Laurie Evans

Presiding over the recent Nelson small bore rifle championship meeting at Nelson recently was a man who would much rather have been among those lining up their sights on targets - Mr Laurie Evans. But for Laurie this phase of his sporting life came to an end three years ago when he suffered a back injury.

Laurie has had a most eventful career in his chosen sport and he has competed with outstanding success in both small bore and defence rifle shooting. He reached the peak of his career in the mid-50s when in 1953 he qualified as a New Zealand representative. About that same period, in 1953, 54 and 55 he represented the South Island in small bore shooting and in 1953, 54 and 55 he won the district championship title in small bore shooting, Laurie was a member of both the Services and Anchor clubs and won the club title (Services) in 1951, 52 and 53 and upon joining the Anchor club took the title in this club also in the years 1955, 56, 57 and 6l. For 13 consecutive years he was among the top 10 Nelson representatives (between 1953 and 1965). Asked to recall his most successful year, Laurie had little trouble in remembering 1955. That season, in small bore shooting, he lost only 20 points out of a total of 17,700 shot. He had 177 ten-bull targets and a run of 45 consecutive possibles. On his last shoot in 1965, against Marlborough, he top-scored with 200.19. Three of his sons, Clive, Rodney and Gary, have followed in his footsteps and are master grade marksmen.

Our pic below shows Laurie with his trophies in 1953 and at bottom right with W. A. Kenning, H. G. Day, A. R. Tantrum and N. Palmer, the Nelson district champion defence team in the 1952-53 season.