The 2009 Rifle Shooting programme will fire off today with a Record Shoot at the Timehri Rifle Ranges as local shooters prepare to defend the Caribbean Fullbore championships in three months time in Trinidad and Tobago.
The local riflemen will battle over the 300, 500 and 600-yard ranges in what is expected to be a keen day of competition.
Starting time is at 10am and among the shooters expected to battle for top honours are Ransford Goodluck, Mahendra Persaud, Ryan Sampson, Richard Fields, Dylan Fields, Claude Duguid, Lt. Col. Terrance Stuart and Asst. Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe.
According to Fullbore captain Persaud, there will be regular competitions leading up to the regional championships billed for May including the much-anticipated National Rifle Shooting championships which will take place in March.
Persaud disclosed that the nationals, normally held in November, will now take place on March 29 and on April 3 and 4 at the Timehri Rifle Ranges.
The national championships will see shooting at the 300, 500, 600, 900 and 1000-yard ranges over three days of competition.
According to Persaud, a decision was made to push back the championships to March because of a rescheduling of the regional tournament in Port-of-Spain coupled with current work being done to rehabilitate the Timehri Rifle Ranges.
The dates for the Caribbean Fullbore championships were announced earlier as April 10-17 but will now take place from May 10-17 due to Trinidad’s hosting of the Summit of the Americas from April 17-19 in Port of Spain, it was reported.
Guyana are the reigning regional champions having won the long and short range titles in Jamaica last year.
This time round, Guyana will only be defending the short range title since there are no ranges over 600 yards in the twin island republic.
Persaud disclosed that the level of the local shooters improved last year and can get even better this year once they stick to the basics and follow planned team strategies.
He also indicated that a few former shooters have expressed an interest to return to the sport which would be clearly welcomed.