Sinclair the best of nine top marksmen
The top nine senior competitors, based on their best 13 returns, from the scheduled 15 in divisions one to six, vied in a shoulder-to-shoulder competition on the Westfield range for the Shearer Cup.
The nine qualifiers and their season’s average score (ex 100) were: J.A. Henderson (Watten) 99.54; J.R. Sinclair (Wick OS) 99.00; M. Shearer (Westfield) 98.92; D.H. Bremner (Watten) 98.92; H. Simpson (Wick OS) 98.85; R.B. Campbell (Halkirk) 98.54; G. Ronaldson (Wick OS) 98.38; D. Mowat (Pentland) 98.38 and M.J. Green (Pentland) 98.23.
Work commitment did not permit David Bremner to participate in the competition and the next highest qualifier – D. Simpson (Wick OS) 98.23 – was called upon.
Finalists were required to compete in a three-way match, returning two cards in each, to gain five points for a win, three points for second place and one point for third.
Each competitor, in order to compete against all other finalists, had to participate in four matches and return eight cards.
Competitors’ first visit to firing points, tie one: The first detail of the evening saw a trio from the Stagers club vie for the points with Ronaldson (100, 97) overcoming Hugh Simpson (99, 97) and Sinclair (99, 97).
Tie two: Campbell (100, 99) got off to a good start by picking up the five points against defending champion Henderson (99, 98) and Shearer (97, 96).
Tie three: David Simpson (100, 99) took maximum points against Mowat (99, 95) and Green (98, 93).
Second visit to firing points, tie one: Sinclair (100, 99) showed a clean pair of heels to Mowat (98, 97) and Shearer (97, 96).
Tie two: Green (99, 99), after an indifferent start, found his form to defeat Ronaldson (99, 97) and Campbell (99, 97).
Tie three: Henderson, determined to lift the title for the fourth successive year, returned 100 and 99 to beat father Hugh (98, 98) and his son David Simpson (98, 97).
Third visit to firing points, tie one: Henderson(100, 99) kept ahead of the chasing pack by securing another five points when defeating Ronaldson (99, 97) and Mowat (98, 97).
Tie two: Green (99, 97) moved up the ladder when picking up full points against Hugh Simpson (98, 97) and Shearer (96, 95).
Tie three: Sinclair (100, 100), warming to the task in hand, saw off the challenge from Campbell (99, 98) and Simpson (98, 98).
With one tie remaining for all competitors, Henderson was top of the leaderboard with 13 points, just one point ahead of Sinclair and two clear of Ronaldson. Oddly enough, the three leaders were due to compete against each other in the final tie of the competition.
Final visit to firing points, tie one: Full points went to Hugh Simpson (100, 98) against Campbell (98, 97) and Mowat (99, 97).
Tie two: With identical aggregate scores it was three points each for Ronaldson (97, 97), Shearer (97, 97) and David Simpson (99, 95).
Tie three: In the last detail of the evening, Sinclair, in his typical composed manner, returned his second double possible to take five points and wrest the title from Henderson (99, 99). Green (99, 97) had to be satisfied with one match point from the tie.
Final placings were: 1, J. Sinclair, 17 match points (five points dropped ex 800); 2, J. Henderson 16 (7); 3, Graeme Ronaldson 13 (17); 4, Robbie Campbell 12 (12); 5, Hugh Simpson 12 (15); 6, Michael Green 12 (19); 7, David Simpson 11 (13); 8, Don Mowat 9 (20); 9, Michael Shearer 6 (29).