This year’s Australia Day benchrest matches in the ACT consisted of three classes rather than just the usual Light and Heavy, with Sporter included for rifles weighing not more than 4.082kg (9lbs). The latter was held on Friday with shooters greeted by plenty of wind and mirage to make things difficult. This was duly reflected in the scores and at 100 yards the first six placegetters were all Hall of Fame members. Best group was a .129 shot by Darren Parsons with the winning aggregate of .2706 shot by Michael Thompson, with Paul Sullivan and Ean Parsons filling the minor places.
The longer yardage at Majura Range usually sorts things out and a .478 group by Milan Morrell was best of the bunch. Aggregate winner with .3714 was John Babic who never went over an inch on any group. The grand aggregate went down to the wire and Babic took the Ian Josselyn Memorial Shield from Thompson with .3371 and .3375 respectively, third place going to Brendan Atkinson on .3785.
The Light benchrest event was held in more favourable conditions and all but one of the small groups in the relays was over point-one. Best group of the morning came on the first relay with a .138 by Morrell. The aggregate produced a see-saw battle with Thompson finally edging out Murray Hicks with .2760 to a .2768, Milan not far behind in third on .2816.
The longer distance proved more challenging for most, though Will Greer shot a lovely .272 for smallest group then went on to win the aggregate with .2936, well clear of Thompson on .3205 and Robert Evans on .3376. In the overall aggregate for the class win it was Thompson on .2983 just ahead of Greer on .3003 and Hicks with .3105.
Heavy benchrest usually produces the smallest groups and Atkinson’s .126 looked safe until the very last relay when Morrell pipped him with a fine .125. It was a weekend of close finishes and the yardage win went to Hicks on .2274 from David Dixon on .2276 and Andrew Proll third on .2430.
The last yardage for the weekend produced another gripping battle and close results. Hicks shot the smallest group with a .329 but the yardage honours went to Les Fraser on .2954 ahead of Babic on .2955 and Atkinson’s .2963. The grand aggregate brought a deserved win for Hicks on .2659 with Proll second on .2797 and Atkinson third on .2832
The Two-Gun aggregate winner receives the Bob Daniells Memorial Shield and this year it went to Hicks with .2882, Greer taking second on .2998 and Evans third with .3267. As the Sporter class had been included, the Three-Gun aggregate went to Babic on .3350 ahead of Hicks on .3410 and Thompson third on .3440.
Once again a first-class event was staged by the Tobler family and friends, who did everything from cooking meals to running the firing line. National scorer Ian Thompson was in attendance and the target crew was expertly managed by Caroline Rae.