Cotton and Ball are pick of the day

THE 34 competitors in the first stage of the Sussex County Rifle Association's Championship faced a teasing little wind on the Bisley ranges in Sunday's brilliant sunshine. With the Carden Cup for the day's aggregate determining the top twelve to shoot in the final stage on 28 June, there was also the matter of the Cortis and Association cups to settle.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Jun 2009, 16:20 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 04:03 BST

First up the Cortis - ten shots at 300 and 500 yards. While it might have looked easy on the wind flags, it was undoubtedly a day for reading the wind by looking at the mirage through spotting telescopes to judge the swift changes in strength and direction as the breeze blew in from the front right, flicking across and up the range.

George Cotton of the Horsham Rifle Club led the way with a double possible for a maximum 100 with 16 of his shots in the tie-breaking central bullseye. Relative newcomer Colin Johnson, also of Horsham, was the only other shooter to equal him on points but with ten centrals, shooting from and winning Class B.

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John Payne (Hailsham) with 98.11 and county secretary David Davies with 98.10 led the 98s, a clear two points behind the leaders.

The Association Cup, ten shots at 500 and 600 yards, followed in the afternoon. The wind was becoming stronger and the changes more extreme, with many shooters experiencing shots well wide of the bullseye, caught in the aim as the changes happened. In individual competitions the shooter has just 45 seconds to make their sight changes and fire their shot, so you cannot just hang on and wait for the wind to settle.

It was a choice between frantic knob twiddling or finding the mean and judging that the the wind changes would not carry you outside the bullseye. Horsham's Mike Ball snatched the trophy with a well judged 99.9 ahead of Hailsham's David Hossack on 98.12 and the evergreen Payne on 98.7. Johnson again took B Class, this time with 98.7.

Had Cotton done enough to stitch up first place in the aggregate? He had, with a 98.7 leaving him on 198.23 for a one point victory and the Carden Cup. Johnson was second after a tie with Mike Ball on identical scores of 197.18, just edging Ball into third on count back. The other nine championship finalists were covered by a further seven points, the cut being 190.. With the top five covered by just three points, and 15 shots at both 900 and 1000 yards to come on 28 June, the title race is wide open.

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In the concurrent Home Guard Cup match for Club teams, Horsham's individual successes were translated into a comprehensive victory by 17 points ahead of Hailsham with Hurstpierpoint third, six more points adrift.

Sussex County Annual Prize Meeting

Cortis Cup (300 & 500yds)

1. G Cotton (Horsham) 100.16; 2. J Payne (Hailsham) 98.11; 3. D Davies (Hurstpierpoint) 98.10. Class B: C Johnson (Horsham) 100.10.

Association Cup (500 & 600yds)

1. M Ball (Horsham) 99.9; 2. D Hossack (Hailsham) 98.12; 3. Payne 98.7. Class B: Johnson 97.5.

Carden Cup

1. Cotton 198.23; 2. Johnson 197.18; 3. Ball 197.18. Others to shoot in final: 4. Hossack 196.22; 5. Payne 196.21; 6. A de Launay (OMRC) 195.16; 7. M Woolger (Horsham) 194.19; 8. L Brister (Hurstpierpoint) 193.21; 9. D Hanson (Chichester) 192.18; 10. J Holdsworth (Horsham) 192.17; 11. S Dash (Chichester) 192.10; 12. M Parker (Hurstpierpoint) 190.20.

Home Guard Cup (teams of 4)

1. Horsham 786.78; 2. Hailsham 769.72; 3. Hurstpierpoint 763.72; 4. Chichester 752.60; 5. E Grinstead 707.33.

Related topics:HorshamHailsham