA) | 91 | |
| 25m Timed Pistol | Pistol Aggregate | |||||||
| Gold | T. Van Elst | (Q) | 89 | Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 181 | |
| Silver | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 87 | Silver | T. Van Elst | (Q) | 180 | |
| Bronze | H. Dodd | (SA) | 83 | Bronze | K. Bee | (WA) | 169 | |
| 25m Precision Pist/Rev | 50m Precision Pist/Rev | |||||||
| Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 92 | Gold | K. Bee | (WA) | 79 | |
| Silver | T. Van Elst | (Q) | 92 | Silver | T. Van Elst | (Q) | 78 | |
| Bronze | C. Sheppard | (WA) | 91 | Bronze | A. Meerkotter | (Q) | 74 | |
| 25m Precision F/L Pistol Rifled | 25m Precision F/L Pistol Smoothbore | |||||||
| Gold | D. Prowse | (Q) | 87 | Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 89 ER | |
| Silver | T. Van Elst | (Q) | 87 | Silver | G. Price | (WA) | 88 | |
| Bronze | F. Verdini | (SA) | 85 | Bronze | B. Duckett | (WA) | 82 | |
| 50m Off Hand Military | 50m Snap Military | |||||||
| Gold | T. Rogers | (SA) | 93 | Gold | F. Della | (WA) | 87 | |
| Silver | J. Delacey | (Q) | 93 | Silver | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 86 | |
| Bronze | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 92 | Bronze | L. Laden | (WA) | 86 | |
| 100m Bench Rest Military | 100m Prone Military | |||||||
| Gold | J. McGowan | (WA) | 89 | Gold | F. Della | (WA) | 92.1 R | |
| Silver | J. Delacey | (Q) | 87 | Silver | K. Bee | (WA) | 91 | |
| Bronze | P. Norgard | (WA) | 87 | Bronze | T. Rogers | (SA) | 90 | |
| Military Aggregate | 50m Off Hand Traditional | |||||||
| Gold | F. Della | (WA) | 350 | Gold | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 97 R | |
| Silver | J. Delacey | (Q) | 348 | Silver | P. McCarthy | (WA) | 93 | |
| Bronze | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 346 | Bronze | J. McGowan | (WA) | 92 | |
| 50m Snap Traditional | 100m Bench Rest Traditional | |||||||
| Gold | J. McGowan | (WA) | 93 | Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 89 | |
| Silver | F. Della | (WA) | 88 | Silver | J. McGowan | (WA) | 86 | |
| Bronze | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 86 | Bronze | B. Finlay | (SA) | 83 | |
| 100m X Sticks Traditional | Traditional Aggregate | |||||||
| Gold | J. McGowan | (WA) | 89 | Gold | J. McGowan | (WA) | 360 R | |
| Silver | D. Prowse | (Q) | 87 | Silver | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 346 | |
| Bronze | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 84 | Bronze | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 336 | |
| 100m Bench Rest Open | 200m Bench Rest Open | |||||||
| Gold | D. Humberstone | (SA) | 97 | Gold | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 92 | |
| Silver | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 96 | Silver | K. Brice | (WA) | 91 | |
| Bronze | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 96 | Bronze | K. McKay | (WA) | 91 | |
| Open Aggregate | 50m Off Hand Firelock | |||||||
| Gold | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 188 | Gold | J. Delacey | (Q) | 91 | |
| Silver | K. McKay | (WA) | 186 | Silver | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 90 | |
| Bronze | K. Brice | (WA) | 185 | Bronze | F. Verdini | (SA) | 89 | |
| 50m Kneeling Firelock | 100m Prone Firelock | |||||||
| Gold | J. McGowan | (WA) | 96.1 R | Gold | J. McGowan | (WA) | 91 | |
| Silver | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 88 | Silver | F. Della | (WA) | 83 | |
| Bronze | F. Della | (WA) | 88 | Bronze | A. Groom | (SA) | 81 | |
| Firelock Aggregate | 50m Off Hand Firelock Musket | |||||||
| Gold | J. McGowan | (WA) | 275 | Gold | F. Verdini | (SA) | 89 | |
| Silver | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 258 | Silver | A. Groom | (SA) | 84 | |
| Bronze | A. Groom | (SA) | 257 | Bronze | G. Price | (WA) | 78 | |
| 50m Off Hand Open Musket | 50m Off Hand Vetterli (MLAIC) | |||||||
| Gold | P. Norgard | (WA) | 96 R | Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 96 | |
| Silver | F. Verdini | (SA) | 89 | Silver | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 94 | |
| Bronze | G. Price | (WA) | 87 | Bronze | F. Della | (WA) | 92 | |
| 100m Prone Whitworth (MLAIC) | 100m 3 Position Open | |||||||
| Gold | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 94 | Gold | F. Della | (WA) | 89 | |
| Silver | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 93 | Silver | M. Nicholas | (SA) | 89 | |
| Bronze | B. Finlay | (SA) | 88 | Bronze | S. Nicholas | (SA) | 86 | |
| Percussion Shotgun Trap (MLAIC) | Firelock Shotgun Trap | |||||||
| Gold | T. Van Elast | (Q) | 24 ER | Gold | F. Verdini | (SA) | 20 | |
| Silver | L. Laden | (WA) | 21 | Silver | L. Laden | (WA) | 20 | |
| Bronze | D. Prowse | (Q) | 20 | Bronze | T. Van Elast | (Q) | 19 | |
| Grand Aggregate | Super Grand Aggregate | |||||||
| Gold | T. Van Elast | (Q) | 725 | Gold | F. Verdini | (SA) | 2399 | |
| Silver | L. Laden | (WA) | 689 | Silver | T. Van Elast | (Q) | 2366 | |
| Bronze | D. Prowse | (Q) | 687 | Bronze | L. Laden | (WA) | 2300 | |
| State medal winners | ||||
| State | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| South Australia | 18 | 12 | 19 | 49 |
| Western Australia | 13 | 13 | 13 | 39 |
| Queensland | 5 | 12 | 3 | 20 |