The day has grown in stature every year since its inception and with 150 targets and over $2,200 in trophy value, the 2008 event should be the best yet.

The inaugural day consisted of a single 100 target event and was won by visiting Victorian contractor Steve Foster.

Ray Carver from Texas won in 2001 and Moree’s talented Paul Tattam in 2002 and 2003. Paul Tattam is a naturally gifted competitor who excels at trap, skeet, tower and the sporting disciplines.

Mal Lillyman actually won the event in 2004 and presented himself the engraved Cobb & Co clock to the mild applause of his fellow competitors.

Ballandean’s Matthew Waugh was successful in 2005 and the following year club member Tony Scriven came on board as a co-sponsor and the day was expanded to 150 targets and two events.

Tony sponsors a 50 target medley event, and the feature event, The Mal Lillyman 100, consists of 50 targets double barrel and 50 targets double barrel continental. Joe Marshall, from Guyra, won the main event in 2006 and Paul Tattam was successful for the third time last year. Another feature of the day is the Johnny Peters’ Camp Oven Lunch which has proven popular with competitors and visitors.

Last month’s Elders’ Day proved enjoyable for all those attending. Mick Moloney beat Moree’s Murray Johnson in a shoot-off to win the Elders Rural Bank Double Barrel Championship but Murray was the outright winner in the Elders Champion of Champions. Guyra’s Andrew Skinner came in second and Terry Rogers from Ballandean was third. Past president Roger Carrigan starred on the first day of Moree’s Annual Two Day meeting last Saturday.

Although the day was devoted to “trick shooting” he dominated B grade. Family committments on Sunday prevented an almost certain high gun sash as Roger was seven targets clear of the field. The Mal Lillyman Day begins at 9a.m. sharp on Sunday, with practice, as usual, at 2pm on Saturday after the working bee.

The monthly meeting will be held at the clubhouse at 7pm on Thursday.