WINGHAM Rifle Club’s Peter Thurtell is in red hot form and looks set to take out his home club’s open prize shoot this weekend.
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That’s the opinion of fellow club member Tony Moon.
The time-honoured shoot, one of the biggest in regional Australia, will get underway tomorrow and conclude on Sunday.
A field of 110 will contest the shoot, travelling from all around NSW, Queensland and Victoria.
There’ll be some top class riflemen and women there, but according to Moon, Thurtell’s the one to beat.
“He’s the No 1 rated shooter in Australia at the moment,’’ Moon said.
“In the past 12 months he’s won two Queen’s Prizes and was second in another.’’
Moon revealed that Thurtell will represent Australia in international competition in South Africa later this year.
Shooting on his home range should also work in Thurtell’s favour.
He will be looking to become the first Wingham shooter to win the event since Wendy Moon – Tony’s wife – was successful in 2009. Neither Moon will be shooting this weekend.
Two shooters who have dominated the Wingham event for the past five years loom as the main challengers to Thurtell.
They are Duncan Davies from Newcastle and Jim Bailey from Sydney.
Davies already has his own slice of history in the Wingham event.
He won the shoot for a record fifth time last year.
It was a tight finish, with Davies winning by a narrow two centimetre margin from Jim Jeffery from Lynhurst. Both are Australian representatives.
According to Tony Moon this weekend will be a shoot-out between Thurtell, Davies and Bailey.
“Take them in the trifecta,’’ he said.
However, Bailey’s soon, Mitch, could have something to say about that.
Bailey is just 17 and is rated as one of the brightest prospects in the country.
Generally known as a small bore shooter, he has been mentioned as a future Olympian. He also has form as a full bore marksman.
“Mitchell could be the smokey,’’ Moon said.
Wingham club members are expected to perform solidly in the lower grades.
As usual there will be a strong contingent from Sydney Boys High taking part and they are should also be to the fore in the lower grades.
Wingham Rifle Club members have been working hard preparing the range for the weekend event that is the major shoot in the club’s calendar.
The was formed in 1883 and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in the district. This year will be the 65th open championship. A sweepstakes will be held on the range today.
