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This is how the club is today.
The motto of the Haverfordwest Target Shooting Club is: NO COMPETITION TOO HARD; NO DISTANCE TOO FAR!
Ever since its inception in 1968 the club members have always been highly competitive, with the emphasis on shoulder to shoulder competition.
The Members of the club have travelled extensively to compete – most of Europe, USA and Australia. Next year 2007 members are off again to the USA.
The Club was founded in 1968 as The Haverfordwest Pistol Club by four local shooting enthusiasts. The only surviving founder member is Neville Pryce-Jones a local shooting and sports shop owner (County Sports).
Initially shooing took place at the local Drill Hall. By the start of the 1970’s the club membership was outgrowing the Drill Hall and the search was on for a new range!. The Club Chairman at the time (David Evans ), a Pembrokeshire County Council Planning Officer was instrumental in finding the new range. The Club was successful (eventually) in acquiring the old wartime airfield butts on the northern outskirts of the town at Withybush. As the airfield was given up by the RAF in 1946 one doesn’t need a lot of imagination to understand that nature had taken over the defunct butts. But, much hard work by members soon had the butts back in working operation. There were hardly any facilities just the butts, two small concrete ex RAF huts and a concrete pad to shoot off.
Amazingly at that time the Club running costs were being paid by the local Further Education Authority (how times have changed).
By 1974 the Club had become totally independent, totally owned the range and the facilities had improved – clubhouse, covered firing points, a .22 indoor range and electricity. Other essentials such as water and toilets still were a long way in the future.
Into the 1980’s and the Club was thriving with membership approaching over a hundred. In 1984 the club made the decision to purchase additional adjoining land. This purchase enabled the club to have a proper vehicle access, a water supply (still no toilets yet).
Going into the 1990’s the membership was up to one hundred and fifty and with money in the bank and a loan from the Haverfordwest Town Council the club started to plan and construct a 50 meter range. With a town center development taking place the club had a tremendous amount of material available on the doorstep.
Unfortunately progress didn’t proceed as quickly as hoped and all too soon 1996 arrived! And with the pistols being confiscated, membership plummeted along with the income. For a club which was raised on pistol UIT and pistol Action Shooting, the ban on handguns left the club bereft.
Members decided that whilst the club had money in the bank its facilities were still very basic and Spartan! And so it was decided to build a new Club house.
By 1999 the member had a proper Club house: Two toilets, fully equipped kitchen, central heating, lounge, TV and a pool table. In one word – Luxury!! Membership has slowly increased and is now up to 90.
The old club house has been converted into a four lane 10 meter Air Pistol Range with electric returning targets (courtesy of the Welsh Airgun Association). The indoor range disappeared to enable the outdoor range to become 25 metres (from 25 yds).
What do we shoot: 10 metre and 25 metre, air pistol and rifle, field air target, .22 sporting rifle and black powder pistols.
The club has produced many champions, the most notable being Michael Jay who became Wales only Commonwealth Games Gold Medal winner (with rapid fire pistol). Mike also has a Silver and Bronze medal to complete his set. The club over the years has had many memorable shooters who will be mentioned in our articles.
The club has also hosted major championships, Commonwealth European Championships, UK Centre-Fire Championships and all Welsh Pistol Championships etc.
But, you don’t have to be competitive to join the club, just have a love of shooting.
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