ACT Queens F-Open Blog

[AlanF]

Time for this again. As you can see HERE the leadup has begun, with 12 competitors. Not as high as we'd hoped with 4 teams of 5 having competed in the teams event. However I'm sure they all would have stayed if it wasn't for having to be elsewhere e.g. back at work.

Today was a very pleasant one to be outside here - fine, mild, and light winds. However the winds were very changeable and those who scored well should be very pleased with themselves.
I wasn't able to get the calibres today - will make an effort tomorrow. Weather is expected to be slightly warmer (24) with similar tricky winds .

Back tomorrow night.

[AlanF]

The leadup is over and congratulations to Rod Davies, who kept ahead of the pursuing South Australians Stuart Braund and Paul Janzso. Conditions continued similar to yesterday as expected - the longer ranges, especially 800m, were difficult in the constantly changing light winds.

I have some calibres (in no particular order):

Richard Braund 284Win
Rod Davies 6 Dasher, 284Win
Stuart Braund 284Win
Mick Passlow 6.5x55AI
Paul Janzso 300WSM
Rod Mahon 6 Dasher, 6.5-284
Alan Fraser 6 Dasher, 6.5-284, 7 Shehane
Kelvin Bell 6x47, 284Win
Karl Bell 6x47, 6.5-284
Chris Bell 6.5-284
Dennis Shallis 243Win
Mal Henderson 243 Win

I know of 4 additional for the Queens :

Gary Hunt 6 Dasher, 6.5-284
Rob Eager 6 Dasher
Geoff Miners 6BR, 6.5x55
Ben Ferrara 6x47

Matt Paroz is on fire in F-Standard - takes me back to when he used to clear out in F-Open .

More tomorrow night.

[AlanF]

Queens Day 1 Aggs F-Open

S Braund 178.14
R Davies 177.13
P Read 177.12
P Deehan 176.14
R Braund 174.14
D Shallis 174.10
R Eager 173.08
K Bell 172.12
M Henderson 172.07
P Janzso 171.13
G Miners 171.09
M Passlow 171.07
R Mahon 170.06
B Ferrara 169.06
C Bell 169.06
H Hoitink 167.11
A Fraser 166.10
G Hunt 166.08

[AlanF]

It was colder today - no rain, and tricky winds again. Kel Bell pulled out (flu), so the K Bell in the results above is son Karl. Some more calibres :

Paul Read 6x47
Paul Deehan 7 RSAUM
Hans Hoitink 6.5-08

In F-Std Rod Rees (WA) is leading on 178.11 from Grant Groves 176.14 and Terry Sheedy (WA) 174.15.

Forecast is for slightly warmer and lighter wind tomorrow, but don't expect this to make the longs easier i.e. expect some changes in the leader board .

Back tomorrow night.

[Cameron Mc]

Thanks for the update Al.

What was the verdict with the scope?

Is Kelvin whinging more than usual? Wish him well

Cameron

[AlanF]

Thanks for the update Al.

What was the verdict with the scope?

Is Kelvin whinging more than usual? Wish him well

Cameron

Cameron,

Scope testing was inconclusive. I'm going to set up a multi-scope testing rig when I get home and should know more. But my scores at 500 and 600 yesterday weren't due to vertical. Everyone get's a caning (Canberring?) here if they come often enough, and this is my turn .

Kel's still up and about, getting some amusement out of mine and some other scores.

I'll report back later in the year re: scope testing.

Alan

[AlanF]

The longs are done and dusted, and I'd have to say conditions were different from anything I've experienced here - very light winds all day, but traps for the unwary. I know - my 6 points dropped today were in the form of 3 fours ! These conditions have been suitable for any calibre, as Paul Read is demonstrating with his 6x47.

The standard being set so far by the top 3 is very high - the best I have seen in F-Open I think. Rod Davie's 180 today may not be equalled at this range for some years.

Just the 500 and 600m ranges left tomorrow. Forecast says 27 Deg C and slightly stronger winds.

Back tomorrow night.

[AlanF]

Final results are HERE.

Well what a great event it was. While I would dearly have liked to be closer to the badges, I have to take my hat off to the Rod Davies, Paul Read and Stuart Braund who were neck and neck for the lead throughout the Queens, with rarely more than 2 points separating them. The only bad range by any of them was at the last where Canberra finally managed to bamboozle Stuey. Deservingly, he still held onto 3rd badge. And that's not taking anything away from many others who finished not far back. I believe this was the highest standard field I have competed in, not so much on past achievements as for the performances here. And looking at F-Std scores, their performance levels were very high too. I think having the teams here beforehand was the reason for the big numbers of shooters and high scores in F-Class.

The next Queens is in Tassie in March, so it'll be a long Xmas break. If I get there (only a possibility at this stage), then we can have another blog from there.

Alan

[agro]

Well done Rod, Paul, Stuart and Grant

[actionclear]

Well done to Courtney Day. 3rd place in F Std. Not bad for a young gun.

[AlanF]

Well done to Courtney Day. 3rd place in F Std. Not bad for a young gun.

Hear hear....

And Grant Groves congratulations on his first Queens win after knocking on the door for a few years.

[RAVEN]

Congratulations to all the winners 91 of them win loose or draw the company was great.
Cheers
RB
Nice shooting Rod No.1 FO in aus you set a high bar M8

[Deano 29]

What an event, having only been shooting for 5 months i dont have much to go off but for me it was great. Being new to the sport first impressions last and i must say im now addicted to the sport. The people i met couldnt have been more helpful, the range was 1st class and the officials did a great job, and lets not forget the markers who were up in the butts for 3 days in the sweltering heat.

Congratulations to Grant, Geoff and Rod on their wins and to all those who competed.

Cheers,

Deano

[RDavies]

What a shoot it was. I think it is the best I have shot before and the competition was so close all the way. I hope the numbers in F Open stay this high or higher, but to be honest, I hope for my sake the competition is not so bloody tough, too nerve wracking. One bullet a few mil to the side would have seen Paul Read or Stuart Braund get the win, with others just behind.
It was good to meet up with a few new faces I havent met before and not suprisingly, they were a good bunch of blokes.

The F standard competition was tough and close all the way as usual, one bad range and you drop 10 positions. It was good to see a young gun take the win in F std, it Isnt very often you see the young bulls flanking the older more experienced bulls. I think we will be seeing more of Grant Groves and Courtney Day

That said, if I could have seen anyone win the A grade Target Rifle, it would have been the eventual winner, Spencer Dunstal
74 Years young, won his first Queens well before many of us were born, a top bloke. I think a few of us will be in for some tough competition when he tries his hand at F class next year.

[bruce moulds]

rdavies,
stewie has got you where he wants you.
it's all part of his plan.
bruce moulds.