The first stage of the Castlemaine Rifle Club 2026–2027 Club Championship was held on Saturday.
The event officially commenced in 1917 with Mr I Gibson being the first Club Champion.
109 years later, the club again competes to find its newest Club Champion. The championship runs for 12 months with eight stages shot from 300 yards to 900 yards.
The first stage is held over the shorter distances of 300, 500 and 600 yards, with seven scoring shots at each distance.
Conditions were very calm but with a typical cold winters day.
In ‘Target Rifle’ Chris Jolme got off to a good start scoring 34.3 followed by Richard Ruddick 33.1.
Kerri Neven led in ‘F Class’ with 40.1 with Darren Trevena next with 38.1.
Tony Skinner led ‘F Open’ with an excellent 42.5 from Shannon King with 37.0.
The next range was 500 yards in Target Rifle Greg Brown shot 34.2 with Chris Jolme next on 33.3.
Kerri Neven scored 40.3 to lead F Class from Darren Trevena with 37.0. Tony Skinner again shot well scoring 42.4 to lead in F Open from Shannon King with 36.1.
The final range was 600 yards, with light starting to fade. Chris Jolme scored 34.2 to lead Greg Brown with 34.1 in Target Rifle.
Kerri Neven won her third range in F Class scoring well with 42.2 from Darren Trevena with 40.3. In F Open Tony Skinner also had his third range win with 40.2, with Shannon King with 38.0.
Final results for the day saw Chris Jolme win in Target Class with 101.8, from Greg Brown on 99.6 and Richard Ruddick 98.3.
Dan McColl won the handicap from Greg Brown.
In F Class Kerri Neven was the winner with 122.6 from Darren Trevena with 115.4 and Bradley Knox third with 109.7.
Darren Trevena won the handicap from Shannon King.
Tony Skinner won in F Open scoring 124.11 from Shannon King with 111.1 and Tom Christie 105.3. Shannon King won the handicap from Tom Christie.
There was certainly some great scores recorded with a good number of members starting the championship. It promises to be a close and interesting championship.
This Saturday the club is holding its Annual General Meeting at the clubhouse from 2.30pm.
The following week is the first stage of the club’s 300 metre championship.
For more on the sport of big bore rifle shooting call the captain on 5474 2552 or see Max at Castlemaine Fresh.