McNair ladies entertain and fascinate at Changing Room

Ruth and Stephanie McNair with Sport Manawatu Tararua recreational adviser Leah Sole after the presentation on smallbore rifle shooting while a member of the audience tries out the laser rifle.

Throughout 2022, Leah Sole (Tararua recreational adviser for Sport Manawatu) will be running a series of events called "The Changing Room".

The Changing Room series is a way to showcase the talented local ladies of all ages, in all different levels and positions across sports and active recreation.

She says, "It is about breaking down the barriers and myths out there and having open and honest conversations with a few laughs along the way. At each event, there will be a guest speaker, and drinks and nibbles provided."

Ruth explains the different positions in smallbore shooting.

The first of these started on February 1, at the Bush Multi-sport Park, when Ruth and Stephanie McNair – mother and daughter from Dannevirke - talked about their shared passion of smallbore rifle shooting.

In her promotion of the evening, Leah Sole said: "We are very lucky to have local mother-daughter duo Ruth and Stephanie McNair as our guest speakers. Ruth and Steph have both had huge success in their sporting careers.

"They are powerhouses in smallbore rifle shooting. Ruth represented New Zealand at the 1994 and 1998 Commonwealth Games. Ruth has won the North Island Ladies Indoor Trophy twice and Stephanie has won it once so far.

"Stephanie is in the top open grades for both indoor and outdoor competitions competing with shooters of all ages and was a joint winner of Sportswoman of the Year at the Manawatu Secondary School Sports Awards in November 2021."

Ruth and Steph talked about why smallbore rifle target shooting was fun for women and talked about their careers and successes in shooting.

They described the different rifles, positions and events there are with shooting.

They gave those who came to the evening a chance to have a go shooting with a laser rifle. They also showed the jackets and trousers, sling, gloves and shoes used by shooters.

The evening concluded with drinks and nibbles for attendees who had come to learn about belonging to a club and the joys it brings, fashion, friendships, travel and the chance to beat the men, all reasons why women love to shoot.