Whakatane's Diane Collings proved to be a modern-day Annie Oakley at the Northland Rifle Association's annual championships at Kauri Mountain range over the weekend.
Collings, a former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and twice the holder of the Ballinger Belt, built on her overnight lead to become the Northland champion on Sunday
and leaving all the blokes in her wake.
"She only dropped one shot all weekend, that's pretty impressive shooting," organiser Roy Taylor said.
Collings who is a member of the Te Puke Club shot 249.28, while another Te Puke marksman Mick Buckley, was second with 247.19. Cleveland's Bruce Millard was third with 246.20.
The numbers for this year's event were down slightly on last year, but Taylor reasoned the proximity to last week's national championships at Trentham probably caused a few absences in their ranks.
"A lot of them would have been pretty tired after the Ballinger Belt and the Oceania Champs and things like that - there was a lot on down there and I think people were surprised to see Diane Collings here," he said.
Collings along with her husband Mike, who is another top national shooter, are both regulars at the competition.
"You'd have to go back a long way to remember a time when Diane didn't come to a Northland championships though," Taylor said.
Light to medium breezes over the weekend meant that conditions brought out the best in the fullbore shooters. Hawera's Alan Drake was the B Grade champion, with Lee Houghton the C Grade champion. Paul Neal won the F Class, while Stuart Amos won the FTR Class. Whangarei shooter Bill Taft won the Tyro competition, while Don Gallop was another of the local shooters to perform well as he claimed second place in the C grade.
Houghton, a former Whangarei club member who now shoots for Auckland club Clevedon, impressed many with his shooting and achieved the rare feat of making the open final.
It was believed to be the first time a C grade shooter has reached the open final and is a sign the 28-year-old has a big future in the sport.
The Boreham trophy, an event unique to the Northland Championships, was won by Clevedon's Steve Bower in the A grade, with Drake the B grade champion and New Plymouth's Graham Loveridge, the C grade winner.
The top scorers of each range qualify for the trophy and shoot five shots, shoulder to shoulder, for the trophy and a cash prize.
Final results.
A Grade: Diane Collings (Te Puke) 249.28; Mick Buckley (TP) 247.19; Bruce Millard (Clevedon) 246.20; Steve Bower (C) 244.24; Paul McElhinney (TP) 242.19. B Grade: Alan Drake (Hawera) 237.16. C Grade: Lee Houghton (C) 238.14; Don Gallop (Whangarei) 227.10; Graham Loveridge (New Plymouth) 224.07; Anne Riceman (W) 223.12; Pat Hurley (C) 219.06; Gerard Carlin (W) 191.06; Frank Riceman (W) 55.00 Retired. F Class: Paul Neal (Akarana/City) 294; Joey Meldrum (C) 288; Glen Robertson (A/C) 288; Nobby Miller (A/C) 281; Cyril Schollum (A/C) 255; Ken Wilcox (C) 153, Retired. Ftr Class: Stuart Amos (Christchurch) 290; Matt Barry (A/C) 127 Retired. Tyro Bill Taft (W) 212.07; Neil Black (W) 208.03.
Concurrent teams match won by Te Puke. Coached teams, Clevedon.
Boreham Memorial Trophy Matches - A Grade: Steve Bower; B Grade: Alan Drake; C Grade: Graham Loveridge.
Open Champion: Diane Collings 299.33; Mick Buckley 295.22; Bruce Millard 294.25; Steve Bower 291.28; Paul McElhinney 290.25; Lee Houghton 283.14.
Whakatane's Diane Collings proved to be a modern-day Annie Oakley at the Northland Rifle Association's annual championships at Kauri Mountain range over the weekend.
Collings, a former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and twice the holder of the Ballinger Belt, built on her overnight lead to become the Northland champion on Sunday
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