18th Annual Riverbed Shoot, Halls Creek

This event was held in the riverbed of the Mary River on Margaret River Station about 85 klms south of Halls Creek every long weekend in June. To get there you have to cross the Laura River and this year is the first time more than one car and trailer managed to get stuck in the sand. Luckily there is always someone to help get you out.

I'm afraid to say this is the first year in the 18 years I have attended that I got bogged twice.

My 4x4 didn't engage.

The long weekend came around pretty quick this year and it was great to see 32 shooters rock up for the weekend. This is the best turn out too for the past 17 years. It's a very expensive trip because of the fuel prices and distances for these people to travel and shooters came from Palmerston Pistol Club in Darwin, Tennant Creek Pistol Club in Tennant Creek NT, Alice Springs Pistol Club NT, Broome Pistol Club along with shooters from Ord Pistol Club in Kununurra and then there were two shooters from Boddington down south and one from Perth. This just goes to show that it's a popular event and unique too. Where else in the world do you have a sanctioned shoot in a riverbed?

So they came from far and wide to compete in Standard, Service, Service U/R and a few fun matches along with the Short Barrel Match and a Shot Gun Scramble. This event originally started between four clubs in the Kimberley. With shooters from the NT joining us it was decided that the shooters were divided up into two teams, west and east.

Friday night there were the usual bbq's, people picked their spots amongst the gum trees and all settled down. Saturday we held the Standard Match with the winner being Colin Farquarhson (Perth), second Jim Cruise (Tennant Creek) and third was Brad Howard (Broome). Service Match was held afterwards and the winner was Colin Farquarhson (Perth), second was Bob Jones (Boddington) and third was Tony Chalker (Darwin). Service Match U/R was won by Colin Farquarhson, second was Bob Jones and third was Brad Howard. There were two practical or fun matches and the winner of the two combined was Colin Farquarhson, second was AJ Byrnes (Ord) and third was John Bertram (Tennant Creek).

The Short Barrel Match was won outright by John Eberhard (Broome)

Shot Gun Scramble was won outright by Jamie Clarke (Broome)

It was great to see some new faces such as Tony Chalker, John Eberhard and Jamie Clarke doing so well.

The NASA trophy (Not a shooters **) was given to Ian Lindsay (Broome).

This little wooden revolver has modifications you wouldn't believe and every year who ever wins this must modify it more. I will put 2 pictures of it here.

Relaxing while waiting for her turn to shoot is Trina Johnson

A view of the Service Range

When you're a dog and you run up and down that riverbank it's a tough life and you need to relax

Modern technology is so wonderful - Liz finalizing the scores for Sunday night presentations.

I would like to thank all those who made the effort to support this event, helped on the range and the ones who helped get the cars and trailers out of the sand. We would also like to thank Doug Dixon who owns the station where this shoot is held and John Ford. With out these two people this shoot would not be held. Hope to see you all again in 2009.

Same place, same time. Liz Butcher