1996 International Muzzle Loading Championships
As Told by Stu Barclay to Jim Reed
The New Zealand Team Finishes Second
Last year, there was an international muzzleloading shooting competition held in the UK. This is a
bi-annual affair, and teams from around the world arrived to participate in rifle, shotgun and pistol
events. The New Zealanders had to travel 12,000 miles to take part.
The following is a story by Stu Barclay from Taumaranui. Stu is a black powder shotgun shooter,
as is his wife and 13 year old daughter. His eight year-old son is still into air rifles. Stu sells
aluminum joinery and lives at Taumaranui, in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand.
Taumaranui has a population of 4,500, and Stu had never been out of the country, so that you
may be able to understand what he was going through, by traveling to such a major event.
The November 1996 edition of English magazine "Guns Review" has full details including all
results for those who may wish to track it down.
Here is Stu's story. WEDGNOCK '96' Stu Barclay Arrival at Heathrow Airport and Customs went without a hitch, thanks to our team manager Bill.
He was worth his weight in gold on the trip. Finding the team bus was a bit of a mission, but as
Bill said, 'my problem,' which he solved in his usual efficient way. Now trying to get 12 people,
firearms and luggage into a minibus took some doing, but we got there. Scenes of a Calcutta train
flash through one's mind. Off to Guilford we go, a few scenic routes, a few meshings of gears and
we're there.
A quick shower, then off to Bisley for a look around. What an awesome range, the history, the
nostalgia and the Kiwis in the rubbish bins looking for shotgun shells. Got heaps too. That night
saw us at a pub called The Kings Head where we had a good meal and a good beer.
The next morning off to Bisley range for rifle practice. Yes, I even fired down the range with a
rifle, thanks Tim. It sure felt good to shoot on the hallowed turf. That afternoon Pete and I went
shopping. Yeah, OK Ray, I'11 tell them. I even went into a church. St. Mary's, built around the
year 1000, the tower of which was erected in 600 AD. The hand hewn beams, flint-covered walls
and aura of the place was mind blowing.
The Clarendon House Hotel was out of a postcard, beams, low ceilings, passageways and old as
the hills. The rooms were small but adequate as you only slept in them, but the shower in ours was
bloody hopeless!
Wedgnock range is a modern complex and when properly finished will be quite a site. The only
bugbear, just one shotgun trap to MLAIC rules. This lead to very short practice use. 10 birds
percussion and 6 birds flintlock, were not nearly enough, as the rifle and pistol folk had basically
two days of practice. The rifle ranges were in my limited experience, excellent, but no doubt one
of the rifle guys will amend that.
As far as the shooting went our team acquitted itself well with four individual top ten placings, and
two top ten-team placings in the rifle events. The shotgunners placed 6th in the Hawker team event
and Ray Irving received a Silver Medal after a shoot off for 1st and 2nd with a German. Well done
Ray, it was a pleasure to watch you shoot.
On the whole the team were excellent company and a great help 'to the new kid on the block,' so to
speak. I cannot stress enough the importance of the role of Team Manager, and Bill Aicitson did a
marvelous job. From leaving New Zealand to getting home again, Bill's work and planning saved
us untold. I would thoroughly recommend any teams leaving NZ to take a manager (preferably
Bill, as his experience in international travel is invaluable.)
