Des and Jane Mattler have a friendly target shooting rivalry going on between them, all from the comfort of their chairs.
Every week, the Richmond couple eye up their targets at Target Shooting Richmond using bench rests for their smallbore rifles that were donated by long-time member Paul Holland.
The 80-year-old joined the club way back in 1962, and as older members gave up the sport because it was becoming increasingly difficult for them to lie prone and hold a rifle, he decided to do something about it.
Numerous other clubs around the South Island had introduced bench rests and when another member suggested them for Richmond, Paul “put up the money to get it cracking”.
Two sets of scopes, tables and rifle stands mean older members can now continue the sport for longer.
“Shooting prone becomes more of a challenge as you get older. Now, as long as your eyesight is working, you can still shoot.”
Jane, having just shot a 98.3 card out of a possible 100, was enjoying her success over her husband. She only began smallbore target shooting four months ago and says the bench rests make it possible.
“I would struggle to hold the rifle this long. But I can just sit in a chair and it’s quite fun. You get better each week and I’m competing against my husband.”
Des has hunted all his life but only took up smallbore target shooting at the same time as Jane and had to concede that “Jane’s outshooting me today.”
