The Woomera Trophy
www.GBMRT2016.org.uk
The culmination of our tour to Tasmania will be the competition against the Australian Match Rifle
team for the much coveted Woomera trophy.
First shot for in 1997 in Tasmania, the trophy itself was actually commissioned in 1993 by James
Freebairn. James had ‘discovered’ Match Rifle at Bisley in the UK in 1990, and was instrumental in arranging
the inaugural Australian Match Rifle Championships, which were held at the Woomera range in South Australia
in October 1993.
In addition to sharing a name, the trophy is, in fact, fashioned after a sculpture in the
township of Woomera; home not just to the aforementioned rifle range, but also a Government
rocket testing facility. The name Woomera actually originates from an Australian Aborigine
device, designed to increase the distance that a spear can be thrown. As such, Woomera
seems appropriate for the naming of both a rocket range and a long range shooting
trophy.
The central parts of the trophy represent different facets of the
work carried out at the rocket range. The orb represents a satellite; the
crescent, a tracking dish; the arrow, a rocket; and the supporting arm, a
launcher (the aforementioned ‘Woomera’ device). The trophy is mounted
on a block of River Red Gum (Eucalyptus Camaldulensis), a timber which
can be found growing in most parts of Australia. The mounting block is
adorned with the emblem of the NRAA.
It was the intention that the trophy be presented at International
Match Rifle competitions involving Australia, and 2016 will be the
seventh time that it has been competed for by teams from Australia and
Great Britain. On average, the competition occurs every three years, and
alternates between Australia and the UK. We last toured to Australia in
2010, and the Aussies last visited our shores in 2012. A record of some
of the more interesting stats since the inception of the match, including
record team and individual scores, most appearances, and even a list of
those to have shot the match in both British and Australian colours, is
included later on in this brochure.
On the day of the match, the two teams will face off at three
distances: 1000 yards, 1100 yards and 1200 yards. The course of fire is 2
convertible sighters (known as ‘optionals’ by our antipodean cousins) and
15 shots to count per shooter at each distance. Both teams will consist of
sixteen members, of which eight will shoot. The other eight will take on
various no less important roles, such as target coaches, main coach, reserve shooters and Captain and Adjutant.
Barton Road, Cambridge, UK