THE Jersey Rifle Association full-bore shooters are in Bisley for the next fortnight, competing in team and individual events against the top shooters from around the world in the 135th Imperial Meeting.
They are hoping to emulate - and improve on - the scores and results they managed at last year’s event, led by Colin Mallett who is just beginning his tenth year as Jersey team captain.
‘We have some very good shooters among the squad,’ Mallett said.
Among them are the World Under 21 champion Peter Stock and Chris Cotillard who finished third in that championship; the Channel Islands champion Andrew Le Cheminant who is in particularly good form at the moment; Mary Norman who won the 2004 Spring Prize competition and last year’s Summer Prize, the 2004 Island champion Cliff Mallett and Alex Langley who won the title last year.
‘Alex has also been away with a team to shoot in Canada, and in South Africa, so he will have gained in experience,’ Mallett said.
‘Bisley is to shooting what Wimbledon is to tennis or Twickenham to rugby.
Around 1,200 people to take part, with as many as 1,500 competing in the Queen’s Prize, and they come from all over the world, mainly from Commonwealth countries but also some from Europe too, including Germany, France and Holland.’ And he explained that Jersey shooters cannot shoot for Great Britain because the two teams, plus Guernsey, shoot against each other in the Kolapore competition - which GB won last year, with Jersey second and Guernsey third.
‘It was nice to beat the Guernsey shooters,’ Mallett said.
‘There’s a friendly rivalry between us!’ He added: ‘Any one of the Jersey shooters can elect to shoot for GB if they wish - but if they do they are not elegible to shoot for Jersey.’ But, Mallett said: ‘We are proud to shoot for Jersey in international competition.
We have shown that we can compete against the best - we are certainly not at Bisley to make up the numbers, we go to win.’ Mallett led from the front last year, finishing sixth overall in the Grand Aggregate, and there were excellent performances from the other team members - but the biggest individual prize still eludes a Jersey shooter.
‘The Queen’s Prize competition has been won twice by Guernseymen - I saw Charles Trotter win it in 1975 - but it’s never been won by a Jerseyman.’ Squad: Colin Mallett (Capt), Mike Le Gallais (Adjutant), Michael Bateman (VC), Richard Benest, Jonathon Billot (VC), Andrew Coates (VC), Chris Cotillard, Mick Cotillard, Alan d’Authreau (VC), Graeme Harris, Bob Hordle, Bruce Horwood, Ian Jones, Alex Langley, Andrew Le Cheminant, Joshua Le Cheminant (VC), Sue Le Cheminant, Alan Le Sueur, Denys Le Vesconte, Cliff Mallett, James Marshall (VC), Tom Millar (VC), John Norman, Mary Norman, Andrew Nowacki, Syd Payn, Daniel Richardson (VC), Peter Stock, Harry Sutton (VC), Charles White (VC).
VC denotes Victoria College pupils The team shoots in warm-up matches today and tomorrow, with the Opening Shot team match on Thursday morning.
Stage 1 of the Queen’s Prize is on 21 July and the Kolapore on 23 July.
Article posted on 13th July, 2004 - 12.00am
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