President message - May 2007

This special edition of Australian Shooter is dedicated to the shooting competitions of the SSAA. These competitions, commonly referred to as ‘disciplines’, are the backbone of the Association and the reality is there really is something for everyone.

As this issue highlights, the SSAA shooting competitions offer a wide range of shooting experiences and opportunities, and many types of firearms including shotguns, pistols and revolvers, and rimfire, centrefire and air rifles are utilised, depending on the competition.

Some of the competitions allow you to simulate real hunting activities or to perfect your shooting before you get out into the field. Clay Target shooting, for instance, was originally derived from real bird hunting, while Scoped Field Rifle 3-Positional allows you to practise on the range the various stances and positions required for accurate hunting in the field.

Other more specific competitions such as Combined Services, Muzzleloading and Single Action Shooting allow participants to re-enact the activities of certain events or time periods, giving shooters a whole new dimension to their sport.

As the SSAA’s National Discipline Chairman Coordinator for the past 15 years, I have had the pleasure of seeing many new shooters join the SSAA and try their hand at our competitions. It is especially pleasing to see junior, female and differently abled shooters have a go and then succeed in their chosen sport.

Whether you want to compete every Saturday at your local club or want to try to reach the top of your sport and then compete in international events such as the NRA Action Match in the US or newly introduced Pacific Regional Shooting Championships, there really is something for everyone to enjoy.

Shot Expo Melbourne
A special event will be held this month. Derived from the SHOT Show in the US, the SSAA SHOT Expo is Australia’s largest exhibition of shooting, hunting and outdoor traders, with the view to improving public awareness and increasing membership.

This year, for the first time, the SSAA SHOT Expo will be held in Melbourne and will feature live working gundog demonstrations and a mobile air pistol/rifle range. And with more than 70 exhibitors and 140 booths to visit, the Expo is sure to educate and entertain shooters and the general public alike.

The 2007 SSAA SHOT Expo will be held in the Grand Pavilion at the redeveloped Royal Melbourne Showgrounds in Flemington on Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and 27.

Bob Green
SSAA National President