By Troy Peters
Just mention the name Neville Denny and everyone would readily respond he was one of the pillars of rifle shooting in Guyana. But for those who really knew “Uncle Neville” as he was fondly called, he would be remembered as a passionate sports administrator, mentor and financier to many of Guyana’s sportsmen and sportswomen over the years.
Stanislaus Neville Denny, who passed away on February 18th was born on August 5th, 1933. He has left an indelible mark on sport in this country and further afield and during his tenure as a sports administrator he fought valiantly to ensure that athletes receive the right training, equipment and incentives to realise their true potential on the international stage.
He always felt that Guyanese athletes could match their counterparts in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago once they were provided with training facilities of international standard, qualified coaches and financial incentives and he was elated when middle distance athlete Aliann Pompey won a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Despite fading into the twilight of age and failing vision, Denny kept abreast with the development of sport at home and abroad and was always available to provide advice or debate the performances of our sports personalities during the telephone conversations we would have on occasions.
I jokingly called him “Vice-President Extraordinaire“ because he held that position on several organisations including the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA), West Indies Fullbore Rifle Shooting Council (WIFBSC), the National Sports Commission, Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana (AAAG).
But he served his pet sport rifle shooting with distinction for close to 50 years and retired from active duties in 2008 at the age of 75 years. Those who are closely associated with rifle shooting would know that 75 points is a perfect score in the sport and that achievement was well recognized by his fellow shooters. On his retirement he was presented with the Distinguished Service Award and made a Life Member of the GNRA.
Denny was fittingly inducted into the WIFBSC Hall of Fame in 2017 when the GNRA hosted it 150th Anniversary championships joining compatriots former President of the GNRA Major General(rtd.) Norman McLean and the late veteran shooter Richard “Dickie” Fields who received the prestigious honour.
He provided true mentorship to many of the nation’s top fullbore shooters including Ransford Goodluck, Paul Slowe, Lennox Braithwaite, Mahendra Persaud, Sigmund Douglas, Ryan Sampson, Dylan Fields, Leo Romalho, Derick Narine, Dane Blair, Terrance Stuart, John Fraser, the late Claude Duguid and many others. Yet he was at the forefront of promoting and developing smallbore (handgun) shooting and worked feverishly to establish that section in the association.
Denny’s shooting career started when he became a member of the British Guyana Police Force back in 1956.
He first represented Guyana back in late 1960s and later served as coach and manager, managing teams to the Commonwealth Games and regional competitions.
The veteran sharpshooter was very famous for reading the wind under tricky shooting conditions throughout the Caribbean and at Bisley, England, regarded as the Mecca of rifle shooting.
He grew up in the mining town of Linden and later migrated to Georgetown to pursue studies in Electronics at the Government Technical Institute to seek opportunities that were not readily available in that community. He joined the British Guiana Police Force in 1956 and left the force years later as an Inspector.
Denny, who was an electronic expert later worked at Bank of Guyana as Head of Security and Maintenance.
Guyana has lost a true son of the soil and sport is forever indebted to his unselfish service and valuable contribution.
Denny is survived by his wife Juliette and grandchild Tariq Mbozi. He will be laid to rest today following a funeral service at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam at 09:00 hours.
Sport, in Guyana, has lost one of its greatest sons of the soil.
(Sports Editor’s note: Troy Peters is a former national hockey player and sports journalist).