New reign ends nine-year drought
Volume 11, No. 55, November 02, 2006

Hot shots: Interservice Clay Target Championship winners Pte Andrew Reading, Cpl Danny Ryan and Pte Christopher Hardy stand behind OCdt Nick Wells, Pte Tim Braybon (standing with shield) and Cpl Geoffrey Reeves. Photo by LCpl Joseph Bartilotta.

ARMY shooters have won the annual Interservice Clay Target Championships for only the third time in its 26-year history, breaking a nine-year drought in doing so.

Held at HMAS Cerberus in October, the event brought together the best ADF target shooters, with Pte Tim Braybon captaining the Army team.

Pte Braybon said he was determined to take back the trophy that Army hadn’t won since 1997 and 1984.

“The team was well prepared for the event, having trained well [during] the months prior,” he said.

“Four of us arrived at Cerberus on Tuesday for practice, with high scores for all round.

Wednesday morning gave us more practice as the final two team members arrived for us all to shoot together.”

At the end of the first practice round Pte Braybon had a smile from ear to ear, with all Army competitors except three getting perfect scores.

“I knew then that our team was ready to go into competition and make an unstoppable lead for the title,” he said.
“For the first 60 targets we didn’t know what to expect from the Air Force and Navy.

“Army finished the first round with one shot in the lead.”

Each member then shot another 10 targets in another round of 60 targets.

Some members missed a few, but enough were hit to start spreading the teams out.

After 120 targets the army had extended its lead to six shots ahead of Navy and Air Force.

With 60 targets to go, all the Army team had to do was take its time, focus and increase the lead.

“The last 10 targets each from OCdt Nick Wells and PO Chris Carrol (retd) were a nail biter. The ADF High Gun award was down to these men. PO Carrol missed his ninth target giving the individual event to OCdt Wells.”

The final scores were Army 160, RAAF 151 and Navy 150.

Pte Braybon accepted the ADF trap Championship shield on behalf of the Army and OCdt Nick Wells was the first Army member since Sgt Chas Caldwell (retd) in 1997 to win the ADF High Gun.