Thepassing of John Baxter

[Old Trev-39]

Hi All,
It is with regret that I have to announce the passing of an icon in Nth Qld. shooting, that being of John Baxter. John has been confined to a wheel chair for 60 years as a result of a logging accident. The older generation of shooters would remember him as a Target Rifle shooter of some renown. After he found he could no longer compete in sling shooting, he became the pioneer of both classes of "F" class shooting, in which he was a force to be reckoned with.
He will be sadly missed.
Vale John.
Trevor.

[DaveMc]

That is terribly sad news Trevor.
John was not only a formidable shot but was one of the nicest guys you would ever meet on the range. He took great time to welcome new shooters and share his knowledge.

He will be missed greatly.

[johnk]

John was my F Class hero. He shot, along with his mate Stu Mowat in the first Australian Shooting Games, 1997 in what we called scoped rifle & turned up occasionally afterwards until his illness grounded him.

I wrote this of him in the Australian Target Rifle magazine No, 10 July/August 1997 :

Have you ever experienced one of those sublime moments in life when a person’s soul sings for joy because they’re a member of the human race? They’re moments when we’re given insight into the human spirit conquering temporal limitations, those occasions when a person defies the odds to prevail. The 1997 Australian Shooting Games gave us one such breathtaking moment to cherish….

At the back of the pack in the short range match but keen as mustard was John Baxter. John shoots under a handicap, being an acolyte of the .264 Winchester Magnum rifle, housed in an old Parker Hale range stock and topped with a scope that most of us wouldn’t take on a pig shoot. To complete his low-tech assault on the superguns, he lay out on one of Defiance’s flour sacks loaded with come as it may sand. John rounded out his ensemble with a basic model wheelchair.

There was nothing low tech about John’s ebullience, nor his judgment of conditions during the long range match. With quiet determination, he conquered conditions that confused most of the shooters, from Commonwealth Games pretenders and Queens winner down.

[Barry Davies]

My first recollection of F Class was to watch John showing his ability ( together with Ken Larkin from Grafton ) at Bendigo.
Shooting from his wheelchair and using a 22/250 he was a sight to behold. Shooting on the old Championship target he left no doubt in anybodies mind that he knew what he was doing.
Sad to hear of his passing but he left shooting in a better condition than when he found it.

[Matt P]

Very sad news.
I only meet John a few times (at the Australian shooting Games), he and Wayne Pattinson were the men to beat back then, I think it was one win a piece.
Matt P

[KHGS]

So sad to hear this news. I had the pleasure of knowing John quite well, he was an inspiration. He provided kind council to me in during a very distressing time in my life when my son had an accident that put him in a wheelchair with paraplegia. He provided council for me over the phone on numerous occasions. I also did a 264WM barrel for him & I am pretty sure I did a 22/250 barrel for him too. I remember that I tried to talk him out of the 264 WM, but he wasn't having any of it. I am pretty sure I did another .264 WM for him before he went to the 22/250.
We are very much diminished with the passing of this inspirational man, I know I am
Keith H.

[AlanF]

I never met John, but can tell you that he won 4 Queens shoots in F-Open, being the VRA and NQRA events in 1999, and two further NQRA victories in 2001 and 2002.

[Chopper]

A Real human , with compasion , Chop

[LoneRider]

never had the pleasure.
wish i had.
my condolences to the family.
another legend falls....

[a.JR]

RIP John..JR..Jeff Rogers

[XCALIBRE]

He struck me as a person of exceptional capability under the most heavy duress of competition rifle shooting at Townsville many years ago. He worked so hard to be in there with the best of that era one can only admire his fortitude and skill against what most of us so focused would give up on. A true champion of life and endeavor. Sadly missed him at the last Queens once again. Best of luck ole buddy.

[Pommy Chris]

My missus gave John a big kiss and a hug a year or two back, I thought he was going to have a heart attack and die very happy Very sadly missed.
Chris