Shooting to win on a range risen from the ashes

He's a Coffs shooter with Aussie honours in his sights.

Coffs Coast shooter Greg Sutherland won a recent rimfire target shooting title at the Koolinghat range near Taree. Picture: TREVOR VEALE

COFFS IRB Rimfire shooter Greg Sutherland recorded one of the best wins of his target shooting career at Koolinghat rifle range, near Taree, outgunning a  hot field in the inter-club round robin shoot.

The recent contest attracted three Australian  representative shooters including  former Aussie world teams champion member John Matthews from Maclean. 

Sutherland won by three points from Taree's  Ron Brown with Aussie shooter Don Powell a further 3 points behind.

The Hunting Rifle division  was won by Peter Nicoll from South West Rocks in a  closely fought contest  with Ron Nutt and Ron Brown filling the placings.

Coffs  2014 world champion John Radford said the Koolinghat range was a difficult range to score well on and as Sutherland only lost 3 points out of 750, Australian representation duties are a strong possibility.

"The interclub round robin tournament had been instrumental in producing both Australian and world champion shooters plus current world  record holders, resulting in northern NSW being most prominent in producing world class shooters," Radford said.

The shoot was held on the Koolinghat smallbore range, which was totally burnt out two months ago by bushfires with an estimated loss of $120,000, however the members have put in a herculean effort, led by Don Powell, to partly restore the facility aided by  donations from other clubs and shooters.

Coffs Harbour SSAA Club at Dairyville donated cash and competition targets  valued at $1000. 

The Taree also saw good results from other Coffs Coast shooters including Bill Buchannan who placed seventh and Ian Thompson who placed 13th.