Young Ngaio marksmen: left to right, Davie Lum (F-Class), Seth Mcintyre (12 year-old shooting off a starting rest) and Matthew Smith who is one of Ngaio's more advanced B graders
Ngaio Home Guard Rifle Club secretary Debbie Landrum says a change of management three years ago has seen the club?s fortunes turn around. They have attracted a large number of students from Onslow College, one of whom is moving up the national rankings. ?The club members are really good, and even through there are a lot of younger members they are great to be around,? says Mrs Landrum. Former Onslow College student Andres Whooley, 21, competed in the North Island championship and performed so well he moved from D-Grade up to B-Grade ? now only two grades bellow master level. ?As a club we have tried to hold different events each month, like archery ... and the members really enjoy paintball,? she says. Next up is a kicking trip and the monthly excursions help boost the clubs team spirit, Mrs Landrum says. A sterling performance in last year?s Archery Postal League saw the Randwick Archery Club step up from division five to division four. In division four they now compete at an interclub competition level with Trentham and Mana Archery Clubs. Randwick Archery Club secretary Annemarie Hood says the club won 100 percent of last year?s competition rounds and is hopeful they will repeat the success this year. ?It?s a mentally challenging sport that is accessible to people because it doesn?t require a lot of fitness. ?The mental challenge is in the repetition of the shooting. ?There is nothing like that feeling when the arrow leaves the bow and you know it will hit the gold,? says Mrs Hood. Their season started in October, and she says the clubs marked improvement is due to them settling into new grounds in Randwick. ?We had a small dedicated team that worked hard to improve the new grounds; they were covered in gorse and it took a lot of effort,? she says. The club?s grounds have continued to thwart this season?s start, with ducks and herons taking roost on a ?field that was more like a lake?. The social atmosphere means membership is climbing, now sitting at around 50 where it was once 10. ?The social aspect is great, people are really willing to help out with advice, borrowing kits and teaching people,? she says.
