NRA Action Match shooter Matthew Harriman
by senior correspondent Jennifer Martens
Nineteen-year-old Matthew Harriman describes his life as a non-stop adventure. “Between attending uni classes, completing assignments, spending time with my girlfriend, shooting, going out and everything else, I’m flat out, but I’m loving life at the moment,” said the SSAA member.
Despite his hectic schedule, shooting gets a fair bit of his attention. Having tasted domestic and international competitive shooting success early in his career, it wouldn’t be surprising if winning was his motivation. However, Matt says, “I shoot because I enjoy it.” He derives a great deal of pleasure from the social aspect of the sport and the travel involved too.
Specialising in NRA Action Match, Matt drives nearly an hour each way to squeeze in one training session during his busy week. He competes every chance he gets, usually either fortnightly or monthly, depending on the competition calendar. Cleaning his Ray Pulver STI 2011 in .38 Super and reloading the appropriate ammunition also demands some of his time.
Matt’s interest in the shooting sports began in 2001. It was then that his father Allan suggested he try either archery or pistol shooting. His shooting accomplishments in the past two years prove that he made the right choice.
In 2006, Matt was named the International 1920 Match World Junior Champion. In 2007, he was a member of the SSAA Australian Shooting Team that travelled to the USA to compete in the prestigious Bianchi Cup held in Missouri. Although he was only 17 at the time, Matt’s peers said he displayed the confidence and skills akin to the sport’s veteran elites. After three days of shooting, the result was a win in the Junior Division. He scored a personal best of 1902, including 148 ‘Xs’. Since then, he has bettered that score by 8 points.
Matt attributes his success to the “great mental strength” he has gleaned from his father and the shooting techniques taught by Craig Ginger, his long-time trainer and family friend. Matt is also beginning to demonstrate consistency. This year, at his second Bianchi Cup, his performance earned him a bronze medal.
On the national shooting scene, he’s made quite an impact as well - claiming a number of state and national championships.
Despite having already reached the pinnacle of his sport for his age group, Matt knows there is always room for improvement. At the time of writing, Matt had his sights set on another world title and a new personal best at the 2008 World Championships in New Zealand. In addition to this lofty goal, he is also determined to maintain his zest for the sport as he moves through new stages of his life, which include studying Construction Project Management at university.
Matt realises that continued results require continued improvement. In order to claim that second world title, the NSW native said he needs to further develop his mental skills and “on the odd occasion” gain better trigger control. He’s focusing specifically on making improvements in the Modified Mover event, in which an NRA target moves 60ft from one barricade to the next in six seconds. If he is able to master that event, his opponents had better beware, as the modest but confident world champion says he “has the other three matches worked out”.
Outside of shooting, the self-proclaimed “adrenalin junkie” enjoys spending time at the beach, pig hunting with his father, riding his quad bike and trying any “adventurous, adrenalin-rush sports”.
His friends are very supportive of his shooting ambitions and of the shooting sports in general. They consider Matt’s hobby a little out of the ordinary, but they get a kick out of the fact that his plans for an evening often include reloading 600-plus rounds of ammunition.
Despite being in a very busy stage of life, Matt ensures that he has time for what is most important to him. And, for now, shooting is among his top priorities.
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