RYAN McKinnon and Andrew Phang were winners as the Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation hosted its first Practical Pistol Match for 2020, sponsored by Orinduik Development Inc.

Local practical shooters gathered at the Timehri shooting ranges to take part in an exciting Practical Pistol Match which comprised five challenging but fun stages.

The Match was conducted by Match Director,  David Dharry who declared it open.

When the dust settled, McKinnon had taken the limited division with 335.4148 points ahead of Pravesh Harry (324.8440 points) and John Phang (225.3842 points).

In the Production division, Phang (351.7516 points) won ahead of David Dharry (230.8017 points) and Dallas Thomas (185.1150 points).

At the Opening Ceremony, Managing Director, Brian Backer, of the match sponsor’s company delivered brief remarks and wished competitors all the best for a safe match.

The five stages were as follows: ‘Zig-or-Zag challenged shooters’ strategic abilities with multiple possible routes to complete the course of fire.

Reverse Gear tested their ability to shoot from a stable position while moving backward.

4 Bill Drill was a standard exercise, meaning that shooters could compare their scores on that stage with shooters around the world for a skill ranking. It involved drawing from the holster multiple times, rapid magazine changes and firing both right and left-handed.

Go a fish was a fun, quick-fire stage which involved rising from a seated position to engage close range targets.

The Ironsides stage rigorously tested the technique and discipline of the shooters with shooting positions that were unfamiliar and uncomfortable while they aimed at targets that demanded high accuracy.

At the end of the Match, members of the Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) were all treated to a special Side Match whereby he/she could use any firearm on the range to engage three steel targets to compete against each other to see who can do so in the fastest time. After many tries and enthused cheering on, Harold Hopkinson emerged victorious.