SHOTGUN SHOWDOWN, DULLSTROOM Ah, yes! The exhilarating thunder of shotgun blasts echoing through wintery hills is one of the traditional highlights of country sports. Fortunately there is a way to feel the thrill without shedding blood. Clay pigeon shooting, or rather clay target shooting since the target can take many forms, is the solution for an itchy trigger finger. Although it has the distinct feel of having roots in European nobility, it in fact originated near Andower in the US state of Massachusetts, says Frank Gaweda, a partner at Field and Stream Clay Pigeon Shooting Club near Dullstroom. In the early 1900’s, retired businessman Charles E. Davies came up with a practical solution to correct his shooting technique during the hunting off-season. Davies “created a 12 station set up, just like a clock, but legend has it that half the circle had to be abandoned when his neighbour began raising chickens, to avoid the lead shot landing on them and the ground.” The sport has since evolved and today usually comprises 25 shots per shotist. The guns are over and under double barrel shotguns with 30 inch barrels that take 12 gauge cartridges where the load varies from 24 to 28 and 32 grams, or 7, 5 and 9 lead ball shot. A visit to the range at Field and Stream, designed and built by Frank himself, is all that’s needed to stock up on the required kit, a full safety briefing and the chance to see how it’s done by the pros. Together with his partner, Greg Williams, Frank operates the only registered Clay Target Shooting Association of South Africa (CTSASA) range in Mpumalanga. Located on the Tonteldoos Road outside Dullstroom the range “is equipped with the latest automated, remote controlled and manual claydelivery machines which offer a challenging, all round experience of shooting targets emulating different bird prey and ground animals, at different speeds and positions, either singly, or as double targets,” explains Frank. “All safety equipment is provided, and in addition to the existing weaponry, we now stock a lighter 20 gauge gun to provide for smaller built juniors and petite frames.” The only limitation for this sport is that one must be physically able to hold and shoot a shotgun safely. Info: Greg Williams 083 443 4567 fieldandstream@mweb.co.za, or Frank Gaweda 082 781 0242 frank@dullstroom.net
TAKING AIM WITH ARROWS, NELSPRUIT One of the oldest sports in the world, archery has recently enjoyed a global revival thanks to pop culture fictional characters like Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games novels, but the sport has always had more than a hint of heroism and romance to it, starting with Cupid, followed by Robin Hood and culminating with Legolas in Lord of the Rings. Andre van Tonder of the Nelspruit Archery Club explains that in modern archery “the ultimate object is to consistently hit a fairly small spot on a target. There are four main archery disciplines in South Africa; the South African Indoor and Field Archery Association (SANIFAA), the SA Archery Association (SANAA), African Bowhunters Organisation (ABO) and SA Bowhunters Association (SABA), each with their own rules and ultimate objectives.” Almost anyone can participate because equipment is selected specifically for the individual, and luckily for Lowvelders, it’s readily available here. At the most basic level the requirements are a bow and a set of matched arrows but “most archers use a bow, set of arrows, a sight and trigger mechanism to compete,” says Andre. “You can get very basic equipment in the region of about R2000 all the way to equipment that may cost over R35000.” In terms of safety, Andre explains that, other than sun block, you don’t need any special clothing or safety gear. Info: Roberto van Leeuwen, Nelspruit Archery Club, 074 175 3701 Archer’s Tech (shop and archery range) contact Chris 072 273 9750 or 071 567 6470
www.lowveldlivingmagazine.com
39
Rory Hugo
INTERIORS
For all your interior decor needs: colour coodination, curtaining, blinds, rebated rods, upholstery, soft furnishings etc. 083 701 3604
rhi@polka.co.za