Sport
29 November, 2024
Maryborough Gun Club introduce Craig Jennings Memorial Cup to honour his legacy to town
It will be an emotional time for the Maryborough Gun Club on Sunday as they honour Craig Jennings with a memorial cup.
The club will join Maryborough District Cricket Association clubs Maryborough and Carisbrook in presenting a cup as a way to honour Jennings, who tragically passed away in November last year following a car crash en route to participate in last year’s national Game and Field carnival in Clunes.
Sunday’s event will be open to all eligible shooters as a means of bringing together a community that Jennings loved to promote.
Jennings was a key cog of the Maryborough Gun Club, among all his other roles in the community, helping out in all facets, which included office and administrative roles, but more importantly, filling traps and setting targets.
The Maryborough Gun Club’s Nathan Cassells said the weekend’s inaugural Craig Jennings Memorial Cup would honour Jennings in the right way — a community-minded event.
“He was a much-liked guy and a terrific fellow around the club. He was always one with the laughs and had a lot of fun, and very helpful, whether he was in the office or filling traps or setting targets. He was always there to help out,” he said.
“We have opened it up to everyone who has a gun license, who can come and sign the visitors’ book. I think we will get a fair few there, which is good. It’s not about winning or losing; it’s about recognising what a guy Craig was — that’s the main thing.”
The club has gained support from a number of institutions that Jennings was a key part of, including his employer, McPherson’s Printing Group, and the Mary-borough Highland Society, while the club have also gained support from Jennings’ beloved family.
“The Highland Society are supporting all the sashes. It’s kind of them to support and he played a big part at the two venues as well, he worked at McPherson’s and he was on the board of the Highland Society,” Cassells said.
Held in conjunction with the Maryborough and Bendigo Sporting Challenge, the weekend’s event will be a 100 target sporting competition, with an overall winner, plus a graded AA, A, B and C winner.
Cassells is expecting a big turnout to honour Jennings.
“We haven’t got an indication of how many will be there, but I think it will be a big day,” he said.
“I’ve had people ring me asking if it’s okay with memberships, but we will open it up to anyone with a gun license.
“I’m thinking a minimum of 100 people, which is massive, and it could blow out. We’ll see how we go with that.
“There are a few people who won’t be able to get there for different reasons.”
With a large level of interest, Cassells said he contemplated changing the event to a 75-target competition, but decided to keep it the way it is.
“I was contemplating dropping it back to 75 to make sure everyone got a shot, but we’ll keep it the way it is with no breakdowns, touch wood, and get it done at a decent hour,” he said.