MUNESHWERS TRAVEL SERVICE SPONSORED GSSF STEEL CHALLENGE MATCH LANDED SAFELY

As everyone knows, any landing you can walk away from is a ‘good’ one. A ‘great’ landing is one when you can use the airplane again…. in the case of the Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation, it will be the using of the Steel Targets again for the next year.

On the sunny Saturday afternoon of January 30, 2016, local handgun shooters made their way to the GDF Range at Yarrowkabra to compete against fellow shooters in GSSF’s First Competition for the New Year: a Steel Challenge Shooting Match which was been sponsored by Muneshwers Travel Service.

In her opening remarks, Match Director, Ms. Vidushi Persaud welcomed the members who came out to participate after which she introduced the Range Master for the event: Mr. David Dharry who reviewed the safety requirements and introduced Range Officers, Mr. Ray Beharry and Mr. Peter Hugh.

After Ms. Persaud declared the Match open, shooters began the afternoon’s rivalry with the first of the three stages being Pendulum, Five to Go and Accelerator where competitors shot at 5 individual steel targets of varying sizes and distances. Shooters were scored using an audible timing device, penalties of added time applied for any misses and the total time resultant used as the score. Competitors are ranked in ascending order of overall time.

Local pistol shooters competed in two SCSA Divisions: Wildcat and Limited. The Trophies were awarded to the top three overall in each division. Wildcat Division included competitors using .32ACP and any other calibre lesser than a 9mm while those in the Limited Division shot 9mm or higher calibre hand guns.

Leading overall with 78.48 seconds for all the stages was Mr. Ryan McKinnon to take home the 1^st Place Trophy who to date, is Guyana’s un-defeated Steel Challenge Shooter. Second place was secured by Mr. Mohamed Qualander who registered a time of 94.38 seconds which was 18.94 seconds faster than third placed Mr. Azaad Hassan. In the Wildcat Division, Ms. Tracy Vieira emerged the 1^st place victor over a slim margin of 1.3 second separating 2^nd Place winner Mr. Jagmohan Trevor Bassoo from 3^rd place winner: Mr. Peter Hugh. Trophies were handed over by the Foundation’s Vice-President: Mr. Michael Blake.

Special Medals were announced for the top three in the Law Enforcement Division:

The Winner of the Special Prize of Electronic Ear-muffs which was to be awarded to the Shooter with the best time in 2 of the stages: Five to Go and Accelerator was Mr. Azaad Hassan.

In closing, Match Director Ms. Vidushi Persaud expressed sincere thanks to Muneshwers Travel Servive of Lot 45 Water Street, Georgetown for the kind sponsorship of the first competition for 016.

The Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation wishes to thank the Chief of Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Phillips, GPF Commissioner Persaud, GPF Asst. Commissioner Ramnarine, GPF Commander Hicken, GPF OC TSU Superintendent Dehnert, Senior Superintendent Mr. Bacchus, GPF Corporal Dunn and the ranks of the GPF Armoury and TSU, Mr. Colin Changur and the Management of Muneshwers Travel Service.

As an affiliate of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association, a sister body of the United States Practical Shooting Association, the GSSF has been organising matches following their strict safety policies. This simple, yet action-packed shooting sport attracts Guyanese pistol shooters from all around the country on a regular basis.

More information can be found online at GSSF’s website - www.GuyanaSportShooting.com

In photos below:

1. Group picture of the Muneshwers Travel Service sponsored Steel Challenge Tier 1 Match.
2. President of GSSF, Vidushi Persaud in centre surrounded by Prize Winners from left to right: Azaad Hassan, Trevor Bassoo, Ryan McKinnon, Tracy Vieira, Harold Hopkinson, Peter Hugh and Garfield Newton.