Student Snapshots

Outstanding Achievments from our students

Payten and Cooper Ward recently attended the National IRB Competition – Sharp Shooting on the National Stage

The National IRB (International Rimfire Benchrest) competition saw precision, patience, and persistence tested over two intense days of shooting. Competitors used .22 long rifles fitted with scopes, firing at paper targets placed 50 metres away. Each shooter fired 25 scoring shots per target, one shot per square, within a 20-minute time frame. With three targets shot each day, competitors faced a total of six targets across the event, with each card scored out of 250.

A unique element of the Nationals is that all shooters, aged 12 to 80, compete on the same playing field. There are no age divisions when it comes to qualifying for the world team—just skill, focus, and consistency.

Payten handled the tough conditions admirably, delivering a solid performance despite some dropped shots that affected her final ranking. Still, she walked away with a remarkable 16th place nationally—an incredible achievement at just 15 years of age. Her performance also earned her 2nd place in the 15 and over juniors category, a testament to her growing experience and dedication to the sport.

Cooper also impressed, especially on Day 1, where he was one of only two competitors to shoot a perfect 250 card—a huge milestone that earned him his first 250 patch. His consistent shooting saw him finish 2nd in the 15 and under juniors category.

Both Payten and Cooper represented themselves and their club with pride, showing that age is no barrier to competing—and succeeding—on the national stage.

Well done!

Massive Congratulations to Kayden Elliott who just won the 18s Boys All Schools 8k Cross Country event at the Sydney Equestrian Centre. Kayden ran a fast and smart race, extending the gap between he and the second place getter in the final km. 

Kayden entered the stadium, with the final 40m to complete, well and truly in first place. The North West cheer squad erupted in full volume to celebrate his gold medal run! 

Congratulations Kayden. 

Kayden has now been selected in the Australian Athletics U20s team to compete at the New Zealand Cross Country Championships in Christchurch this saturday. The team consists of 16 athletes.

We wish him all the best!

Katie Rossington 

Sports Coordinator