Sport
2 June, 2025
Record numbers for Interschool shoot
Friday, 16 May saw schools from across the Darling Downs South West put together teams of three shooters to compete in the small bore, fifty metre, 50 shot target event at the Laurie Bowe Rifle Range, Leyburn.
A whopping 70 shooters travelled from across the Downs and as far south as Goondiwindi to test their accuracy with a supplied Club .22 rifle at the Clifton Benchrest Shooting Club.
School teams in attendance were from Allora State School, Concordia, Warwick, Goondiwindi, Pittsworth State High School, Dalrymple Creek, Toowoomba Anglican School (T.A.S.), Oakey State High School, Clifton Benchrest Club Juniors and host school Clifton State High School (C.S.H.S.).
The weather was favourable with good cloud cover and next to no wind, with rain holding off until the last detail were unloaded and just about ready to walk off the platform to collect their targets.
Top ten shooters for the day were as follows:
Dan Kirby 390 Clifton State High School
Jackson May & Dylan Binstead 387.12 C.S.H.S & Pittsworth 12 bullseye dots)
Hayden McLean 387.11 T.A.S Toowoomba 11 bullseye dots
Ari Pippos 387 Concordia 6 bullseye dots
Travis Bellingham 385 St. Josephs Toowoomba
Will Peters 368 Dalrymple Creek
Spencer Peters 367 Warwick
Georgia Cairns 366 Goondiwindi
Lane Clarke 365 Concordia
Cooper Faulkner 361 Clifton State High School
The school team that took out the top placing on a total point score of 1145 was Toowoomba’s Concordia Lutheran College team consisting of Ari Pippos, Ben Warrener and Cooper Faulkner.
Second placed school team was the Clifton Benchrest Juniors, consisting of Cooper Steffan, Mia Edwards and Amelia Steffan.
The juniors shot their way to a total point score of 1127.
For the second year running, Warwick’s town team came in third with a close 1124, consisting of Spencer Peters, Nathaniel Amos and Daniel Kuhn.
But much excitement on the day was around the perpetual shield, awarded for the ‘Highest Individual Combined score’ from the two rounds.
The Perpetual shield went to local Year 10 legend Dan Kirby, from Clifton State High School on 390.6 points.
Dan, to his credit, was only 10 points off a perfect score for the day scoring 390.6 out of 400.
Second and third could only be split by the amount of bullseyes shot with Dylan, Jackson and Hayden all scoring 387 points.
Second place was a tie awarded to Dylan and Jackson both scoring 387.12 and hot on their tails in third was Hayden on 387.11.
Clifton State High School, in conjunction with the Clifton Benchrest Shooting Club has hosted the Interschool shoot for the last five years.
It’s the only small bore Interschool shoot in Queensland.
We pride ourselves on hosting it in our community and hosting it safely.
The success of the day was hugely aided by the enormous amount of sponsorship received from businesses far and wide.
Thank you to the following businesses who donated towards the day: Properties Ruhle Real Estate, Nioa, Shooters Delight, Masons air conditioning, B.C.F Warwick, Warwick Outdoor and Sports, MarkMark Maintenance, The Open Range, B&B Machinery, The Barn, Brown family & Carso’s Caps.
Thank you again to our sponsors and a huge thank you to all volunteers who contributed towards a hugely successful day.
The fact that the only Interschool rifle shoot in the state is right here in Clifton is fantastic for both our club and our High School.
- Brendon Thorpe
Shooting Coordinator, Clifton State High School
