Women discover the world of sport shooting

GEORGE NEWS - Thirty women with little or no previous experience with firearms took part in a special Women's Day shooting event at the George Sport Shooting Club (GSSC) shooting range in George on Saturday 8 August.

Organised by the GSSC with the support of the South African Gunowners Association (Saga) and Wildman George, the event was designed to introduce women to responsible firearm handling and a variety of sport shooting disciplines in a safe, relaxed and friendly environment.

The morning session included air-rifle hunter field targets, .22 LR long-distance gong shooting and .22 calibre handguns. Participants were then introduced to 9mm pistols and a 12-gauge shotgun during the afternoon session.

Adding another important dimension to the programme, the women of Invasion Fighting Systems demonstrated practical self-defence techniques, focusing on awareness, confidence and personal safety.

"The participation of women in sport shooting is expanding at unprecedented rates, both in South Africa and globally. Internationally, women are one of the fastest-growing demographics in the shooting sports, driven by recreational interest, competition and personal self-reliance," said Anton Meyer, chairperson of GSSC.

Figures tracked by the National Shooting Sports Foundation indicate that women now make up roughly 32% of sport-shooting participants and are increasingly participating in disciplines ranging from Olympic shooting and long-range precision shooting to modern sporting rifle events.

"Our objective was to give women an opportunity to learn about responsible firearm handling, experience different shooting disciplines and discover that sport shooting is something they can participate in and enjoy. The response was extremely encouraging," said Meyer.

The event was made possible through the generous support of Saga, Wildman George and several local businesses, which contributed sponsorship and prizes for the lucky draw.

Some of the women who took part in the day. Back: Ilse Lubbe, Melanie Britz, Reinette Edgar, Lorraine Yssel and Therese Weeks. Front: Deseray du Toit, Caroline Blignaut, and Chanté van Aswegen. Photos: Marijke Theron (Pixel Me Photography)