At the end of a shooting year, we always look back at the accomplishments of our members. We had an exceptional year. Right from first competition of the year, we were collecting medals at the African Shooting Championship in Cairo. The Senior Men Team won silver, senior women Team won bronze, Jacques Pienaar won an individual bronze and Sybrand Laurens won gold in the junior match. In doing so he confirmed a quota place for South Africa at the Youth Olympic Games. The Development team travelled to Oldenburg and Hannover, where Elandre van As collected a gold medal and Anzelle Booyens a silver at the Grand Prix Match in Oldenburg. The Junior Protea team visited Suhl once again and the Senior Protea team competed at the World Championships in Granada for the first time. At the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, Sybrand finished 16th. 

Locally we seen some excellent shooting as well. Elandre van As shot the highest score to date on South African soil with a score of 610.6 at the NW Open. Marle Taljaard was on a roll, bettering the Junior woman record twice this year. At the NW Open in December she set a new record of 408.7. Brilliant performance by our young shooters. These shooters just showed us that the higher the MQS is set, the better they perform. Something to keep in mind with the MQS being raised again this year. I want to personally congratulate every shooter who won a medal this year. Well done!

All the achievements by the shooters would not have been possible without the support from the management teams. From club level right through to national level, I want to congratulate and thank everybody for the time and dedication they showed towards our shooters and SAARA. Without your support, none of these accomplishments would have been possible. 

Let do the same in 2015.

I wish everybody a merry Christmas and a very successful 2015.

Pieter Frylinck

The Executive committee of the South African Air Rifle Association hereby wishes to congratulate the following members whom have been selected as team members of the following teams:

• SA Junior Team representing South Africa 24th Junior International Match in Oldenburg and International Shooting Competition of Hannover, Germany from 15th April – 4th May 2015.

Junior Ladies:

Anzelle Booyens

Dominique Botha

Tracy Bishop

Chantelle Botha (Reserve)

Junior Men:

Carl van Wyk

Neil Oosthuizen

• SAARA Development Team at 24th Junior International Match in Oldenburg and International Shooting Competition of Hannover, Germany from 15th April – 4th May 2015.

Ladies:

Savannah Malan

Men:

Richard Hudson

Bernardus Haasbroek

Dylan Drysdale

The teams will be managed by Renata Booyens and the coach is Alta Grobbelaar

51^st ISSF World Chanpionship – All Event – Granada – ESP

Olympic shooting range “CEAR Juan Carlos 1” in Las Gabias, Granada. 6 Sep – 20 Sep 2014

55 Events, 2002 shooters, 95 countries, 1294 Pistol & Rifle, 708 shotgun. Officials (coaches, team managers, doctors, trainers, psychologists) 848.

The Senior Protea athletes that took part was:

• Men -  Horatio Delport, Sybrand Laurens en Charlto Vorster
• Women -  Burnedine Erasmus, Tanya Snyders en Reinette Laurens.

On 8 September the three men took part in 2 different relays, with a total of 116 10m Olympic athletes in the competition. On 9 September the three ladies took part in 2 relays with a total of 130 10m Olympic athletes in the ladies competition.

The conditions under which our shots took part was extreme, taking into account that our athletes are very young and had very little experience in competitions at this level. The stress levels was very high and Spanish heat dit not help to calm the nerves.

The tour was a big success, and although we did not win any medals, the experience, knowledge and life lessons that we all gained form taking part is of infinite value that cannot be gained in any other way. The courage and determination of our young athletes to take part next to and against the best in the world made winners of them all.

Thank you very much to the following sponsors:

• Bosch for the tracksuits
• Wynand Snyders for the tour shirts and jackets
• All the parent and individual sponsors that made it possible for the athletes to go.

A very special thanks to the Protea shotgun trap athletes, Richard Thompson and Frans Jooste for the support, encouragement and advise you bestowed on our air rifle athletes.

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Senior Protea atlete wat deelgeneem het was:

• Mans -  Horatio Delport, Sybrand Laurens en Charlto Vorster
• Dames -  Burnedine Erasmus, Tanya Snyders en Reinette Laurens.

8 September het al drie mans deelgeneem in 2 verskillende aflosse, ‘n totaal van 116 Presisie skuts het in die kompetisie deelgeneem. 9 September het al drie dames deelgeneem in 2 verskillende aflosse, ‘n totaal van 130 Presisie skuts het deelgeneem.

Die atlete het onder uiterste omstandighede deelgeneem, in ag genome dat die atlete baie jonk en onervare is, en teen die wêreld se heel bestes deelgeneem het, het die stress vlakke maar hoog gehardloop, en die hitte In Spanje het nie gehelp om die klompie te kalmeer nie.

Die toer was ‘n reuse sukses, ons het wel nie medaljes teruggebring nie, maar die ervaring, lewenslesse en kennis wat almal is die kompetisie opgedoen het is van onskatbare waarde. Die moed en deursettingsvermoë wat die jong klomp gehad het om sy aan sy te skiet met die heel bestes maak van elkeen van hulle wenners.

Dankie aan die volgende borge :

• Bosch vir die sweetpakke
• Wynand Snyders vir die toerhemde en baadjies
• Aan elke ouer en individuele borge wat dit moontlik gemaak het om skuts die geleentheid te bied.

‘n Spesiale dankie aan Protea  Shotgun Trap atlete, Richard Thompson en Frans Jooste vir al julle ondersteuning, bemoediging en raad aan ons luggeweer atlete.

Marelize Snyders

Tour Manager