Stuart Foate
by Media Officer Rachael Andrews
It has been a busy three years for New South Wales junior shooter Stuart Foate. The now 15-year-old SSAA member began target shooting as soon as he could get his junior’s permit at age 12 and showed promise from the beginning. On his first day at the range, Stuart tried his hand at Metallic Silhouette shooting, but has now grown to love Benchrest. Not long after starting this discipline, he took home his silver medal and within a month, he had collected all medals for this discipline.
Stuart’s father Anthony had been involved in shooting for many years, but hadn’t participated in range shooting for about eight years when Stuart began showing an interest in attending the local SSAA range at Seaham, just outside of Newcastle. The SSAA member quickly returned to the range with his son. Anthony has now qualified for the World Benchrest Centrefire Australia A team in France.
Stuart, who is also a keen guitar player, said he would read his father’s copies of the Australian Shooter magazine and knew he always wanted to have a go at target shooting.
“I always thought it was a very fun thing to do someday, very cool,” he said. “From the first time I shot, I really liked it.”
The Benchrest enthusiast said he always felt nervous when going to shoot at big competitions, but he managed to talk himself through it. He has won the previous three New South Wales State Hunter Class Centrefire Titles and placed as a Top Junior in the last Hunter Class Centrefire Nationals, shooting a 250 at 100 yards to take home his first 250 patch.
“I always get nervous, but some part of me just wants to win the shoot and even though I know I’m a junior and still learning, I just focus on that,” he said. “Then I just shoot and somehow I do it.
“When I won my first big shoot, it was amazing and I think I just couldn’t believe it.
“I remember standing there and seeing the last result and realising I didn’t want to stop shooting ever.”
In the 2010 New South Wales State Titles, Stuart placed ninth in both the 3-Gun and 4-Gun competitions, winning him the title of Top Junior. In December, he topped the juniors with a perfect 250 score at the NSW Rimfire Hunter Class Titles. His winning form continued in January, when he collected the Top Junior title at the Australia Day 2011 Benchrest Match in Canberra against some of the country’s top junior shooters.
The left-handed shooter boasts a rifle made specifically for him by Dave Kerr in Western Australia. The BAT DS in a Kelbly SPG stock and with Krieger barrels is his pride and joy, but he is also presently having a 30BR built by David Kerr for the traditional Hunter Class event.
Stuart works closely with his father as well as local shooters Tony Allinson and Bill Jupp to improve his shooting, but says Benchrest is also a “mind game” and no matter how much coaching you receive, you need to build your patience and concentration.
“You can’t shoot Benchrest without paying close attention to the wind,” he said. “But sometimes I get distracted by my score and panic a little bit; I know what I need to shoot, but I make myself wait and calm down before I take another shot.”
Stuart said that while his main focus with his shooting would continue to be target shooting, particularly Benchrest, he is also keen to start shooting out in the field more with his father.
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