While it was planned to be held in Sept 2022, Covid meant a postponement of the National Veteran’s Teams Match. So it was that on 23 January 2023, just days before the NSWRA 147th Open  Championships / Kings Prize, the NSW competed in the 2022 national TR and F-class Veteran’s teams.  

Day 1 was the “Masters” in Target Rifle and the “Earnie Mace Match” in F-Standard (both competitions are shot at 800m as a 2+15 shoot for each of 5 shooters). Conditions meant the wind coaches had their work-hats on to glean every point they could out of the fickle Malabar winds. In F-Standard that also meant shoot as fast as possible to catch the right moment.  In both classes, NSW prevailed and took home 1^st place medals – congrats to the NSW team on their win – particularly also congrats to their wind coaches who pulled off mini-miracles. Mark Buchanan was also the top shooter for the day in TR and therefore took home an additional prize medal.

Day 2 was the “Don Cook Match” in TR and the “Rob Richards-Mousley Match” in F-Standard. These were details of 2+10 for each shooter, at distances of 300m, 600m, 700m and 800m.

• NSW was the “hands- down” winner in TR leaving the other states in the dust. In fact, NSW TR veteran’s team, won at each and every distance meaning they won the “Don Cook Match” and the “Kosi-Ford Trophy” for the 2 day aggregate. Well done to NSW Veterans TR team!
• In F-Standard, just before lunch, things were a little more interesting as there was an equipment (scope) failure by a NSW team member and at 800m there were sighter issues for one team member meaning a quick trip to the paper target to get things squared away.  Needless to say, NSW didn’t win the 600m range or the day’s “Rob Richards-Mousley Match”. However, despite not winning day 2, NSW F-Standard team managed to win the Combined Aggregate for the 2 days by a single point.

NSW Veterans wrap up: both TR and F-class teams won their competitions. Special congratulations to Mark Buchanan for winning an individual prize. Well done to our NSW Veterans team - shooters, wind coaches and captains!  Great team effort by all.