Smallbore Match vs MC at Marlborough - 7 February 2010
Fullbore Match vs MC at Bisley - 15 or 22 May 2010 TBC
Veterans, Dinner and AGM at Bisley - 15 July 2010

OMs headed by Tony de Launay (Patron) and Charles Brooks (President and Captain for the day) were able to field 9 team members to compete against the School’s VIII now captained by Lottie Jarvis-Bicknell. Excellent scores all round with the OMs being given an advantage of a practice shoot – all thanks to turning up early and acting as if we were very rusty (which we are of course)!

The scores were very close with the OMs scraping by with a final 3 point lead. Each team was able to produce two scorers with 100, one of those for the College being scored by Tom Durell, the youngest shooter of the day.

It was a great pleasure to welcome back Guy Selby-Lowndes who was trying out shooting after 6 years following him getting himself a new pair of eyes!

Grateful thanks go out to all for making it and especially to the hosts of the day, Peter Finn and Martin Watkins both of whose hard work is showing good results. It is particularly cheering to hear that the number of kids now interested is looking healthy.

The OMs wish the College team much success in the coming year and look forward to the Smallbore Match of 7 February 2010 and the Spring Fullbore Match (to be held at Bisley) provisionally set for 22 May 2010
Many thanks to Dominic de Vere for taking some wonderful photos which you can view by clicking on http://www.flickr.com/photos/44996840@N08/sets/72157622735329791/show/

Finally, I have, perhaps understandably, had a poor response from active Club members regarding the MOD range certification process. If in doubt, please refer to my last email dated 2nd November 2009 – let me know if you have not received it. In brief, we are all required to have been certified to shoot on an MOD range. The OMRC urges all who are NRA members to apply to the NRA for this process. You may still turn up to shoot if you have not been certified but the shoot will be under the supervision of one of the OMRC’s Training Officers – prior notice required to Hon Sec. Remember, your Club wants you to shoot !

Results for 2009 Season Web OMRC Results 2009.doc

In contrast to last year’s very wet September Match, excellent weather saw 11 OMs gather at Bisley on 20^th September to shoot against a team of 6 from Marlborough College. This was also the fixture for the Quadrangular Match, traditionally a competition between ex pupils of Marlborough, Wellington, Dulwich and Bradfield although in the event, only Wellington was able to produce a team on this occasion.

Despite their high numbers, the OMs were hard pressed with the College beating the OMs by 555.29 to 548.39 and the OMs losing to the OWs as well whose score of 578.11 included score a 99.12 by OW Alex Bryson, coincidentally also their youngest team member of the day. Of note Tom Green for the College who scored 98.7.

The OMs were grateful to their newest member Freddie Puckle-Hobbs for his excellent 97.11 without which the OMs’ position would have been worse still.

Also of note was the School’s shooting coach, Martin Watkins who scored 99.12 with Master in Charge of Shooting, Peter Finn shooting a very creditable 92.9 from which one can conclude that the College team is in excellent hands.

We were pleased to welcome Edward Forster, Mike Forster’s son, who is on leave from Afghanistan, Mike’s other son still currently on tour out there.

Many thanks to all who attended this Match – some coming from considerable distances. I expect an update to the MC website once we have collated the photos taken on the day courtesy of Dominic de Vere to whom much thanks is due for that.

Club members are requested to note the next Match – the smallbore match against the College to be held Sunday 22^nd November in the afternoon at the Gunner Range that being the final OMRC event of the year. An invitation will follow mid October but please keep that date clear.

MOD Range Certification: club members will now be familiar with the tedium of the certification process. As this is an annual process, running from 1 Jan each year, those who need the OMRC to certify them for 2010 are requested to make application to the Secretary by the beginning of November 2009, using the form which will follow mid October.