National Matches Play Host to Australian High Power Team

By Sommer Wood, Staff Writer/Editor

The Australian Team with Lieutenant General Anthony Jones of the U.S. Army.

So you think you traveled a long way to get to Camp Perry this year, well try traveling half way across the world. That’s exactly what the Australian High Power Team, Aussie Roos, did for a chance to experience the U.S. National Matches. The team consisted of David Cornick, George Grivas, Aubrey Sonnenberg, David Vivian Jones, David Waters, and John Webber. All six shooters are ex-service men from Australia who were looking for the opportunity to shoot semi-automatic rifles, which have been banned in Australia since the government enforced strict gun bans in 1996.

Australian Sticker on a borrowed rifle that has the Texas State Flag on the stock.

Because of the gun bans, the team didn’t even have rifles to bring to the National Matches. With the help of the several American contacts, the team was able to borrow rifles and acquire ammunition to shoot while at Camp Perry. And shoot they have, the Aussie Roos have participated in every rifle match held during high power week. “We have been very impressed and overwhelmed with how nice everyone has been, it has just been a wonderful experience,” said George Grivas of Adamstown Heights in New South Wales where most of the team is from.

Patches from gun clubs around the world.

Several of the shooters have traveled all over the world for the opportunity to shoot and plan to come back to Camp Perry again next year. “You have to be careful of what happens in your country. Gun bans happened in Australia, England, and Canada but crime just went up. Now we have to travel half way around the world to have a week’s good shooting with friends, shooting the same rifles we used to own,” said George Grivas.

Australian Team in the Infantry Trophy Match.

Members of the group still hope that one day they can achieve a lift on the gun bans in Australia. All are members of the Australian International High Power Association, http://www.aihpa.com, which is working to lift the bans. Hopefully one day the Aussie Roos can invite Americans to their own National Matches, but until then they will always be welcome at Camp Perry. Check match results to see how the Aussie Roos did at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/report_matchResult.cgi?matchID=827. For more pictures go to http://www.odcmp.com/Photos/05/Index.htm.