Roseville Rifle Club Australia

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Gosford had something special planned for us this year – lots of wind – right from the first detail at 8:30 the flags were pretty full (3-4 minutes worth). In the morning the flags were {mostly} pointing left, at lunch time they were undecided and by afternoon they were pointing {mostly} right. The range officer had this to say “at lunch time we turned the wind machine off to recharge the batteries but they are back on now”…but some lucky people had some good patches in the middle (or was it their skill?) and their scores proved it.

Roseville Rifle Club turned up in style.

• 50% of the Target Rifle shooters were from Roseville
• 33% of the FTR shooters were from Roseville
• Roseville also fielded competitors in Sporter Hunter and F-Standard.

Unfortunately not everyone was able to stay for the Roseville picture at the end of the day – but clearly there was a good turn out.

Standout performances would have to be

1. Christian Lemoy winning back to back FTR titles and relegating Janet to second place (again) with his masterful 90-10 in the final detail.
2. “Tyro” shooter Alex Toth who managed to win her first medal (1^st place at 500m) in her very first competition (and on her birthday too!)
3. Phill Hodder (Honorary member who now lives in Tasmania, past RRC Captain) winning Target Rifle A grade with a perfect 175 out of 175.
4. The Beale’s who took home the “Lucky Bull” prize plus THREE door prizes (but they did buy $25 worth of tickets!)
5. Steve Bliim – another Roseville Tyro shooter for whom this was also his first every prize shoot. He really improved throughout the day.

Podium finishes by Rosevilleans (range prizes then grand aggregate or other prize):

• TR-A: Phill Hodder(2^nd, 1^st, 2^nd, 1^st in grand), Adam Beale (3^rd, 3^rd, 1^st, 2^nd in grand), Dmitri Kazakov (3^rd, 4^th in grand), Mark Buchanan (1^st, 5^th in grand)
• TR-B: Chris Sefton(2^nd, 3^rd in grand), Sam Houston (2^nd), Alex Toth (1^st plus Tyro prize), Rob Trodden (3^rd)
• F-Standard: Allan Humbert (1^st, 3^rd, 2^nd in grand)
• FTR: Christian Lemoy (1^st, 1^st, 1^st in grand), Janet Beale (1^st, 3^rd, 2^nd, 2^nd in grand plus top lady prize)

So now we wait for what Gosford 2026 will bring…. A cyclone?

Janet Beale

Or a funny thing happened on the way to the rifle range

 Dmitri and Tim headed off from Dmitri’s about 7.15am on Friday 31 October for about a 5 1/2-hour drive to Armidale, stopping at Oliver’s at Wyong for a much-needed coffee.

Tim’s TomTom took us via Bucket’s Way which saw some beautiful scenery along a constantly winding road with frequent climbs and descents.

Arriving at the Hideaway Motor Inn at Armidale about 1.00pm, Reception was not attended so Dmitri and Tim drove into Armidale for lunch at the Whitebull Hotel.

After lunch Dmitri and Tim took a wander around the centre of Armidale and were saddened to see so many empty shop units and other shops which were closed. Tim took the opportunity to get an overdue haircut.

After returning to the Hideaway Motor Inn, they discovered that their booking was for a Budget Queen Room which only had one double bed. Fortunately, another room with two beds was available.

After settling in, Dmitri checked all the entries for the prize meeting as the shoot was to be conducted on four HEXTA targets.

Later in the evening Dmitri and Tim booked an Uber to take them to the centre of Armidale for dinner, however Google maps placed the centre of Armidale at a different location to the Town Centre and our Uber driver, whose name we later discovered was Habib ^{name has been changed}, spoke very little English and did not seem to understand what Town Centre meant!

Eventually, we made it back to the Whitebull Hotel and had a good steak upstairs at Manny’s Restaurant. The steak was cooked very differently from the traditional recipe and had a delicious, original flavor.

After dinner we booked an Uber and who else but 1our friend Habib arrived, this time with his 11 old son to act as interpreter!

Next morning saw some fine weather following some rain overnight.

The rifle range is about 40 k from Armidale and our intrepid travellers turned off too soon and found themselves in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. Dmitri’s sharp eyes observed a waterfall in the distance, but more of that later.

The rifle range proved to be only about 7 minutes away and we arrived just before 8.00am and completed our entries.

By this time the weather had changed to rain and the first range at 500 yards was delayed until 10.00am.

The wind conditions at Armidale are very tricky with frequent left and right changes over zero and varying in strength. Scores at the first two ranges were as follows.

Range	500 Yards	500 Yards
Dmitri	48.5	49.2
Tim	43.1	46.2

 

After a break for lunch the first 600 yards match was shot. By this time the rain had intensified into a thunderstorm and shooting had to be halted when lightning came close.

Dmitri shot in pouring rain and got mag pie after being called first down and shooting was halted after his 7^th shot. He resumed shooting after the break to finish 5, X, 5 and a score of 46.2.

The rain proved intense and with about 13 shooters on each target it was clear that we would not finish the range in time for dinner and to shoot the second 600-yard match around 7.30pm, so the first 600 yards match was abandoned, and Dmitri’s great effort proved to be in vain.

Following the first 600 yards match, we had dinner on the range provided by Armidale Rifle Club and waited until around 7.30pm for the second 600 yards shoot which was conducted at night under lights.

Shooting target rifle at night is challenging as you cannot see your rear peep, although you can see the front ring highlighted on the target very well.

Some shooters went to the firing point with torches on their heads so they could see their sights and their head movements caused the lights to flash around which caused Tim difficulty when the lights flashed in his left eye as he was on aim. After putting his third shot on the wrong target, Tim decided to retire from the match. Dmitri handled the challenging conditions well.

Range	600 Yards (Night)
Dmitri	49.3

After packing our wet gear into Tim’s car, Tim drove back to Armidale at a somewhat slower pace than the trip out to the range when Dmitri was driving, and back at our Motel we decided to dry things out as best we could and set our rifles up for the two final ranges at 700 yards scheduled for Sunday. One bottle of red was shared before we went to sleep after a tiring day.

Next morning, after grabbing a coffee and a pie at Ampol Foodery, we arrived at the range 10 minutes after the scheduled starting time of 8.00am and quickly prepared our gear for the first 700 yards match.

Dmitri was surprised that his first sighter was a high outer and his second sighter a high magpie, but he found the bullseye for his first counting shot.

Although the weather was now fine, the wind still proved very tricky for the first match and the final match which was 15 counting shots.

Following completion of the shoots we again had lunch on the range and waited for the presentation. Although missing more than a few in wind, Tim was quite pleased his elevation at the final range, so he showed his plotting sheet to Dmitri. This showed that Tim’s shoot was shot at 500 yards, not 700 yards, and Dmitri then discovered that Target 1, which Tim had shot on, was set at 500 yards instead of 700 yards and none of the shooters or scorers had noticed this!

The presentation was suspended while Dmitri made the necessary changes and Dmitri then noticed that the shoots on Day 2 were recorded as 600-yard shoots not 700 yards. Raising this with the organisers, Dmitri was told that Day 2 was shot at 600 yards, not 700 yards as originally intended.

Apparently, this change to the program was made just before Dmitri and Tim arrived a little late to the range so they were unaware of the change and thought they were shooting at 700 yards! Scores on Day 2 were as follows.

Range	600 Yards	600 Yards
Dmitri	46.0	72.6
Tim	42.2	68.2

This explained Dmitri’s high sighters at the first 600 yards range!

Following the presentation Dmitri and Tim decided to have a look at the waterfall Dmitri had spotted on our drive to the range on Day on our way back to our motel.

These turned out to be the Wollomombi Falls. With a drop of over 200m, these falls are some of the highest in NSW. We found a lookout with a fantastic view of the falls and the vast gorge below.

Later, at our motel we booked an Uber to take us into the White Bull Hotel for dinner and Mourad, our faithful Uber driver, duly picked us up for the third time and took us to our destination where we had a great steak.

You can guess who took us back to our Motel!

We slept well after what Tim at least, found to be a fairly tiring couple of days shooting and departed the motel about 7.30am stopping for breakfast at the “Alternate Route Café” in Uralla, which not only has excellent coffee and food but a very interesting, printed tin ceiling, which was only discovered recently whist refurbishing the building.

Tim had insisted we return by the New England Highway rather than through Thunderbolts Way, as he did not like the winding road, but we struck roadworks and later heavy traffic, which was unfortunate, although it gave us the opportunity to stop at Wallabadah to see Hugh Bloore, who did some repairs to Dmitri’s shooting jacket.

Great country hospitality and a well-run meeting by Armidale Rifle Club in challenging conditions made for an enjoyable few days away.

HEXTA performed perfectly in the wet and windy conditions.

TR-A Grade was won by Kathryn Sweegers with an incredible 274.28/275, one point ahead of her husband, Rob Sweegers with 273.23/275.

I don’t know how they do it!

Tim Walter.

Mark Buchanan and Tim Walter attended the 53rd National Rifle Championships held at Belmont Rifle Range, Queensland from 15/19 October 2025.

Mark and Tim both arrived about 11.30am QLD time on Tuesday 14 October, Mark having spent the previous night with friends at Cumbalum, near Ballina, and Tim spending the night at the Windmill Motel at Coffs Harbour.

HEXTA electronic targets were used exclusively throughout the Championships and performed perfectly, shooters being assisted with any difficulties by the magnificent small team of ET Assists led by Bob Cramp.

HEXTA made it unnecessary to have scorecards, blackboards, or check-scorers and in addition HEXTA entered the scores for each range and calculated the top 3 scores and the Daily Aggregates.

Two monitors were provided for each target which eliminated the need to swap monitors after each shooter finished shooting.

Wind conditions were variable during the lead-up President’s match and even more difficult during the Kings competition, with fairly quick changes from left to right occurring throughout, with top shooters being caught out at various times.

Good cloud cover made for quite pleasant shooting conditions during the Presidents, and Gazebos were erected in the afternoon which made shooting in the Kings bearable when it became hotter.

The targets are very close together at Belmont making it easier to fire at the wrong target which Tim did for his fourth shot at the opening 300 yards range!

Mark and Tim’s scores on Day 1 of the Presidents were as follows.

Range	Mark	Tim
300 yards	48.5	43.3 ☹
500 yards	50.7	47.1
600 yards	49.6	43.3
900 yards	50.5	44.2
Day 1 Aggregate	197.23	177.9

Mark had a good day finishing in 15^th place, his opening 48.5 keeping him out of the top 5.

Tim finished in 48^th place which was second last in Target Rifle.

The NRAA decided not to have a B Grade in this competition for either Target Rifle or F-Standard, and Sporter/Hunter were excluded entirely, so Mark and Tim were competing with the best of the best and Tim was happy just to keep out of last place!

Consequently, there were only 85 entries for the President’s Match which consisted of T-Rifle-A (49), F-Std-A (10), F-Open-A (14) and F-TR-A (12).

Tim thought he might have a chance of beating Mark at the first 1000 yards match after Mark scored a 39.1 but it was not to be, with Tim scoring 35.1!

Mark bounced back at the second 1000 yards range, winning the range with 73.6, again showing that conditions were tough.

Mark and Tim’s scores on Day 2 of the Presidents were as follows.

Range	Mark	Tim
900 yards	47.1	43.4
1000 yards	39.1	35.1
1000 yards	73.6 First	57.0
Day 2 Aggregate	159.8	135.5
Presidents Aggregate	356.31	312.14

 This placed Mark 35^th in the Day 2 Aggregate and Tim in 47^th place.

Mark was placed 29^th in the President’s Match and Tim in 47^th  place.

Meals were available on the range to shooters in the evening and were provided by our old friends Colleen and Susie Morgan and Peter Turner. They aimed to show that three people could prepare food for the shooters at low cost and high quality, and they were successful in providing for about 38 people on Wednesday and Thursday nights, 50 people for the Friday night roasts and 47 for Saturday night. And they did it for nothing!

They also provided rolls and sandwiches for lunch which was most welcome with the under 25 Teams providing soft drinks.

Day 1 of the Kings Prize saw equally difficult conditions and our scores were as follows.

There were initially 64 shooters in TR-A Grade.

Range	Mark	Tim
300 yards	49.3	47.4
500 yards	48.4	46.4
600 yards	50.5	46.1
600 yards	50.5	46.3
Day 1 Aggregate	197.17	185.12

This saw Mark finish in 23^rd place and Tim at 62^nd, Mark showing once again how good he is at the 600 yards range.

At one stage the Chief Range Officer reminded us that the rifle range is a nature reserve and to drive accordingly. Here is proof!

Former Roseville Captain and clubmate Michael Cuda finished 2^nd in F-TR-A with 237.14 with former clubmate Gary Faulkner finishing in 4^th place with232.17.

Day 2 of the Kings saw similar conditions but shot over the challenging 900 yards and 1000 yards ranges. Our scores were as follows.

Range	Mark	Tim
900 yards	48.5	48.6
900 yards	50.3	36.2 ☹
1000 yards	48.4	45.3
1000 yards	47.3	42.3
Day 2 Aggregate	193.15	171.14

Tim’s 48.6 at the first 900 yards was his best score of the meeting, finishing in 29th place with Mark just behind in 30^th place.

Tim colour co-ordinated with the great James Corbett who kindly posed for a photo with Tim!

At the second 900 yards, Tim lowered his rifle to rest on his 9^th shot and accidently caught the trigger resulting in another miss! So always remember to open your bolt before you rest your rifle! ☹

At the first 1000 yards range Tim finished with a 3 and resolved not to repeat that at the second 1000 yards range, and finished with a 2 instead, in both cases spoiling what would have been almost reasonable scores.

Day 3 of the Kings was hot, and we were glad we only had to shoot two ranges.

Our scores were as follows.

Range	Mark	Tim
900 yards	47.6	40.2
1000 yards	43.4	39.1
Day 3 Aggregate	90.10	79.3
Kings Aggregate	480.32	435.29
Grand Aggregate	836.73	747.43

This saw Mark finish 49^th in the Day 3 Aggregate and Tim finish 60^th, but not last!

In the Kings Mark finished 28^th and Tim finished 58^th.

In the Grand Aggregate Mark finished 25^thand Tim finished 43^rd.

Effectively, there were 60 shooters completing the Kings TR and 44 shooters completing the Grand TR.

The Kings was won by Duncan Muller with an incredible 497.48, a 20-year-old from Mount Gambier Club and the Grand was won by well-known Alex Davies with an equally incredible 932.101 from West Wallsend Club.

Congratulations to both.

Tim Walter

On Friday 3 October at 7.00am, Dmitri and Tim headed off to Mungindi to attend the Mungindi Prize Meeting held over the October long weekend.

This was a result of a personal invitation by Ben Picton, the Captain of Mungindi Rifle Club, that we both attend the meeting, and we were honoured to accept it.

Mungindi is a town and locality on the border of New South Wales and Queensland, and even with Dmitri driving, it was a 9 hour drive to get there, taking us through the Hunter valley, Singleton, Muswellbrook, Quirindi, Gunnedah, where we stopped for lunch, Narrabri, Moree, and eventually to Mungindi.  In the 2021 census, the locality of Mungindi had a population of 487 people in New South Wales and 124 people in Queensland, a total of 611 people, so it is not big!

Ben had booked us a room at the Jolly Swagman Hotel situated at the end of the main street just south of the Queensland border.

We went straight to the rifle range when we arrived at 4.00pm and first John Cooper, then John Kent and then somebody else commented that they had seen us overtaking semi-trailers at great speed!

Many people were camping on the range in caravans and there was much activity setting up for the forthcoming prize meeting.

We then went to our hotel and after 3 schooners of Great Northern we had a rather disappointing rump steak for dinner accompanied by one bottle of Jacobs Creek Shiraz, which was the only red wine available at the Hotel.

Prior to going to bed, we had a small tasting from a bottle of Chacha Dmitri had brought with him. Chacha is a Georgian pomace brandy, clear and strong (40% alcohol) which is sometimes called “wine vodka“, “grape vodka”, or “Georgian vodka/grappa“. Very nice!

Next morning, after grabbing a bacon and egg roll and coffee from the service station, we arrived at the range about 8.30am. Dmitri immediately went to his laptop and checked that every shooter had their SID number correctly entered in the HEXTA system. Entries were capped at 52 which meant 13-15 shooters on each of the 4 HEXTA targets Mungindi have recently purchased thanks to a Government grant.

Dmitri found that he had no Internet through his service provider, but Tim did, by having Telstra, so Dmitri worked through Tim’s phone and Tim effectively became the service provider for the rest of the meeting!

Shooting started at 10.00am on Saturday with 2×10 shots at 500 yards.

The wind was tricky coming briskly from the left from 7.00 o’clock at about 8 knots but varying slightly in strength and then quickly changing to come from the right and then back again from the left.

Dmitri opened with 50.2 to be placed 2^nd in A Grade while Tim finished with an inner for 47.2.

Range	500 Yards (1)
Dmitri	50.4 (2nd A Grade)
Tim	47.2

The second range was also shot at 500 yards but was 2×15 shots.

Conditions were like the first range.

Dmitri shot a 71.4, but Tim caught a consistent left wind for most of his shoot to finish with a possible 75.5 to win the range in B Grade.

Range	500 yards (2)
Dmitri	71.4
Tim	75.5 (1st B Grade)

 

Tim’s score of 122.7/125 was sufficient to win him the B Grade Day 1 Aggregate by one point.

Day 1 Aggregate	Score
Dmitri	121.8
Tim	122.7 (1st B Grade)

Following a very enjoyable presentation, we had dinner on the range only having a couple of beers before the short drive back to the hotel where we both felt the need for some red wine. After sharing one bottle of Jacobs Creek Shiraz, we felt like a little more, so we inquired as to the cost of a glass, which was $8.00, whereas a bottle cost $17.00. Dmitri observed that it would be cheaper to buy a bottle, and we would only drink half of it.

But the red wine slipped down easily and after we had finished the whole bottle, we went to bed, but not before having a sip or two of Chacha!

Ben had announced that Day 2 would commence at 8.00am and we were mindful that the clocks would be put forward in NSW that night so we would have to be careful not to get confused and be late.

Dmitri woke Tim about 6.45am and Tim checked his phone which showed 5.45 am so he decided to get some more sleep, but Dmitri relied on his phone, so we got up shortly after and after again getting some breakfast at the service station, we headed to the range. We had plenty of time to get ready as we were shooting around 14^th position on the board, but we were surprised when shooters were called to the mound at about 7.30 am by Tim’s phone.

We discovered later that although we were staying in NSW, we were so close to the QLD border that Tim’s phone had failed to correct for daylight saving time!

We concluded it must be confusing for the locals to decide what time to leave the pub at night!

Day 2 saw even more difficult wind conditions than Day 1. Although mainly a fresh left wind from 7.00 o’clock, it was dropping off to zero quickly and then just as quickly coming on again. This was reflected in the scores and Ben Picton later commented that they were the hardest wind conditions he has ever seen on Mungindi range.

Our scores on Day 2 were as follows.

Shooter	300 yards	600 yards	600 yards	Day 2 Agg
Dmitri	47.4	48.4	48.0	143.8
Tim	44.3	45.2 (2nd B Grade)	45.1	134.6

 

This gave us Grand Aggregate scores as follows.

Shooter	Day 1 Aggregate	Day 2 Aggregate	Grand Agg
Dmitri	121.8	143.8	264.16
Tim	122.7	134.6	256.13 (3rd B)

Tim was disappointed with his scores on Day 2, but he felt a bit better when he discovered that his site plate had come loose during the day, which may have explained some of the inners, and even better when Dmitri told him he had finished 3^rd in the B Grade Grand Aggregate.

The A Grade Grand Aggregate in TR was won by Matthew Shepherd from Endeavour Rifle Club with a masterful 274.35/275.

Zyden Wild from Natives Rifle Club won the B Grade Grand Aggregate in TR with 261.20.

It should be noted at this point, that in a magnanimous gesture, Dmitri decided to enter A Grade when he could have shot B Grade, to give Tim a chance to win B Grade. Had Dmitri entered B Grade, he would have come 1^st at the first 500 yards range, on Day 1 and 3^rd in the Day 1 Aggregate. On Day 2 Dmitri would have come 1^st at the first 600 yards, and 1^st at the second 600 yards, thereby winning both the B Grade Day 2 Aggregate and the B Grade Grand Aggregate by 3 points!

Dmitri sacrificed a lot in trophies and cash by doing this and it is acknowledged with gratitude. Please don’t do it again Dmitri!

After the presentation we headed back to the Jolly Swagman and had no hesitation in knocking off two bottles of Jacobs Creek Shiraz with our pizza! Chacha of course!

Next morning we left the hotel about 6.15am NSW time and were pleased to find the service station open for a bacon and egg roll and coffee.

Our drive home was uneventful until about 100k from Sydney after which the heavy traffic crawled and occasionally stopped almost all the way to Pennant Hills Road adding an hour to our journey (9 hours) and a lot of frustration.

Overall, it was a great weekend, and Mungindi Rifle Club are congratulated on running a highly successful competition. All Mungindi members helped, either by setting up shelters and seats on the range, sorting score cards, serving food and drinks and preparing and serving dinners on two nights.

Ben Picton was instrumental in obtaining sponsorship from many local businesses and shooting members and there was something like $18,000 worth of prizes and cash for those who won, including a barrel for the successful winner of C Grade Grand Aggregate in TR, Catherine Guy, who shot a very impressive 257.15.

Of course, HEXTA performed perfectly and there were no issues with misses or ghost shots.

Dmitri and I will go again next year, and if you want to also, get in early as entries need to be capped at about 52 unless Mungindi RC install a 5^th target in the meantime.

Tim Walter

Janet Beale from Roseville Rifle Club shot in her first international competition (Australian FTR team) at Bisley (UK) in the European Championships.

So how was Bisley? Very wet. Mildly wet. Sunny. Heavy wind. Some wind. No wind.  Mirage. Cloud cover. Basically, one of everything. It was so windy that on two different days one of the targets broke. Shooting through heavy rain was also a challenge until they finally closed the range due to visibility. When the rain let up a little, the shooting was back on with 1 non-convertible sighter – but it was still raining hard.

The F-class European Championships had nearly 400 competitors (57% FTR, 43% F-Open) with competitors from 20 countries. Shooting was in “Bisley-3s” (3 to a target shooting each shot in sequence with 45 seconds to fire), with 3 squads per distance across the 46 targets. The shooting was on the infamous Stickledown Range with multiple details at 800yds, 900yds, 1000yds but no short distances. There were 5 days of individual competitions and 3 days of team competitions.

Janet’s best placing as an individual was tied for 21^st at 800yds with 74-7 (out of 75-15) at 800yds. Note that means there were about 200 people in FTR with a score lower than that. Overall, Janet scored 88% in the European Championships which is lower than she wanted but higher than a whole lot of other people given the conditions.

After the Individual competitions were over the Teams competitions began. Overall, the Aussie teams excelled and came home with:

 

F-Open
o   Gold in the Rutland F-Open Match
o   Bronze in the Euros Teams F-Open Match (8 person team)
o   Gold in the America Match F-Open (8 person team)

 

FTR
o   Gold in the Euros Team FTR Match (8 person team)
o   Silver in the America Match FTR  (8 person team)

 

Janet Beale

After 370mm of rain already in Aug (normal Aug rainfall is 80mm), finally the sun came through. So the 24^th Aug was a lovely day for the Roseville Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Presentation Day for the 2024/25 shooting year. However, in deference to recent rain, the event was held indoors as the grounds were still a little too wet to be outside.

It was a strong turnout by club members wearing their RRC gear or blazers. The AGM formalities were accomplished relatively quickly with the highlight being the official welcoming of new members Alex Toth and Steve Bliim. The club also honoured Ian Hutchinson (Hutcho) with an Honorary Membership in recognition of his long service to the club – we wish him well as he has now moved up north. We then got down to the good part, the Presentations.

Club Champions:

• Club Target Rifle Champions >> Dmitri Kazakov (A-Grade), Sam Houston (B-Grade), Richard Lund (C-Grade)
• Club FTR Champion >> Christian Le Moy
• Club F-Standard Champion >> Janet Beale (A-Grade), Ross Webb (B-Grade).
• Club Sporter Class Champion >> Damien Stephen
• TR Junior Champion: Alex Toth
• Tyro Champion: Alex Toth
• Most Improved: Steve Bliim
• NSWRA Medal: Dmitri Kazakov.

But there were many more prizes than just the above. The statistician (the amazing Ian Palmer) did a remarkable job compiling statistics across well over a hundred categories, from “Cocks of the Walk” to monthly handicap winners, to Greenwell Cup quarterly winners. It wasn’t just winners, you could also get recognised for pin holes, sighers saved, double possibles etc.

There was good banter and camaraderie as we sat and devoured the wonderful food on offer – from prawns and sushi to brisket and steaks. There was something for everyone and it was good to get together for this event even if the shooting this week was cancelled.

Janet Beale

Dmitri and Tim were already on the range having stayed on after the Pacific Rifle Club Meeting and were joined by Mark and Sam who motored up in Sam’s Tesla, stopping occasionally for petrol.

Conditions for the Duncan were reasonable but with the occasional drop-off to be wary of.

Keeping up the long-standing tradition that someone must inevitably take a shot at the wrong target in a major competition, Sam nobly volunteered as this year’s sacrificial goat, being unfortunate enough to plonk one on the wrong target at the very first 500 yards.

The wind became more difficult when we got to 1000 yards, Tim getting an easy patch to finish with a 46.3 with a 3 last shot.

Duncan Day 1

Range	500 Yards	500 Yards	600 Yards	600 Yards	Day 1 Aggregate
Dmitri	48.4	48.4	48.4	48.5	192.17
Tim	48.5	48.4	48.3	47.3	191.15
Mark	49.6	50.7	49.3	49.5	197.21
Sam	43.2	46.2	45.4	46.2	180.10

Duncan Day 2

Range	900 Yards	1000 Yards	Day 2 Aggregate
Dmitri	49.4	44.4	93.8
Tim	45.3	46.3	91.6
Mark	48.5	44.3	92.8
Sam	49.3	39.1	88.4

Dmitri had enjoyed a very good steak at the Hog’s Breath in Capalaba on the Monday night and so he decided that he and Tim should try the Gumdale Tavern which was closer. The steaks were as good as the ones at Hog’s Breath and a very nice waitress let us drink the bottle of red we had brought with us. Dmitri opted for the Wagyu at $45.00 and Tim, now a pensioner, chose the rump at $28.50.

Pretty expensive for a pub meal but we did enjoy it.

Duncan Aggregate

	Duncan Aggregate	Place
Dmitri	285.25	5th – B Grade
Tim	282.21	10th – B Grade
Mark	289.29	29th – A Grade
Sam	268.14	19th – B Grade

 

On Day 1 of the Kings conditions were reasonable.

The Wagyu must have done Dmitri some good as he won the 300 Yards range in B Grade with 50.6, came 2^nd at 500 yards with 50.1 followed by a fine 49.7 at 600 yards to finish in First Place in the Kings Day 1 with an Aggregate of 198.19.

Well done, Comrade!

Mark had great success posting four 50’s, winning the first 600 yards match in A Grade with 50.8, and finishing 5^th in the Day 1 Aggregate in A Grade with 200.26, proving that you can shoot well on Kentucky Fried chicken!

Well done, Mark!

Kings Day 1

Range	300 Yards	500 Yards	600 Yards	600 Yards	Day 1 Aggregate
Dmitri	50.6 – 1st B	50.1 – 2nd B	49.7	49.5	198.19 – 1st B
Tim	47.4	48.3	49.1	46.2	190.10
Mark	50.4	50.8 – 4th A	50.8 – 1st A	50.6	200.26 – 5th A
Sam	47.1	48.2	48.3	48.3	191.09

Conditions were more difficult on Day 2, with the likes of James Corbett and Geoff Grenfell scoring 41.0 and 43.2 respectively at 1000 yards!

The Roseville scores at 1000 yards compared favourably.

Hoping the steak would work its magic again, Dmitri and Tim returned to the Gumdale Tavern where, to our amazement, the waitress remembered us and what we had ordered the night before, which we had again. Not bad!

By this time Dmitri and Tim had worked out that we could have a bottle of red each from the time we started cleaning out until bedtime around 9.00pm without it seeming to affect our shooting performance the next day and we stuck to this useful formula.

Kings Day 2

Range	900 Yards	900 Yards	1000 Yards	Day 2 Aggregate
Dmitri	47.3	45.4	47.0 – 2nd B	139.7
Tim	50.1	47.1	44.1	141.3 – 7th B
Mark	48.3	48.5	46.3	142.11
Sam	44.3	44.1	44.2	132.6

 

You guessed it – the Gumdale Tavern for dinner again!

The wind became stronger on Day 3 and very variable at 1000 yards as the scores indicate. We all went from side to side. The steak did not work!

Kings Day 3

Range	900 Yards	1000 Yards	Day 3     Aggregate
Dmitri	71.4	66.3	137.7
Tim	71.4	62.0	133.4
Mark	75.9	66.3	141.12
Sam	72.5	56.3	128.8

 After the final shot was fired, Dmitri finished 3^rd in B Grade with 474.33.

Well done, Dmitri!

Kings Aggregate

Name	Kings Aggregate	Place
Dmitri	474.33	3rd– B Grade
Tim	464.17	12th – B Grade
Mark	483.49	23rd – A Grade
Sam	451.23	18th – B Grade

 

 

 

 

And to finish off, here are the Grand Aggregate Scores.

Grand Aggregate

Name	Grand Aggregate Score	Place in Grade
Dmitri	759.58	4th – B
Tim	746.38	11th -B
Mark	772.78	23rd – A
Sam	719.37	16th – B

Our final meal was at the QRA where Colleen Morgan had organised the traditional Indian meals for a number of us, including Mark and Sam, Mike and Dianne Collings, Helen Griffiths and of course, Bob Pederson.

It was nice to enjoy mostly fine and sunny weather before we returned back to to the cold, wet and bleak weather in Sydney.

Tim Walter

Belmont Rifle Range 9-10 August 2025.

Dmitri and Tim headed up to Belmont Rifle range early on Friday 8 August 2025 with Dmitri driving Tim’s car.
After settling in and having dinner with some of the locals including HEXTA Electronic targets Guru Bob Cramp we headed off to bed.
Day 1 of the Pacific Meeting was 2 x10 at 600 yards, 2 x10 at 600 yards and after lunch 2 x10 at 500 yards and 2 x 11at 500 yards.
Conditions were blustery frontal wind occasionally fishtailing and sometimes raining.
Scores overall were as follows:
Dmitri: 600y – 45.3, 600y – 49.5 500y – 49.3 and 500y – 54.5. Daily Agg: =197.16. Dmitri had miscalculated the elevation from meters to yards and start his session with disaster wasting sighters and a couple shots to find correct settings.
Tim: 600y – 46.4, 600y – 49.3 500y – 48.5 and 500y – 50.2. Daily Agg = 193.14.
Tim’s 95.7 (Stage 1 and stage 2 at 600y) was good enough for second place in the B Grade 600 yards Aggregate and his 49.3 was good enough for second place at that range.

Day 2 of the Pacific Meeting was 2 x10 at 900 yards, 2 x 15 at 900 yards and 2 x 15 at 1000 yards.
Conditions were similar to Day 1 except the wind was stronger and fishtailing more frequently with the early shooters like Tim and Dmitri copping a bit of rain as well.
Scores overall were as follows:
Dmitri: 900y – 39.1, 900y – 67.4 and 1000y – 59.1. Daily Agg: = 165.6.
Tim: 900y – 40.1, 900y – 67.3 and 1000y – 47.1. Daily Agg: 154.5.
Tim’s only consolation on Day 2 was coming 3rd in B Grade at the second 900 yards.
Total Aggs: Dmitri = 362.22 – 17th in A Grade.
Total Aggs; Tim = 347.19 10th in B Grade.
Sorrows were drowned while cleaning out, at the presentation, and at dinner at a local Pizza Place.
Monday morning was a day off for us and nursing a bit of a hangover Dmitri assisted Bob Cramp in weeding out a small gremlin from the system with Tim watching in total ignorance of the technology.

A trip to the butts was interesting.

Later, Dmitri and Tim drove to the Cleveland Lighthouse Restaurant for lunch which was very pleasant but overpriced we felt.

The rest of the day was taken up with some shopping and relaxing in our D12 Bunk Room.

Tim Walter

The W.S. Josephson Shield, affectionately known as the “The Joso”, is an annual event held at Hornsby Rifle Range on the weekend following the NSW AAGPS Schools competition. This is where the 12 best shooters within the NSW GPS schools compete against the adults. The format is 6 people per team (coach + 5 shooters). This year the Joso was shot as 4 details being 2+10 at 600m twice, then 2+10 at 800m twice. This year there were 6 Target Rifle (TR) teams and 3 F-Class teams.

Now, those that know Hornsby well, can attest to the fact it is generally docile and not too windy. Mother Nature decided to have some fun with the Joso wind coaches and kicked up some decent wind which was often barrelling up the range when it wasn’t shifting left-to-right or right-to-left. “Its unreadable” said one coach…until it was readable…then unreadable again. But we got there in the end; even if our egos and scores took a little battering.

Mike Hodder as Range Officer

School shooters competing on equal terms with adults.

Janet Beale talking strategy with her wind coach John Leask.

Congrats to

• North Shore District Rifle “Emerald” F-class team who won their division by 6 points (there was a small 1.3% difference between the top team and the bottom team in F-class)
• Hunter Valley District Rifle TR team who won their division by 7 points (there was a 4.9% difference between the top team and the bottom team in TR)

Special mentions

1. to the GPS school competitors, many of whom had never shot at 800m before and who were using factory loaded ammunition. They were competing against seasoned shooters, many of whom have represented their country at world championships. The GPS competitors represent the future of our sport and they are very talented indeed.
2. to the 2 Roseville shooters who were in NSDRA teams (Dmitri Kazakov in TR and Janet Beale in F-Class)
3. to the many helpers who helped make the day run smoothly (from Roseville this was Mike Hodder, Dmitri Kazakov, Janet Beale)
4. to Roseville Rifle Club for supplying three of the targets for the day.

Results can be seen HERE

Janet Beale

A three way shoot off for the Daily Telegraph was also conducted this evening at 500y between

Phew! We made it to the end of another successful shooting year. For some, it is a time for celebration of their club-shooting success; for others, it means a fresh start to improve over the next year (or to do more load testing). It was a wet year and it was a hot year. But we survived and thrived. So let’s do a whip around to highlight our Roseville successes (noting we will have a suitable presentation day later when it is a bit warmer).

We salute our club champions and runners up:

In Target Rifle (click here):

• Club Target Rifle A Grade: Champion >> Dmitri Kazakov;  Runner Up >>  Mark Buchanan
• Club Target Rifle B Grade: Champion >> Sam Houston;  Runner Up >>  Rob Trodden
• Club Target Rifle C Grade: Champion >> Richard Lund;  Runner Up >>  Christie Verney

In F-Class (click here)., F-TR (click here) and  Sporter (click here):

• Club FTR: Champion >> Christian Le Moy;  Runner Up >>  Dmitri Kazakov
• Club F-Standard A Grade: Champion >> Janet Beale;  Runner Up >>  Allan Humbert
• Club F-Standard B Grade: Champion >> Ross Webb
• Club Sporter Class: Champion >> Damien Stephen;  Runner Up >>  David Wood

Best results on ranges (Cock of the Walk):

Roseville members who represented the club internationally:

• Mark Buchanan (Individual shooter at Bisley, UK)

Roseville members who represented NSW on a State team:

• Alan Patrick (NSW Vets TR)
• Eva Patrick (NSW Vets FTR)
• Janet Beale (NSW Vets FTR, NSW FStd in Nov, NSW FStd in May)

Roseville members who excelled in Kings’ events across the country:

• Tasmanian King’s >> Sam Houston TR-B 3^rd place in both the King’s and Grand Aggregate
• National King’s >> Janet Beale FTR 3^rd place in the Grand Aggregate

Roseville members who excelled in Open Prize Meetings across the country:

• TOO MANY TO LIST HERE!!!!! (but hint we had big wins at Gosford!)

Roseville teams who excelled in the Arn Hammond matches:

• Roseville 20X – FTR (1^st place)
• Roseville Rottweilers – TR-1 (2^nd place)
• Roseville Redbacks – FStd (2^nd place)

Special mention goes to our extra hard working behind the scenes people:

• The 2024/25 Club committee: President Mark Buchanan and Club Captain Rob Trodden supported by Secretary Christian LeMoy, Treasurer Steve Tofler, Statistician Ian Palmer and the rest of the committee
• Our representatives on the 2024/25 NRTSCMA committee >> Alan Patrick, Adrian Bonanni
• Dmitri Kazakov who supports us, the Hornsby clubs and everyone with the HEXTA targets
• Every club member that has helped put up a flag, been a range officer, vacuumed the club house, put up a target, did kitchen duties, helped set up the mound, repaired a target face, chipped in doing range maintenance, or helped coach a new shooter. You know we cant do it without you!

Well done to everyone! What a remarkable year it was. We also welcomed some new members (looking at you Alex Toth and Steve Bliim), welcomed some back (Tamas Szalai) and said hello to some prospective members. So, lets see what we can do in 2025/26 as the book is now open to a new page.

It was back on 24^th December 2024, that we received this email “The NSW Rifle Association Board regrets to inform members that, due to ongoing works, the New South Wales Rifle Association 149th Annual Open Championships/King Prize 2025 will be postponed. The event will now take place from Wednesday, 25th June to Sunday, 29th June 2025.” And so it was that the NSW Kings was not held in the height of summer but in the middle of winter. For some people, forgoing the summer Kings meant less sunburn, less heat exhaustion (particularly in shooting jackets), less mirage, and of course fewer “southerly busters” spoiling the shooting. So what we got instead was very cold mornings (8c), short days, high winds (gusting to 50km/hr forcing cancellation of 2 stages), layers and layers of clothing and whale-watching during migration season. It was an interesting competition with the high winds and changeable flags (pick ups / drop offs / heavy gusts) separating the field particularly in the McIntosh leadup. This was the stuff legends are made of – particularly when, in the leadup, the TR winner dropped 18 points in 2 days. Those that joined the competition for just the Kings don’t know what they missed (the TR Kings winner Chris Schwebel having dropped just 1 point in 3 days).

Shooting at Hornsby, the Roseville shooters are not exposed to winds like that – but everyone from Roseville tried hard and persevered completing the competition – let’s just say it was character building.

While there were 200 competitors in the Kings – this year we had a reduced number of Roseville Rifle Club members representing the club. At the 2-day McIntosh Leadup and 3-day NSW Kings Roseville was represented by Adrian Bonanni in TR-A (this was his last competition as a Roseville shooter as he now moves to the Malabar Range) and Janet Beale in FTR. In the 3 day Kings event they were then joined by Roseville members Chris Sefton and Tim Walter in TR-B.

The best details for our competitors included Chris coming 4^th at 700m with a 50-5, Tim shooting a 48-5 at 700m, Janet coming 2^nd at 600m with a 79-3, Adrian scoring 3 possibles (50-5, 50-6 and 50-6 at 500m, 700m and 800m). Janet came 7^th in the McIntosh Leadup and Adrian came 15^th. Then in the Kings, Chris, Tim and Janet were in the top 15 in their discipline.

Janet Beale

In May, the North Queensland Rifle Association’s (NQRA) Kings and lead-up “Wilson” event was followed by the F-Class teams event. These were shot just outside of Townsville at the Hervey’s Range Shooting Complex. Townsville in North Queensland is a long trek from Roseville – some 2000 km. Driving takes a couple of days, or the alternative is flying with your rifle but that still means someone has to drive your ammo up (you can’t fly with too many rounds). But what is it like to be there? We are talking snake country – check out the sign! And of course a stray cow or two had to be ushered off the shooting range at the odd time. It was sunny and warm at one of the prettiest rifle ranges – it has a mountain as a fairly awesome and solid stop-butt. Best part about being there was being away from the Sydney rain!

Due to the F-class teams event following the NQRA Kings, there were a lot of entries in the Kings >> Target Rifle = 26, F-Standard = 42, F-Open = 53, F-TR = 34, Sporter Open = 17. So all up 172 competitors – quite a good turn out.

In the Lead-up and Kings, Roseville’s sole competitor was Mark Buchanan. He did us proud clocking up 7 possibles (50 out of 50) in the sunny warm conditions over the 5 days. For the leadup, “the Wilson”, Mark’s best detail was a strong 50-7 but it was hard to beat Steve Negus who scored 50-10 on that particular detail. It was a very tight competition, and after the two Lead-up days, Mark was only 2 points behind the winner Steve Negus. Well fought Mark; maybe next time. In the Kings, Steve Negus again prevailed – but Mark showed his mettle with some very good shooting.  The Hexta target systems was a solid performer, too bad the tablets at the mound struggled in the warm sunshine – but that issue was resolved.

In the F-Class teams event, Janet Beale was the only Roseville competitor (but quite a few friends from the Hornsby range in the other NSW teams). In this competition, Janet was shooting F-Standard. Janet’s best shoot was a 90-10 at 700m on day 2 which helped her to become the top scorer for the team on Day 2.  Alas, the Queensland F-Standard team coached by Andrew McKillop was just too strong leaving the rest of the field in the dust. The NSW F-Open team had their turn on the podium (Go the Blues!). The NSW F-TR team performed strongly but no podium finish. Team shooting is just that – it is a team – so while every individual does what they can, there is no “I” in TEAM. Maybe NSW will clinch it next time? Roseville has some strong F-class shooters so lets see what the future holds.

Janet Beale

Mark, Sam, and Tim attended the Tasmanian Championships at Campbell Town Rifle Range conducted from 6 to 10 March 2025.

Life Member Mike Hodder also attended and all four stayed in accommodation organized by Sam two minutes’ drive from the rifle range. Phill Hodder was shooting with his new club, Strahan, and camped on the range. Mark and Sam competed in both days of the lead-up Tiger Cup Series while Tim arrived on Thursday afternoon and only shot Day 2.

On Thursday night, Phill hosted us to a barbeque outside his tent on the range where we had a hearty meal.

The Tiger Cup Series.

Shooter	500 Yards	600 Yards	700 Yards	800 Yards	900 Yards	1000 Yards	AGG	Place
Mark	49.6	48.4	47.4	48.4	50.6 – 2nd	46.3	288.27	4th
Phill	50.7 – 1st A	48.5	43.1	49.2	50.5	46.3	286.23	6th
Sam	50.6 – 1st B	41.3	42.2	44.4	50.6 – 1st B	44.1 – 2nd B	271.22 – 3rd B	3rd – B
Tim	–	–	–	–	48.4	39.2	87.6	–

Match 8 was the 1000 Yard Championship.

Mark won A Grade with Phill second. Sam deciding to take a breather.

Shooter	Score	Place
Mark	72.6 1st A Grade	1st -A
Phill	72.2 2nd A Grade	2nd – A
Tim	50.0	3rd – B

On Friday night we hosted Phill at our digs for dinner cooked by Sam.

Our accommodation was perfect apart from being about 10 feet from the main road from Launceston to Hobart. Heavy traffic noise was incessant throughout the night until after about 2.00am, especially for Mike and Tim who had rooms closest to the road. Sam found the wall between him and Mark’s room inadequate to stifle Mark’s snoring, however from Friday night, the traffic miraculously stopped, unlike Mark’s snoring!

Saturday saw the start of the Kings Prize and the scores were as follows.

Day 1.

Shooter	500 Yards	500 Yards	600 Yards	600 Yards	Aggregate
Mark	50.4	49.3	42.2	47.3	188.12
Phill	50.7 -3rd A	50.6	48.2	46.3	194.18
Sam	48.2	50.4 – 1st B	45.4	42.0	185.10 – 3rd B
Tim	49.4 -2nd B	47.4	45.0	39.1	180.9

On Saturday night we headed 15 minutes down the road to the Ross Hotel for dinner with other shooters in attendance.

Day 2.

Shooter	700 Yards	700 Yards	800 Yards	800 Yards	Aggregate
Mark	49.5	49.4	50.5 – 2nd A	49.4	197.18 – 1st A
Phill	48.5	46.5	48.2	50.2 – 2nd A	192.14
Sam	47.1 – 3rd B	37.0	47.4 – 2nd B	45.1	176.6
Tim	47.2 – 2nd B	41.1	42.1	48.3 – 1st B	178.7 -3rd B

On Sunday night we all had dinner at the range as everything closes in Campbell Town on a Sunday night. The roast lamb prepared by the Ladies was delicious.

Mark celebrated his win in the Second Stage A Grade and Tim was happy to win the second 800 Yards Match and finish 3^rd in B Grade given his awful scores in the middle!

Day 3.

Shooter	900 Yards	1000 Yards	Aggregate
Mark	49.8	48.3	97.11
Phill	50.8 -1st A	49.3 – 3rd A	99.11 – 1st A
Sam	48.3 – 3rd B	43.3 – 3rd	91.6 – 2nd B
Tim	47.2	41.2	88.4

Phill turned in a fine performance to win the Day 3 Aggregate with 99.11, Mark being a little unlucky to drop an inner at 900 Yards for his 9^th shot after a blistering start.

Kings Aggregate.

Shooter	Kings Aggregate	Place
Mark	482.31	6th A
Phill	485.33	4th A
Sam	452.22	3rd B
Tim	446.20	5th B

Grand Aggregate.

Shooter	Grand Aggregate	Place
Mark	770.68	5th  – A
Phill	771.66	4th – A
Sam	723.45	3rd – B

The King’s Prize was won by Mark Wilson from Bungendore Rifle Club with 490.33 who shot solidly throughout the meeting. Well done Mark!

Following the presentation, Mark, Sam, and Mike travelled up to Phill’s place to check out his new home while Tim headed to the airport.

Overall, we all had some successes, and we all enjoyed the meeting.

We all hope to shoot the Championships again next year and to stay in the same digs.

Book it again please Sam!

Cheers, Tim Walter.

The Belmont Shooting Complex in sunny Queensland bore witness to an incredible display of marksmanship and teamwork on October 14 and 15, as the Australian Veterans Teams Competition unfolded. In the Target Rifle (TR) category, New South Wales Veterans fielded not one but two formidable teams – the NSW TR Veterans Gold Team and the NSW TR Veterans Blue Team. The results were nothing short of spectacular!

Under clear skies and challenging winds, both teams fired with precision and determination, battling against strong opposition from Queensland and Victoria. When the final shots were tallied, it was the NSW Blue Team that emerged victorious, claiming the top honors with an outstanding score of 1341 points and 117 centres. Not far behind, the NSW Gold Team proudly secured second place with 1320 points and 99 centres, completing a dominant performance for New South Wales.

The Champions: NSW TR Veterans Blue Team

• Shooters: Scott Brindley, Jim Jeffery, Neil Gibbins, Michael Chad, and Jim Bailey.
• Wind Coach: Steve Williams.

This team proved unstoppable, with Michael Chad delivering a masterclass in marksmanship. His score of 273.022 earned him the title of Best Shooter in the competition. Supported by the steady hands and sharp eyes of his teammates, the Blue Team’s victory was well-deserved. Special mention must go to Steve Williams, whose wind coaching was a pivotal factor in their success.

The Second Place Contenders: NSW TR Veterans Gold Team

• Shooters: Richard Jones, Bill Ballantyne, Alistair Williams, Ken Young, Alan Patrick.
• Wind Coach: Mark Bunt.

The Gold Team gave their all, achieving an impressive second place and ensuring NSW’s dominance on the podium. As Squad Captain and Gold Team Captain, Alan Patrick’s consistent shooting earned him a spot among the top three individual performers with a score of 268.024, highlighting the depth of talent within the team. Wind Coach Mark Bunt, renowned for his unique coaching style, was instrumental in maximizing the team’s performance.

Top Individual Performances:

1. Michael Chad (273.022) – NSW Blue
2. Jim Jeffery (269.024) – NSW Blue
3. Alan Patrick (268.024) – NSW Gold

A Battle of Strategy and Skill The competition showcased not only the exceptional skill of the shooters but also the strategic brilliance of the coaches. Both Steve Williams and Mark Bunt navigated the unpredictable winds with expertise, providing guidance that made all the difference in the tightest of matches.

The camaraderie and sportsmanship displayed by all teams added to the event’s success, creating an atmosphere of friendly rivalry and mutual respect. The NSW Veterans’ performance exemplified the value of experience and teamwork, leaving an indelible mark on the competition.

Looking Ahead With this stellar performance, New South Wales has firmly established itself as the team to beat in the veterans’ category. As the teams head home, plans are already in motion for next year’s competition, where they will aim to defend their titles and continue their legacy of excellence.

Congratulations to the NSW TR Veterans Blue and Gold Teams for their remarkable achievements and for making their state proud. Here’s to more bullseyes and centre shots in the future!

Alan Patrick