THE Muckadilla rifle range lived up to its formidable reputation testing some of the state's best shooters at the weekend.
Wind conditions on the open range were blustery and variable reflecting in many scores which went from excellent on one mound to ordinary on the next.
The final 11 shots at 900 yards proved most challenging with a big re-ordering of the leader board.
Biloela shooter Charles Arrowsmith was rewarded for a consistent performance across the five ranges of the Western District Rifle Association competition.
He placed second on both Saturday and Sunday, but held off a fast finishing David Brown from Crows Nest to take the grand aggregate with 249.20 by two shots.
Rodney Prayle from Maryborough held on to third place overall on the back of his convincing win on Saturday.
Ashley Bidgood from Crows Nest was uncharacteristically blown off course at the last to finish fourth, but held the top centre bull count for the weekend at 25.
Andrew Mayfield from Ipswich shot the top range score with an outstanding 50.9 at 800 yards.
Gatton's Colin Greenwood was a convincing B Grade grand aggregate winner collecting the two daily titles along the way while Shane Kao from Darling Downs was equally dominant in C Grade.
Gold Coast member Mick Kyle won the F Standard grand aggregate and Gary Towers from Beaudesert took the major F Open prize.
The Tyro award for best new shooter was shared by Caitlyn Petersen from Darling Downs and Dalby's Brenden Sells who competed in F Standard.
Muckadilla results
Day 1 aggregate 500, 600 and 700 yards.
1 Rodney Prayle, Maryborough, 148.13, 2 Charles Arrowsmith, Biloela, 147.14, 3 Ashley Bidgood, Crows Nest, 146.16.
B Grade: 1 Colin Greenwood, Gatton, 140.9, 2 Russell Saxby, Darling Downs, 136.08, 3 Ron Bowman, Gatton, 134.07.
C Grade: 1 Shane Kao, Darling Downs, 140.10, 2 Craig Schramm, Darling Downs, 140.6, 3 Glenn Picton, Darling Downs, 134.06.
F Standard: 1 Peter Casley, SA, 166.05, 2 Ray O'Neill, Crows Nest, 164.08, 3 Mick Kyle, Gold Coast, 164.07.
F Open: 1 Phil Dewhurst, Wallumbilla, 174, 2 Gary Towers, Beaudesert, 170, 3 David Hatherell, Gympie, 167.
Day 2 aggregate 800 yards and 11 shots at 900.
A Grade: 1 David Brown, Crows Nest, 102.8, 2 Charles Arrowsmith, Biloela, 102.6, 3 Bendan Parkins, Crows Nest, 100.6.
B Grade: 1 Colin Greenwood, Gatton, 95.06, 2 Les Pedersen, Darling Downs, 94, 3 Russell Saxby, Darling Downs, 93.6.
C Grade: 1 Shane Kao, Darling Downs, 96.4, 2 Craig Schramm, Darling Downs, 88.3 3 Glenn Picton, Darling Downs, 84.2.
F Standard: 1 Mick Kyle, Gold Coast, 116.5, 2 Graham Sells, Dalby, 116.3, 3 Shirlene Towers, Beaudesert, 110.7.
F Open: 1 Gary Towers, Beaudesert, 123, 2 Phil Dewhurst, Wallumbilla, 117, 3 David Hatherell, Gympie, 117.
Grand Aggregate
A Grade: 1 Charles Arrowsmith, Biloela, 249.20, 2 David Brown, Crows Nest, 245.22, 3 Rodney Prayle, Maryborough, 245.19.
B Grade: 1 Colin Greenwood, Gatton, 235.15, 2 Russell Saxby, Darling Downs, 231.12, 3 Les Pedersen, Darling Downs, 266.4
C Grade: 1 Shane Kao, Darling Downs, 236.14, 2 Craig Schramm, Darling Downs, 228.9, 3 Glenn Picton, Darling Downs, 218.8.
F Standard: 1 Mick Kyle, Gold Coast, 280.12, 2 Graham Sells, Dalby, 279.9, 3 Peter Casley, SA, 276.6.
F Open: 1 Gary Towers, Beaudesert, 293, 2 Phil Dewhurst, Wallumbilla, 291, 3 David Hatherell, Gympie, 284.
