Last Sunday started a little threatening but certainly improved for the Grafton Clay Target Club Christmas Shoot. Six full squads faced up to a day of clay target shooting when the Club says ‘thank you’ to their supporters by conducting 3 novelty events and shooters are able to leave their Handicap Books in their bags. Of course there were the usual Christmas goodies as prizes, and no competitor left the without some prize, even if it was only drinkable. Some of the events allowed shooters to experience the excitement of shooting Single Barrel from 11 metres back to Double Barrel from 25 metres. One event that does have some seriousness attached to it is the Christmas Cup conducted as a Graded Handicap over 25 targets. The Christmas Cup has been in existence for 40 years and it is the aim of every competitor to have their names engraved on it. This year Barry Dray from the Coffs Harbour Club has that honour being the only one to come in with the perfect score of 25/25. On reading the results some may look a little irregular that is only because of the practice of a shooter only being able to win one ham on the day. Results: Event 1: 25tgt Graded Handicap (Christmas Cup) Overall – Barry Dray 25/25; AA – 1st Rod Gardiner 30/32, 2nd Ross Aston 29/32, 3rd Kerry Miller 28/32; A – 1st Barry Dray 25/25, 2nd Johnny Cunningham 24/25, 3rd Paul Farrell 36/39; B – 1st Jeff Lowndes 24/256, 2nd Ian Sullivan 22/26, 3rd Don Johnson 21/26; C – 1st Jackie Hall 22/25, 2nd Dave Casbolt 20/25. Event 2: 30tgt ‘The Tester’ off 16 metres (10tgt DB – 10tgt SB – 10tgt PS) AA – 1st Kerry Miller 50/50, 2nd Graham Sweeney 49/50, 3rd Ross Aston 78/80; A – 1st Paul Farrell 56/60, 2nd Barry Dray 49/50, 3rd Johnny Cunningham 55/60; B – 1st Keith Connor 48/50, 2nd Jeff Lowndes 49/50, 3rd Don Johnson 47/50; C – 1stDave Casbolt 28/50, 2nd Jackie Hall 38/50. Event 3: 40tgt ‘The Mix-up’ (10tgt SB – 11m / 10tgt SB – 14m / 10tgt DB -20m / 10tgt DB 25m) AA – 1st Graham Sweeney 43/48, 2nd Kerry Miller 43/48, 3rd Ross Aston 42/48; A – 1st Barry Sweeney 35/40, 2nd Paul Farrell 33/40, 3rd Barry Dray 35/40; B – 1st Megan Wilkins 56/58 2nd Don Johnson 55/58, 3rd Jeff Lowndes 36/40; C – 1st Jackie Hall 23/40, 2nd Dave Casbolt 20/40. Coming events – The Club will take a small break over the Christmas period and we begin 2016 with the next regular shoot on the usual second Sunday of January (10 January) when it all starts again with the 50 target Single Barrel Club Championship. The Club would like to thank all members and friends who supported the Club through 2015 and in particular the staff at the Independent for its support too. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all. Rus Wesslink