Sport
16 June, 2025
Nashos show shooter skills
THE SSAA Atherton Branch hosted yet another successful Nasho FNQ inter-branch rifle shoot at their Tinaroo range recently.
Under changing light conditions, 20 shooters contested the “Kevin Thomson Memorial Shoot” competition for the three trophies on offer. Mr Thomson was a Mareeba Nasho who passed away on 26 March aged 88. Veteran shooters included those who served in Afghanistan and Vietnam.
Competition rules were established before the commencement of the shoot being held over three disciplines using both .22-inch rifles and pistols. The highest possible score for the competition was 400.40 points.
Only National Servicemen (non-association people included) were eligible to win the Top Marksman trophy. All total scores including guests were considered for each branch average. In total, 14 Tablelands, four Innisfail, and two Cairns shooters attended the event.
The FNQ Nasho Marksman Trophy was taken out by 1965-72 Nasho and seasoned Tablelands shooter Rusty Vonarx with a score of 392.13. In second place was competition organiser and branch patron Ray Byrnes OAM with a score of 377.17 and in third was Innisfail shooter Aldo Bensi with a score of 370.9.
The Friends of the Nasho’s Trophy was won by SSAA club president John Lindsay who had the highest overall score for the day of 392.23. Taking out second and third place were Tablelands shooters Peter Campion (second) and John Kemp (third) who scored 383.9 and 380.9 respectively.
The Encouragement Trophy was awarded to Tablelands shooter Len Barbagallo, who recorded the lowest total score of the disciplines shot (139.1).
“Nothing wrongs the skills of a shooter using a new rifle other than the importance of zeroing it in before a competition,” Tablelands shooter John Hardy said.
The NSAA Tableland branch with 14 shooters, five of whom were Nasho’s, registered an average score of 352.11. The NSAA Cairns Branch with one Nasho shooter and one other recorded an average score of 333.12 The NSAA Innisfail / Babinda / Tully Branch with four Nasho shooters recorded an average score of 333.7.
