Wick Old Stagers
Club History
Wick Old Stagers Miniature Rifle Club - the name given to the club when it was formed in Wick in October 1925 open to Ex-Servicemen (Naval and Military), Ex-Volunteers and Ex-Territorials (With preference given to old members of former Wick Rifle Clubs). The name was later changed to Wick Old Stagers Smallbore Rifle Club.
Wick ‘Old Stagers’ Rifle Club (with headquarters at the new Dairy Premises, South Road) held its first General Meeting Friday 8th January 1926 with over 30 members present. The Club President detailed the various steps taken in forming the club, securing the range, forming a committee etc and the Club Secretary read the proposed club rules which were unanimously adopted (In those days membership was limited with the subscription at 5s per annum).
The Stagers shot at the Dairy Premises until the early part of 1937 but due to structural alterations to the property wherein the club rented a range, the club was forced to seek new premises. By courtesy of the Trustees and Managers of the Henderson Memorial Home and the Wick Playing Fields Association, the club was offered a very suitable and central site for the range and clubroom within the grounds rented by the Rosebank Playing Fields Association. The new range was built in October for approximately £200 ready for the start of the 1937 indoor season with the new shooting distance of 25 Yards (the previous range was 15 Yards). The club still uses these premises today.
Team and individual accomplishments
Team
Scottish Short Range Prone Team Championship (Scottish Cup)
Winners: 1937, 1979, 1982, 1991, 2011
Losing Finalists: 1933, 1934, 1936
Aberdeenshire and District Association Cup
Winners: 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010
Aberdeenshire and District League
Winners: Division One 1994
Banffshire League
Winners: A-Team – Division One1999, 2001, 2002; B-Team – Division Three 1998, Division Two 2000; C-Team Division Four 2000; D-Team Division 11 1997, 1999, 2000
North of Scotland Team Championship “Evening Express”
Winners: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1961, 1978, 1980, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010
NSRA Mackworth Praed
Winners: 2000
NSRA News of the World Team
Winners: 1990
NSRA Burroughes & Watts
Winners: 2010
NSRA National Short Range League
Winners: A-Team Division One 1937, B-Team Division Eight 1937
Scottish Outdoor League
Winners: Division 2 1937
(Ladies losing finalists: 1934, 1935)
Scottish Team of Four Championships
Winners: Aberdeen Open Meeting 1937
"Pullar Targe" Scottish 50m Club Team Prone Championship
Winners: 1936, 2002
"ICI Challenge" Scottish 100yd Club Team Prone Championship
Winners: 2002
Individual
"The Haig" Scottish Long Range Prone Championship
Winner: 1951 W Bain
1995 Hugh Simpson
"Daily Record" Scottish Short Range Prone Championship
Winner: 1985 Hugh Simpson Snr
1986 Hugh Simpson Jnr
1988 Clair Ronaldson
1989 Clair Ronaldson
2000 Hugh Simpson
Sir Harry Lauder Short Range Under 18 Prone Championship
Winner: 1967 Clair Ronaldson
1977 Hugh Simpson Jnr
SSRA 50m Prone Rifle Grand Prix Series
Winner: 1989 Hugh Simpson
2008 Hugh Simpson
SSRA Speedway (Short Range Matchplay Championship)
Winner C&D Speedway: 1991 Alan Nicolson
2000 H A Simpson
2001 H A Simpson
International – Scottish ‘Full’ Caps
Hugh Simpson 28 Caps, David Simpson 2 Caps, John Sinclair 2 Caps, Hugh Simpson Snr 1 Cap, W Bain 1 Cap
Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships
Represented Scotland: Hugh Simpson 1985, David Simpson 2005
ISAS International Shooting Competition, Dortmund, Germany
Represented Scotland: Hugh Simpson 1992
Record Scores
Team
Aberdeen 1937, Team of Four - 795.4 (Ex 800)
“News of the World” competition 1937 – 1197 (Ex 1200)
Scottish Cup 1937 – 1195 (Ex 1200)
Short Range League 1937 – 600 (Ex 600) – World Record
Banffshire Postal League 2004/5 Round 1 – 400 (Ex 400)
Individual
SSRA Denwood Open, Hugh Simpson – 599 (Ex 600)