Unhappy shooters seeking rival range

Recreational and competition shooters who have split from the Wairarapa Pistol and Sports Shooting Club are seeking to set up a rival range in Carterton.

National pistol champion Doug Mende wants to hear from anyone who has suitable land available, saying a second range is needed not only to help experienced shooters compete nationally but to encourage young people to take up the sport.

"Finding areas for noisy sports, in particular shooting sports, is a big problem across the country as more and more existing clubs are getting built out," Mr Mende said.

The core group of those seeking a new range is made up of shooters who have left the Wairarapa Pistol and Sports Shooting Club during the past 18 months claiming they were disillusioned and frustrated over the actions of some other members who seemed "determined to destroy" what had been created at the Gladstone range.

Those shooters who peeled off had joined other pistol clubs in the Hutt Valley.

Mr Mende said while they were happy to continue pistol, rifle and shotgun shooting at clubs outside Wairarapa, another local range was needed.

'It is important to have more ranges in Wairarapa so that everyone has the opportunity to be taught how to handle and use all types of firearms in a safe and responsible way and to help maintain New Zealand's high world ranking in shooting sports," he said. Mr Mende said he believed it was a local body responsibility to provide areas for noisy sports, like shooting, go-karting and trail bike riding. "These are safe sports that have a good standing in the community, but little support seems to be accorded to them in Wairarapa.

"In other parts of the country councils seem to be giving these sports very considerable support," he said.

Mr Mende said some people were asking why the disaffected group didn't rejoin the Wairarapa club.

But he said "massive problems" continued to plague the club. "What we are concerned about is finding a new range which will offer long-term use and meet the conditions for shooting and related sports, to be well run, safe and open to everyone."

Last week Carterton firearms importer and exporter Neil Hayes banned all committee members of the Wairarapa club from entering his property and spoke out about what he saw as a club in disarray.

This was denied by club president Ben Garratt who said his committee had no desire to trade with Mr Hayes and the club was "ticking along beautifully".