The Newsletter of: Marple Target Sports Centre
Issue 02. June 2000
Well sorry to say but we have got to the time of year when the next instalment of your subs is once again due, but only if you took advantage of paying in two chunks. Those that could afford to pay in one go have no cause for alarm. From those of you that have received a reminder speedy payment will be most appreciated. Any one not paying will be deemed to have left the club and GMP informed to that effect.
GMP stands for Greater Manchester Police for those unsure of what it means. Firearm Certificate holders are the only members effected by the notification. Now for the benefit of those scarce members that have not visited the club since the start of the Millennium, the interior work is drawing to a close. Unfortunately under the terms of our lease from SMBC we are responsible for the upkeep of the fence separating the car park from the field with horses in it. Now, in view of the fact that only one fencing firm was prepared to even come and give a quote for the job, and a very expensive quote at that. The job fell once again on the valiant 3 or 4 members of the committee that seem to undertake all works that needs doing, step forward please Messers, MVA, Sharpe, Stopford, Hemsley and Bradley. To you the club owes far more than can ever be repaid. What happened to all the willing volunteers that roll up their sleeves whenever work needs doing? Marple Target Sports Centre is indeed fortunate in having MVA, not only does he work hard as the club Secretary but who do you think does the gardening, keeping the grass under control, pruning the trees, grubbing out brambles need I go on. Thanks Mike you really are appreciated. Thank you to any one else that has assisted in either the interior work or exterior.
The Editor.
Club Championship 2000
The Club Championship with the usual cash prizes will be held this year. The size of cash prizes depends on the number of members shooting in the competition and is made up of the entrance fees taken for the competition, with a matching sum from the Club, and a Donation from the President.
Any member can win the top prize as it is averaged across all the disciplines shot at the Club. Additionally a prize is given for the winner of each discipline.
There will be some differences in organisation this year as a number of specific dates will be set aside for the shooting of each discipline and the closing date will be 31 December 2000.
This is a competition where all can join in. Perhaps win the cost of an annual subscription and at the very least will have some good fun and try out other disciplines and perhaps add another interest to your shooting hobby.
All dates will be shown in the range office by the end of July and Range Officers will be offering all the encouragement and support necessary to make this an event for all to enjoy.
It goes without saying that to win the top prize one must first enter the competition.
Wirral Smallbore Rifle League
Winter 1999/2000 Trophy Winners.
Division 01. 1st K. Ridley Ilfords
2nd K. L. Dean Wat’s Dyke
Division 02 1st G. W. Critchley Wat’s Dyke
2nd A. Millican Shell
Division 03 1st R. Thomson Wat’s Dyke
2nd R. A. Hare Chester
Division 04 1st J. Gill Crewe
2nd C. Peacock Shell
Division 05 1st MVA Marple
2nd P. Buckley Cheadle
Division 06 1st F. J. Rogers Wat’s Dyke
2nd B. Whitfield Shell
Division 07 1st R. Pugh Shell
2nd N. Richmond Crewe
Division 08 1st P. D. Jones Weston
2nd N. Aldritt BRSA Crewe
Division 09 1st G. Dodd Shell
2nd T. Finnigan Ilfords
Division 10 1st H. Nugent Grange
2nd C. Jarvis Marple
Division 11 1st J. A. Parry Wat’s Dyke
2nd C. Hare Chester
Division 12 1st I. Ruddick Prestatyn
2nd P. Tame Grange
Division 13 1st N. J. Critchley Wat’s Dyke
2nd A. P. Tickle Weston
Division 14 1st Miss R. Fletcher Weston
2nd C. Latchford L C B Marksmen
Division 15 1st A. Kinnersley BRSA Crewe
2nd D. W. Parfitt C. P. L.
Division 16 1st D. Buckley BRSA Crewe
2nd R. Freeman Mirrlees
Division 17 1st Karen Morris Wrexham
2nd B. Devine Shell
AVERAGES USED FOR WIRRAL SMALLBORE RIFLE LEAGUE COMPETITIONS.
Clubs are reminded that the averages used for Wirral Competitions are assessed by the Stats Officer. The averages are based on the FIRST NINE ROUNDS of the last WIRRAL INDOOR LEAGUE, discounting the LOWEST TWO scores
CLUB AVERAGES CAN ONLY BE USED FOR NEW SHOOTERS.
It is a requirement for the confined shoot, that only club members who have shot in the indoor leagues can enter for the prizes. Anyone else can only enter as honours only.
Cheshire County Rifle & Pistol Association
Winter League 1999/2000 Win’rs & Run’ups
Division 1.
Winner: Shell Stanlow ‘A’
Runner-up: Altrincham ‘A’
Division 2.
Winner: Altrincham ‘B’
Runner-up: Weston ‘B’
Division 3.
Winner: Grange ‘A’
Runner-up: Shell Stanlow ‘B’
Division 4.
Winner: BRSA Crewe
Runner-up: Crewe ‘B’
Division 5.
Winner: Cheadle ‘B’
Runner-up: Coated Papers Limited
Division 6.
Winner: Shell Stanlow ‘C’
Runner-up: Crewe ‘C’
Division 7.
Winner: Marple ‘B’
Runner-up: Weston ‘D’
Division 1 produced an unusual situation, after 8 rounds all six teams had 8 points each. In the end Shell Stanlow ‘A’ and Altrincham ‘A’ were tied on points, as they were last season. This time though, Shell won on gunscore. In Division 2 last time the Runner-up spot was wrongly awarded to Altrincham ‘B’ instead of Ilford; apologies for the error have been kindly accepted. In this Ilford’s last season as an independent club, they tied with Weston ‘B’ on points, but slightly behind on gunscore. It is pleasing to note that they will still be shooting with us, albeit under another banner.
Best individual performance was again by Tom Rylands of Chester City with 9 points dropped, closely followed by Ken Ridley of Ilford with 11 points dropped.
MARPLE RIFLE and PISTOL CLUB will provide the Range for the final Shoot-off of the Millennium Competition. Dates to be Announced.
SOCIAL SCENE, V.I.B-B-Q
Go on ask what is a V.I. B-B-Q, easy it is a VERY IMPORTANT Barbecue and it WILL happen on SUNDAY afternoon 10 September 2000, Starting at 3-00 pm so come on get your names down on the list in the CLUB room. Bring your friends and family, no friends? OK bring your enemies, on second thoughts don’t it could get messy. But please bring someone it should be a memorable event, after all it is only the best organisers that the Club have that are in charge, Who might that be, one hears being asked? Only Mr. Peter Sharpe ably assisted by Mr. Rod Simpson. Think you can do better, allright it is all yours, if not just be there or else. There will be a small fee some where in the region of £5 per head that will include eats and may be a glass of wine or three. A more precise figure is not available owing to the fact that our suppliers are unwilling to give a fixed price for the food. We must not forget the cost of charcoal either, seems like a good deal to me. If we are unable to a make very impressive name for our selves as the Club to beat in local Competitions or National Competitions then a least lets get the booby prize for being the friendliest Club around then maybe some half decent shooters may join Marple Target Sports Centre.
Chabris 1999.
Over the remembrance weekend in November each year, the small village of Chabris in France's Loire valley holds a 24 hour airgun competition for both rifle and pistol. This comp is open to anyone and everyone who wishes to take part and in 1999 David Wilson and myself entered as a team for the fourth time. The usual pattern of competitors is about 80% from France with the remainder from the French speaking part of Switzerland and just us from the UK.
The format of the comp is that over the 24 hours, from 9:00 am on the Saturday to 9:00 am on the Sunday, a total of 16 separate, 60 shot courses of fire have to be shot. This means of course that each competitor does 8 individual 60 shot courses of fire. In order to make things a little easier for the competitors, the method of shooting is one on and one off, that is one competitor shoots and the other rests. Each 60 shot course lasts for an hour and a half and generally speaking you can complete it in about an hour and five, or ten minutes, so the 'resting' team member gets something like a two hour break.
The range is in the village sports hall and is equipped with high speed manual wind target changers. Free CO2 gas is supplied along with a very competent man to do all the filling for the competitors. Also supplied is a medical team that can administer first-aid and massage to weary shooters.
This later tends to be mostly air rifle competitors as they are the ones who seem to suffer the most aches and pains as the 24 hours roll on. Also available is an acupuncturist who uses a very modern set-up with electrical stimulation to the various pins, I tried it two years ago for a poorly elbow, but alas it did me no good.
It is worth knowing that shooting performance does not seem to fall off as the day progresses, usually competitors do their best scores on about their third 60 course of fire, but even after 24 hours, the standard is high. If the comp went on for say 30 or 36 hours, then I think there would be a real fall-off in scores as by 9:00 am of the Sunday people are starting to get tired.
The organisation is superb, with a full complement of both range and catering staff on for the whole of the time, you can have steak and chips at 3:00 am on the Sunday if you want (I have). The entry fee includes a full set of meal tickets for the competitors, which are exchanged for whatever they want to eat from a comprehensive menu.
At the end of the 24 hours, the top eight air rifle and eight air pistol shooters go into an Olympic Final of a final 10 shots to determine the two individual champions. The standard is very high and in 1994, the air pistol champion was decided on the very last shot. As a team and as individuals we have finished up about half way up the results, no prizes, but we have a great time.
Last year David and I made a little holiday out of the event by first visiting the Normandy invasion beaches, the Mulberry Harbour and its museum on the Thursday. Then on the Friday, the Bayeux Tapestry and drove round part of the Le Mans race course en-route to Chabris. On the Sunday after the comp was over we visited Chateau Chenonceaux, said to be the most beautiful of the many Chateau in the Loire valley, before returning to England via Tesco's wine and beer store in Calais.
Mike Williams.
It just shows what can be done when your sport is not marginalised does it not. Just one negative thought it seems a long way to go to Tesco’s. Just Kidding, I know that their Bread is cheaper.
I think we ought to ask Mike and David to tell a little more about the trip round the Normandy Beaches etc. it sounds fascinating.
(ED.)
Any other reminicences of this sort will be gratefully received, so come on put pen to paper let me have them please for the next Edition of Sightings.