Shooting his way to top

Getting his name engraved on the impressive perpetual trophy was a highlight for Mr Arrowsmith, whose shooting career has spanned more than 30 years.

The popular shooter is a regular on the Queensland competition circuit and is also a Queensland Rifle Association Council member.

Having won his own club championship and taken out the Central Queensland Division title, Mr Arrowsmith was up against some of the best shooters in the State over 300, 600, 900 and 1000 yards. He needed to shoot a possible score of 40 bull’s-eyes with 15 inner bulls to defeat Crows Nest champion Ashley Bidgood, who dropped a single shot to finish on 199 with 23 inners.

Mark Fairbairn of Cannon Hill Rifle Club was the scope F Open class champion, and Lindsay Crombie of Brisbane Rifle Club won the F Standard class. Veteran champion was Geoff Gross-kreutz from Brisbane, while young Darling Downs shooter Caleb Pearce took out the under 25 title. In the annual city-country team shoot at Belmont city, teams had a clean sweep winning the open event with an aggregate of 3859 to 3767 and also taking out the two F Class team events.

Top individual score went to North Arm’s Colin Cole who posted a 198 in the four-range event.

Several country shooters are part of a strong under 25 rifle team which will compete in the 2014 national championships in Bendigo from March 31 to April 1. The team is confident of improving on the last nationals in 2012 when they won three out of seven matches and were a close second to NSW in the main event.

One of the most experienced shooters, Erica Young, is representing Queensland for the fourth time and previously shot for NSW while living in Armidale. Ms Young shoots for University Rifle Club is a practising vet at Jimboomba. She posted the highest individual score at the last nationals and has been a regular member of several Australian under 25 team.