JERSEY had two marksmen go agonisingly close to victory in the historic Queen’s Prize competition at Bisley on Saturday, both captain Bruce Horwood and Andrew Le Cheminant matching the winner’s score.
Horwood (pictured) top placed out of the four Jersey fullbore riflemen who qualified for the final of this major competition – inaugurated by Queen Victoria in 1860 and recognised as the top individual event of the British Open – and was only separated from the winner, Zainal Abidin Md Zain of Malaysia, by three V bulls, and only one off second place.
Both Jersey shooters, bidding to be the first Islander to triumph in this blue riband event, finished with total scores of 294, with the winner hitting the vital 36 V bulls over the final two stages. Horwood was placed fifth with 33 V bulls and Le Cheminant ninth with 31 V bulls. Conditions were testing, with a wind blowing from the left combining with a flowing mirage.
