Stuart Bennie, Paul Batten, Di Johnson and Martin Elliott
Okehampton Smallbore Rifle Club recently held The South West Open Indoor
Championship competition over two weekends. Offering generous cash prizes kindly
sponsored by 10 local businesses, this marks the 39h running at the Club of this
prestigious competition organised by Bernard and Yvonne Rendle.
The Club’s A Team of smallbore rifle shooters Paul Batten, Di Johnson, Stuart Bennie
and Martin Elliott were really thrilled to win the South West Team competition amid
strong competition from other clubs travelling to Okehampton from as far away as
Weymouth and Truro. The Team Competition consists of the 4 competitors each
shooting two rounds of 40 shots at 25 yards and then two further rounds of 40 shots at
25 meters. Paul had a particularly good shoot as he scored a maximum 200 in one
round; he also came 3rd overall in the A Division individual competition with a total
score 787 out of 800, just 3 points behind the winner. Di Johnson, the club’s top lady
shooter, shot really well too with a score of 777 to be 3rd in the Ladies Open
Championship and 2nd in the South West Ladies Championship.
The club also had good results in other Divisions, with several club shooters
performing particularly well. Martin Elliott was 3rd overall in Division B with a 774,
only 2 points behind the winner; and Stuart Batley in his second season, was 3rd in
Division C with an excellent score of 764. New member Phil Martin had an
outstanding shoot, especially as he is shooting in his first season, winning Division D
in his first Open competition with a score of 742.
Bernard and Yvonne Rendle, on behalf of the OSC, thank the Sponsors – AJP
Commercials, A & J Orchard, Budleigh Farm Target Shooting Centre,
Donalds Menswear, Farmer Luxtons Farm Shop, RMG Insurance, Robert Humphrys
Accountants, Ponsford Bricklaying, Tri-Lan IT Ltd, W J Hawking and Marcia Day
for their kind and generous support and also thank the many volunteers for all their
invaluable help.