The West Indies full-bore championship currently in progress in Trinidad and Tobago has hit a snag as organizers grapple with the shortage of ammunition, according to officials of the Guyana delegation in the Twin Island Republic.

Guyana’s rifle shooting captain Mahendra Persaud told Stabroek Sports that the Individual competition which was billed to start on Tuesday at the Tucker Valley rifle ranges was postponed and the Team match is likely to take place today as organizers attempt to source quality ammunition.

Persaud said that shooters from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica, Middlesex Rifle Shooting Association of Great Britain and host Trinidad and Tobago are attending the championships which were due to start on Tuesday and end on Sunday.

The regional tournament was originally planned for April but was rescheduled due to the Summit of the Americas that was hosted in Port-of-Spain.

According to Persaud, due to the limited amount of ammunition, a four-member team match was scheduled for yesterday with Guyana fielding three teams.

Persaud, current regional champion Ransford Goodluck, Dylan Fields and Richard Fields were featured in one team, Dane Blair, Claude Duguid, Ryan Sampson and US-based Guyanese John Fraser are representing team two while the third line-up included Lt. Col. Terry Stuart, Charles Deane and US-based shooters Derrick Narine and Sigmund Douglas.

“The prestigious team match, symbol of shooting supremacy in the Caribbean is expected to take place (today) and if ammunition is available then the individual competition will be shot from Friday to Sunday,” Persaud disclosed.

Guyana are the reigning short and long range champions having won both titles in Jamaica last year but only the short range will be shot this year because Tucker Valley only has short ranges.

Guyana’s rifle shooters left here last Sunday all fired up to defend their title.

The nine-man squad, locally-based shooters were joined by the three US-based riflemen.

Persaud said the squad had had adequate preparation leading up to the regional championships and he was confident of defending their title.

Next year’s championship is likely to take place in Antigua after the Antiguans, who for the first time fielded a full team at the regional level and have constructed a new range in St. John’s, made a request to host the event.