Whanganui target shooting in good shape

National Champs - Junior Men, James Gray second (left), Ryan Booth first, Harry Newrick third. Ryan is a South Island shooter. Photo / Richard Harrison-Lee

This was going to be a story about RSA Target Shooting Wanganui ... and it still is. Except now the club is called Barracks Target Shooting Wanganui, and they shoot at the newly renamed Barracks Range underneath Barracks Sports Bar in St Hill St.

The name change is a mark of respect for the exemplary way they have been treated by Barracks’ Denise Vincent and Mick Paul.

Regardless of the name, the club has always competed successfully and nurtured a growing number of young and not-so-young shooters.

Recently, club members Linda Gray, Dave Westcott, James Gray and Harry Newrick attended the Target Shooting New Zealand (TSNZ) Outdoor Nationals 2023, held in Christchurch from February 18-25.

The event was hosted by Canterbury Outdoor Target Shooting and was held at the Burnett Range in McLeans Island Rd, Christchurch. The international shooting complex has 30 shooting mounds.

Dave, James and Harry competed.

“The two boys [James and Harry] shot as New Zealand Juniors, then the three of them shot in the Senior Open for New Zealand,” says club captain Graeme Simpson.

It was Dave Westcott’s first pocket. The pocket bears a silver fern and is sewn on to the dress jacket.

“It means you’ve repped for New Zealand,” says Graeme.

“We got funding from Grass Roots Central Trust to pay for the juniors and Linda to go to Christchurch,” says Dave.

James and Harry, as well as clubmate Alex Stephens, have picked up a stack of prizes and titles over many indoor competitions, national, North Island and regional. With James and Harry also making a name for themselves at the outdoor champs, the club’s juniors give hope for a bright future.

“Harry has been shooting for only 18 months,” says Graeme. “So this is his second outdoor season.”

James and Harry are both studying in Auckland. They shoot at the Howick Range.

James Gray, Alex Stephens and Harry Newrick.

In other news, Target Shooting Wanganui has been granted $35,000 from NZCT to start upgrading the Okoia Indoor smallbore target District Range, by installing a modern ventilation and extraction system which will better protect the health and safety of future competitors.

“Danny Jonas of Sport Whanganui has been pointing us in the right direction as to where we should be directing our funding,” says Graeme. “TSNZ will have criteria where you have to have lead dust and nitrates extraction in each range, so that’s what the money will be used for at Okoia. We are future proofing the range.”