2012 Southern Cross Skeet Carnival
Canberra International Clay Target Club
April 14th to 15th 2012
Report By John Pethybridge
This carnival is to commemorate the loss of the LADY SOUTHERN CROSS. The world's greatest aviator Sir Charles
Kingsford Smith and co pilot John Thompson "Tommy" Pethybridge lost on 8th November 1935 off Aye Island in the Gulf of
Martaban, Myanmar formally known as Burma. The Lady Southern Cross was a Lockheed Altair 8D Special 10 years ahead
of its time and was built to Kingsford Smith's specifications.
Our best shoot in our short 5 year history, shooter numbers, weather, and targets. Weather was perfect, no wind and 23
degrees, targets were perfect thanks to Rodney Kneipp, David O'Sullivan and Julie Freeman who remeasured our skeet
layouts, moved concrete pads and painted to their correct locations, moved the crossing point, boundary marks until all
targets were flighting to regulation standards, and as the score board reflected with so many high scores shot, 50/50s,
49/50s, 48/50s.
I am passionate about Skeet and will do anything to promote and support this sport. It is important that we all plan ahead so
I would like to make a suggestion that we all please look at carnival dates of other clubs so not to clash with other Skeet
Carnivals and divide our limited and dedicated Skeet Shooters. Just because you are holding a zone carnival does not
necessarily give you priority. I am proud and grateful to say that we had 21 Southern Zone Shooters support our carnival
when I know that most of them would have a passion to have attended the Southern Zone Carnival, me included, that was
held the same time as our carnival. Please note that the SOUTHERN CROSS AMERICAN SKEET CARNIVAL will always be
held on the weekend third Sunday of April, this is set in concrete and is already advertised on the Australian Skeet Shooters
Association web site (www.myassa.com.au) for next year as was it for last year.
Shooters from the following clubs attended Cecil Park, Cooma, Townsville, Darwin, Illawarra, Griffith, Dubbo, Brisbane,
Majura Park, Western Australia, Frankston, Bairnsdale, Melbourne, Foster, Albury Wodonga, & Bermagui.
Saturday 14th - Partly Cloudy no wind 21 degrees.
EVENT 1. 50 TARGET GRADED CASH DIVIDE
= 1st AA: David O'Sullivan & Adrian Cousens 50/50,
3rd AA: Shane Bennett 48/50
= 1st A: Sarah Bennett & Wayne Petersen 50/50,
3rd A: Rodney Kneipp, Andrew Daff, Frank Cooper, Mark Corbett, 49/50
= 1st B: Michael Malony & Gerry Lafferty 49/50,
3rd B: Noel Watchorn 47/50
1st C: Luciano Casarotti 44/50,
= 2nd C: Jim Laws, John Pethybridge 42/50
EVENT 2. 50 TARGET FYSHWICK FIREARMS SKEET HANDICAP
This event ended up with 16 shooters in the shoot off. Winners were:
1st Place to John Pethybridge 96/104
2nd Place to Sarah Bennett 101/104
3rd Place to Luciano Casarotti 85/90
4th Place to Tony Hickman 87/88
EVENT 3. 25 PAIR SKEET DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Overall: Shane Bennett 52/54
1st AA: Adrian Cousens 50/54, 2nd AA: Paul Johnston 57/60
1st A: Ray Wendt 65/68, 2nd A: Wayne Petersen 64/68
1st B; Noel Watchorn 47/50, 2nd B: Tony Annecchini 46/52
1st C: Rowan Venables 41/50, 2nd C: Nigel Jones 40/50
Ladies: Sarah Bennett 45/50
Veterans: Ray Wendt 47/50
Sunday 15th Mostly Sunny no wind 23 degrees
EVENT 4. 100 TARGET SOUTHERN CROSS AMERICAN
SKEET CHAMPIONSHIP
Overall: David O'Sullivan 98/100
1st AA: Sarah Bennett 152/156, 2nd AA: Paul Johnston 151/155
1st A: Rodney Kneipp 97/100, 2nd A: Wayne Petersen 114/118
1st B: Michael Maloney 96/100, 2nd B: Phil Craig 94/100
1st c: Rowan Venables 93/100, 2nd C: John Pethybridge 90/100
Ladies: Sarah Bennett 79/100
Veterans: Ray Wendt 96/100
OVERALL HIGH GUNS
Overall: Adrian Cousens 243/250 - Adrian received the LADY SOUTHERN CROSS SOLID CRYSTAL GLASS TROPHY
AA: David O'Sullivan 242/250
A: Wayne Petersen 242/250
B: Noel Watchorn 233/250
C: John Pethybridge 210/250
Ladies: Sarah Bennett 241/250
Veterans: Ray Wendt 238/250
I would like to thank our sponsors John O'Sullivan, Clay Target Co, Fyshwick Firearms,and Horsley Park Gun Shop very
much appreciated. Without sponsors we are limiting what we can give back to the shooters. Thank you to the shooters for
making the effort to travel and support Skeet. And a final thank you very much to the CICTC staff who help run this carnival
Garry Betar & John Kearns in the office, Jennifer Betar, Christine Pethybridge, Flynn, Tucker helpers in the kitchen and
again Christine for providing and preparing Saturday nights dinner with the comments made to me from visiting clubs that
we had raised the bar for other Skeet clubs. Also other ladies from visiting clubs for assisting Christine to cleanup after the
dinner which went late into the night. Also Adrian Cousens as shoot marshall who, although not a member of our club, took
the pressure off me allowing me the shoot in the carnival. A special thank you to those committee members who are there to
assist and who work behind the scenes.
John Pethybridge
Kingsford Smith and co pilot John Thompson "Tommy" Pethybridge lost on 8th November 1935 off Aye Island in the Gulf of
Martaban, Myanmar formally known as Burma. The Lady Southern Cross was a Lockheed Altair 8D Special 10 years ahead
of its time and was built to Kingsford Smith's specifications.
Our best shoot in our short 5 year history, shooter numbers, weather, and targets. Weather was perfect, no wind and 23
degrees, targets were perfect thanks to Rodney Kneipp, David O'Sullivan and Julie Freeman who remeasured our skeet
layouts, moved concrete pads and painted to their correct locations, moved the crossing point, boundary marks until all
targets were flighting to regulation standards, and as the score board reflected with so many high scores shot, 50/50s,
49/50s, 48/50s.
I am passionate about Skeet and will do anything to promote and support this sport. It is important that we all plan ahead so
I would like to make a suggestion that we all please look at carnival dates of other clubs so not to clash with other Skeet
Carnivals and divide our limited and dedicated Skeet Shooters. Just because you are holding a zone carnival does not
necessarily give you priority. I am proud and grateful to say that we had 21 Southern Zone Shooters support our carnival
when I know that most of them would have a passion to have attended the Southern Zone Carnival, me included, that was
held the same time as our carnival. Please note that the SOUTHERN CROSS AMERICAN SKEET CARNIVAL will always be
held on the weekend third Sunday of April, this is set in concrete and is already advertised on the Australian Skeet Shooters
Association web site (www.myassa.com.au) for next year as was it for last year.
Shooters from the following clubs attended Cecil Park, Cooma, Townsville, Darwin, Illawarra, Griffith, Dubbo, Brisbane,
Majura Park, Western Australia, Frankston, Bairnsdale, Melbourne, Foster, Albury Wodonga, & Bermagui.
Saturday 14th - Partly Cloudy no wind 21 degrees.
EVENT 1. 50 TARGET GRADED CASH DIVIDE
= 1st AA: David O'Sullivan & Adrian Cousens 50/50,
3rd AA: Shane Bennett 48/50
= 1st A: Sarah Bennett & Wayne Petersen 50/50,
3rd A: Rodney Kneipp, Andrew Daff, Frank Cooper, Mark Corbett, 49/50
= 1st B: Michael Malony & Gerry Lafferty 49/50,
3rd B: Noel Watchorn 47/50
1st C: Luciano Casarotti 44/50,
= 2nd C: Jim Laws, John Pethybridge 42/50
EVENT 2. 50 TARGET FYSHWICK FIREARMS SKEET HANDICAP
This event ended up with 16 shooters in the shoot off. Winners were:
1st Place to John Pethybridge 96/104
2nd Place to Sarah Bennett 101/104
3rd Place to Luciano Casarotti 85/90
4th Place to Tony Hickman 87/88
EVENT 3. 25 PAIR SKEET DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Overall: Shane Bennett 52/54
1st AA: Adrian Cousens 50/54, 2nd AA: Paul Johnston 57/60
1st A: Ray Wendt 65/68, 2nd A: Wayne Petersen 64/68
1st B; Noel Watchorn 47/50, 2nd B: Tony Annecchini 46/52
1st C: Rowan Venables 41/50, 2nd C: Nigel Jones 40/50
Ladies: Sarah Bennett 45/50
Veterans: Ray Wendt 47/50
Sunday 15th Mostly Sunny no wind 23 degrees
EVENT 4. 100 TARGET SOUTHERN CROSS AMERICAN
SKEET CHAMPIONSHIP
Overall: David O'Sullivan 98/100
1st AA: Sarah Bennett 152/156, 2nd AA: Paul Johnston 151/155
1st A: Rodney Kneipp 97/100, 2nd A: Wayne Petersen 114/118
1st B: Michael Maloney 96/100, 2nd B: Phil Craig 94/100
1st c: Rowan Venables 93/100, 2nd C: John Pethybridge 90/100
Ladies: Sarah Bennett 79/100
Veterans: Ray Wendt 96/100
OVERALL HIGH GUNS
Overall: Adrian Cousens 243/250 - Adrian received the LADY SOUTHERN CROSS SOLID CRYSTAL GLASS TROPHY
AA: David O'Sullivan 242/250
A: Wayne Petersen 242/250
B: Noel Watchorn 233/250
C: John Pethybridge 210/250
Ladies: Sarah Bennett 241/250
Veterans: Ray Wendt 238/250
I would like to thank our sponsors John O'Sullivan, Clay Target Co, Fyshwick Firearms,and Horsley Park Gun Shop very
much appreciated. Without sponsors we are limiting what we can give back to the shooters. Thank you to the shooters for
making the effort to travel and support Skeet. And a final thank you very much to the CICTC staff who help run this carnival
Garry Betar & John Kearns in the office, Jennifer Betar, Christine Pethybridge, Flynn, Tucker helpers in the kitchen and
again Christine for providing and preparing Saturday nights dinner with the comments made to me from visiting clubs that
we had raised the bar for other Skeet clubs. Also other ladies from visiting clubs for assisting Christine to cleanup after the
dinner which went late into the night. Also Adrian Cousens as shoot marshall who, although not a member of our club, took
the pressure off me allowing me the shoot in the carnival. A special thank you to those committee members who are there to
assist and who work behind the scenes.
John Pethybridge
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