Trophies galore for club captain Jory

CLUB captain Peter Jory was in record-breaking form at the Guernsey Rifle Club's Spring Prize Meeting at Fort Le Marchant. He had recently scored 304.43 ex 305.61, an excellent shoot that just failed to topple Richard Perkins' 24-year-old best for the Albiges Trophy.

This time Jory made no mistakes and strung together a series of maximum scores for a total of 405, with an incredible 61 'V' bulls.

He took the Falla Trophy with 105.14 ex 105.21 from Nick Branch on 103.10 and the Renouf with 150.22 ex 150.30 from Cherry Le Poidevin on 148.15. His score included a best possible 50.10 at 600 yards.

In the first stage of the Albany Trophy, at 500 yards, he surpassed even that with the rarely seen 75.15 - 15 consecutive shots in the bullseye.

The final shoot of the afternoon was 15 rounds at 600 yards and Perkins, shooting on the first detail, followed his 75.09 at 500 with a 75.10 for an excellent maximum 150 with 19 'V' bulls, a score many felt was a winning one. As Jory took up his position on the firing point he knew that if he wanted the Albany, it had to be a case of another maximum score.

Usually, Jory shoots quite quickly but he was in no hurry this time as he coolly slotted in his shots.

With 14 bulls on his scorecard he took his last aim, fired, turned to the waiting audience with a grin and declared: 'It's there.'

The target was lowered and then raised to show his final shot, yet another central 'V' bull. It certainly was there - a range total of 75.11, an outstanding record of 405.61 ex 405.81 and Jory had won every trophy on offer to him.

It also meant that the Guernsey captain had fired a total of 142 rounds over five days and missed the bullseye with only one shot.

Overshadowed somewhat by Jory's dominance of the meeting, there were many other significant performances but the most impressive was that of GRC treasurer Cherry Le Poidevin.

Not only did she take the Randall Trophy for B class shooters with a lifetime best score of 148.15 ex 150.30, a total that was beaten only by Jory, but she also took the B grand aggregate for the first time with an excellent 386.29 ex 405.81, just shading out Peter Sirett, who recorded 385.32.

Le Poidevin has shot the odd possible on several occasions but never has she achieved the consistency necessary to string together trophy and aggregate winning scores.

Elizabeth College students Rob Waters and Nick Branch showed that they were forces to be reckoned with as they took second and third places in the A class aggregate with scores of 395.49 and 393.37 respectively and Sylvia Sirett took overall fourth place, her best ever result, with 390.38.

In the B class, Paul Le Poidevin denied his wife the Highfield Trophy by carding a much-improved 102.08 and Jeremy Witham took the Sheiling with an impressive 142.14.

Many college cadets, some new to the sport, shot over the weekend and it is very obvious that there will be strong competition for places in the Elizabeth College VIII for the schools meeting at Bisley in July.