SHOOTING
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Three perfect rounds on day one laid the platform for Carcoar shooter Rob Sweegers to win the 90th edition of the Mudgee District Rifle Association's open shoot.
The Lyndhurst Rifle Club member scored 297 out of a possible 300 over the two days.
He defeated fellow clubman and defending two-time champion Les Fraser by two points.
Sweegers said there was a bit of luck involved.
"Yesterday [Saturday] I had a bit of a lucky patch and got through clean and I held on to it," Sweegers said.
The 45-year-old had a 100 per cent record following Saturday's events.
He scored 50 out of a possible 50 in each of the three events.
He followed it up by scoring 49 in each of the three events the next day.
Sweegers left his rivals in his wake after the first day.
Fraser was leading a four-way group who were on 147 points following the first day.
But despite dropping some points to his rivals, Sweegers held his nerve to take out his first Easter title.
"Feels very good [winning]," Sweegers said.
"I've been coming here the last five years in a row and I've also been up there, in the top 10 per cent I suppose. But [not] this time."
Sweegers has been shooting for 20 years.
He has represented NSW, but he was "still cutting my teeth in the state team."
He used to live near the Lyndhurst rifle range for 25 years before recently moving.
Sweegers said he enjoys shooting because of the friendly environment.
"The camaraderie, the social atmosphere, you know everyone gets on and has a talk.
"Especially here, you can get away for the weekend and camp, have a fire, just have a get away weekend."
About 60 shooters took part in this year's event.
Mudgee District Rifle Association president Jerome Blattman said he was pleased with how the event went.
Sweegers agreed.
"I just want to thank the Mudgee district and the Mudgee club, they have all chipped in and have done a really good job with the range.
"A few years ago it was pretty ordinary but they have come leaps and bounds.
"It's a very well organised and once this [the range] is all grassed up it will be a picture."
In the lower competitions, Matt Shepherd from Endeavour won the B-grade competition with 291.24 ahead of Rebecca Shepherd on 291.23 and Richard Rostron on 288.
In C-grade, Lindsay Hough scored the win with 275 followed by David Tipping on 270 and Katoomba's Bob Schoevers on 258.
Stephen Hart took out the F Class STD A competition with 347, three ahead of Mudgee's Leigh Milton and North Sydney's Ben Ferrora (343).
Bill Baxter won the F Class STD B competition with 314.16, just in front of Scott Newport on 344.15 and Brian Littlehales on 342.