SOTY

[Dave Purcell]

Just heard Les won the Nieksa Cup and in the process cleaned up the Light Gun & Heavy Gun Shooter of the Year.
Nobody has ever managed both in the same year and it is a huge result for Les.
You have had a big year and a really big 2 weeks with National High Score with that 283, National Highest scoring HG single target, National Smallest Group HG  and now both classes of SOTY and the first to take both in the same year ...
That is a credit to you and the effort you have put into your shooting ..
Congratulations

[Deane Thrower]

Congratulations Les, well desereved and hard earned results. I think les may have earned the title " lord of the flies " . Very very impressive year indeed.

Deano

[Jugs (Jaegen)]

Yes Congrats to Les

He shot well again and got a hard fought win for SOTY.

I will do the official scoring of the SOTY Monday when I get back to my work computer.

Until then Well Done Les (unofficially)

Jugs

[Anthony Hall]

Well done Les !!

That's a fantastic result.... Good on you for putting in so much effort mate.

There is a saying that goes something like ..."The harder one works, the luckier one gets....""  

You certainly deserve all the luck.

Cheers

Anthony

[Les Fraser]

Firstly thanks to all for the good wishes about the winning of the shooter of the year. I would like to thank people who have assisted me in getting into this sport.

Firstly Dave Purcell thanks for the reloading tips, the long chats in the shed and keeping me on track and grounded when i start to drift off on a tangent. Your advice and support has gone along way in helping me in the sport and i am sure flyshooters in the future will benefit on the forum for your input.

Pete Vanmuers for the support, continued pressure of providing a competitor that puts everything into the sport of fly shooting as you can. I value this type of competition because you are always pushing for the win and keeping everyone honest.

Stuart Elliot for the assistance with learning about bench rest shooting, he gave me some DVD's to watch and learn from which have been invaluable in the learning process.

Jugsy for the mateship and the support with the website and keeping the SOTY up to date. I even slipped up and rang him in Holland he didn't even hang up on me, just answered the question and helped out.

Shane Clancy for turning the second hand Stolle 6BR into the Soty winning 6x47L great workmanship indeed.

And i would like to send an appreciation to ALL FLYSHOOTERS who are growing in numbers and moving forward in a positive direction.

This sport is growing all the time and i hope that next season will be even bigger and i will do what ever i can to promote the sport positively.

I appreciate that over many years some folks have become distant with each other and opinions and perceptions are thier own. I will remain friends with everyone and will do my best to help out where ever i can.

Hopefully this site will gain your trust and support that it will remain in the manner it is intended and that is to promote the sport positively and help it to grow. As many shooting sports or dying in numbers flyshooting is increasing every year and with positive people like Anthony Hall, the Trotter boys, the guys from Canberra that this sport has a positive future for many years to come.

Good shooting to you all and thankyou very much for your support.

Best wishes Les

[Stuart Elliott]

Congratulations Les. You do deserve it.
I like Deno's title for you the best "Lord of the flies"

Stuart

[Petevm]

I also wish to publicly congratulate Les on a stellar year - both SOTY classes, record scores, trophies galore! Many may not be aware that SOTY in each class went right down to the last match. Going into the match Les and I were each on two wins and one second in LG - Les really sealed it with his fine win for a perfect 450 points for 3 wins. In HG Les was seriously challenged by Jason Trotter who needed to win the match with a score including 5 flies and with Les not in second place. As Jason only managed 4 flies (his last shot on the last target got to within .050" of the fly) the guys were still tied until the second tie break (best actual score of the three that counted) gave Les the win with each of them on 438 points from 2 wins and a second. I am sure that both the Trotter boys will be hungry for wins next year. As they have less than 2 years experience they can only get better. As for myself - I seem to have lost the plot lately so will probably be an easy touch next year.
None the less I am looking forward to next years matches and wish everyone well in 2012.
Pete

[Deane Thrower]

Pete,

From what I seen at Batemans Bay with the work you put in on scoring it amazes me that you still manage to put good scores up, and same goes to Anthony, busy as a one armed brick layer in Baghdad and sti broke records, a phenomenal efforts no matter how you look at it. Without guys like yourselves and Dave P, Les, Stuart, Big Jim, Dave Groves and Mick Easton ( sorry if i have left anyone out ) would not be what it is today. I for one am greatful for all the work you guys put in and would love to help out in the future if needed.

Well done to everyone who competed and I look forward to seeing you all again next year, fresh and raring to go

Regards,

Deano

[Deane Thrower]

Stuart,

I think Les " the lord of the flies " Fraser has a ring to it. What do you guys think?

[Alan Esler]

Congrats on a well earned result Les, ya worked hard for it and well deserve  the accolades, just look out next year :) As someone has already said, it's amazing how the harder you work, the luckier you get.
Regards Alan