Queensland’s first female shooting club president Debbie Young has welcomed the Pan Pacific Masters Games to the Gold Coast Clay Target Club in Woongoolba, saying it provides a unique chance to compete against shooters from around the country.
“We love the Pan Pacs, we’ve looked forward to it for months,” said Young. “The participants come from far and wide, we have every state represented.”
Young is something of a trailblazer for women in the sport in Australia, and she is proud of it.
“It’s quite unusual for a woman to be president of a club, I’m actually the only female president in the country and the first in Queensland,” she said.
“In such a male dominated sport, its great being able to run the club and keep all the men in line.”
Not only is the club forward thinking in its leadership, but it also thinks of the local environment.
The club’s captain and veteran shooter Brian Zimmerman (46) of Southport said the Gold Coast club is also the only in the country to use environmentally friendly clay pigeons.
“We buy our targets locally from Ipswich, which are the only biodegradable targets in the country,” said Zimmerman.
The clay targets, produced by Clay Targets Australia, are non-hazardous biodegradable and also act as fertiliser after being used.
Shooter Beth Hill (49) from the Shoalhaven in New South Wales is successfully destroying some of those targets at her second Pan Pacific Masters Games.
“I’ve just won gold in the 50 target double barrel in C grade,” she said. “I’m wrapped.
“I love coming up here and shooting here, they’re a fantastic club and they make you feel so welcome.
“It’s very organised and a great shoot.”
Western Australian competitor Arthur Ward (68) from the Northam Gun Club is taking advantage of the event by participating in the skeet, trap and sporting categories.
“You might as well shoot the whole program, you’re here,” he said. “All time not shooting is wasted.”
“The only reason we’re all here is because we shoot and when everyone gets together the camaraderie really is fantastic.”
The new scheme was born here and filagra this is not something that we would like to see. Caverta although better in some elements but not important for us.
