GBRT : West Indies 2013

Our guest diarist writes:

The day dawned with the rain sheeting down, testament to the fact that it was a Guyanese public holiday! The team breakfasted by the pool whilst the failed guttering deposited copious volumes of water down onto the poolside (a job for the team’s resident plumber perhaps!). By the time we had loaded up the coach the rain had eased to a drizzle.  We were all armed with copies of the Stabroek News to read on the way which, like the Kaieteur News, seemed keen to report on our progress: http://www.stabroeknews.com/2013/sports/05/01/calvert-perfect-on-first-day/

Today’s course of fire was ten counting shots at 500, 600 and 1000 yards.  The local press reported Dave Calvert leading with “Ryland Thomas” in 2^nd place and “John” Underwood 3^rd who could only manage 46 at 900!  The leading Guyana shooter was Lennox Braithwaite on a total score of 96.7.  As ever, the long ride to the range – today through flood water – took us past the Demerara rum factory (which, for the uninitiated, emits a smell more akin to a sewage works) and Cuttsies hair salon, which is presumed to be Paul Cutts’s (incumbent adj for the Surrey RA) most recent business venture.  Shooting started late, since the rifles didn’t arrive with their (many) armed escorts until after 10am, but once shooting did get under way scores were very solid. Humidity was high and the two details at 500 sweated for their efforts.  Messrs Calvert and Underwood were joint top with 50.8 and lowest score on the team was 48.4. Rain came down at the end of the first detail and again at 600 it came down briefly just before the first detail were about to get under way; it threatened throughout the day.  Scores at 600 were just as good as at 500.  By the close of the second shoot, Dave Calvert led with 100.16, Jon Underwood was next with 100.13 and the team plumber (JT) was 3^rd with 100.12.

Following lunch we moved back to 1000. Rain threatened but stayed away. The breeze stayed readable from 2 minutes left dropping to zero and staying down for the 2^nd detail. Some cross shots were experienced, resulting (claims the team plumber) from the marker boards (sheets of fabric strung between two poles above each target) becoming a tad indistinct to various eyes and the order of scores changed about.  Dave Calvert won the day with 149.21 (and the individual grand aggregate to boot).  Jonathan Hull was 2^nd with 148.12, following a superb 50.5 at 1000 yards.  Chloe Evans also had 148.12 on the day but was counted out by the team Doc (JH) into 4^th place.  Jon Underwood was 5^th with 147.18.  Second in the Grand Aggregate was Tom Rylands and Jon Underwood was 3^rd.  Full results should be elsewhere on the site.

Shooting concluded and the highly agreeable Caribbean custom of compulsory beers following the shooting was strictly adhered to and a bottle of extra mature (XM) Royal Demerara rum made its appearance to help the beer go down.  The Guyanese Finance Minister informally dropped by to see everyone and welcomed us all to Guyana; we suggested finance for schools shooting and offered help with it.  Photo opportunities were had before we piled kit and ourselves back into the bus for the trip back.  Team matches beckon tomorrow with a 3 range shoot in teams of 5 at 300, 600 and 900 yards.

The evening consisted of a huge Chinese meal at “New Thriving”. We may well not need breakfast before the match. Teams are:

GB Royal Blue

Charles Brooks (coach)

David Crispin

David Rose

Chloe Evans

Jonathan Hull

Ian Shaw

GB El Dorado Red

Matt Charlton (coach)

Tom Rylands

David Calvert

Deborah Fenn

Jon Tapster

Jon Underwood