2019 Gallery Rifle World Championships

Aussie shines at Gallery Rifle World Titles

The SSAA has a new world champion in the shape of Dave McCarthy who clinched two titles at the 2019 Gallery Rifle World Championships in South Africa. His total medal haul throughout the event was three gold, a silver and two bronze but it was securing the Standard Rifle and Classic Rifle world titles which put him top of the pile.

“It was a real surprise to find out I’d won both Standard and Classic Rifle,” said Dave. “I was confident of getting among the medals going into the Classic shoot and thought I’d probably end up in the top 10 for Standard Rifle as there were so many great shooters competing.”

Dave credits a major part of his success to wife Ashlea, a world class shooter in her own right who’d be on the team if not for family commitments. “The 2019 shoots were tough as it’s the first time in many years Ashlea has not been by my side either at the nationals or international shoots. She gave up her spot on the team as our son Jack was born just eight weeks before I left for South Africa.

“Ashlea has pushed me on the range to maintain a high standard because if I lose to her I hear about it from my mates.”

Despite the quality of the opposition Dave did enough to get himself over the line in Standard Rifle, posting an aggregate score of 2183.158 ahead of second-placed South African Heinrich Strauss (2182.147) and bronze medallist Jeffrey Kehoe of Ireland (2180.158).

Other members of the SSAA team also won individual medals including Sharn Brooker from Queensland who won three gold and two silver medals in the ladies under-25 category. National discipline chairman Don Robinson accompanied the team to South Africa and declared the event a success for Australia.

“We’ve only been shooting Gallery since 2014 and this was our second World Championships, so it’s a pretty good effort,” said Don. “The beautiful sunny days suited us and I wasn’t a bit surprised at how well Dave shot given he has nine Lever Action national titles to his name.”

As for the overall team placings, home range advantage saw victory go to South Africa ahead of second-placed Great Britain with Ireland third. The next Gallery Rifle World Championships will be held in 2021 at Bisley in England.

All Disciplines