Announcements Archives | Welsh Smallbore Rifle Association

New Performance Pathway Launch

26 August 202628 August 2026 by Web Teamin Announcements

Welsh Shooting and the Welsh Smallbore Rifle Association are pleased to announce the new Performance Pathway structure. Performance pathways had previously been run centrally by Welsh Shooting, with a focus on ISSF and Commonwealth Games disciplines. With Shooting (amongst other sports) not being included in the most recent CWG editions and growth in other disciplines such as Field Target, delivery of the performance pathways are being devolved to Associations, with Welsh Shooting providing professional support and funding (from Sport Wales). This allows Associations to direct pathway funding across a wider range of disciplines such as NSRA/Dewar rifle shooting, sporting shotgun, target sprint and field target air rifle.

We encourage any shooter who aspires to improve to put themselves forward for the Pathway whether your ambition is to represent at the Olympic Games or has a more domestic focus such as selection to the GB Dewar Team at Appleton, Welsh team at the Bisley Home Countries International or making the medals at the Welsh Open.

For more information please see the Welsh Shooting Pathway page. For shooters wishing to participate, please complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) form.

This round of EOI is open until midnight on the 6th September.

WSRA Annual General Meeting

12 July 202625 August 2026 by Web Teamin Announcements

~~The WSRA AGM will be held on Wednesday 19th August 2026 at Sophia Gardens and by Zoom for those unable to attend in person.~~

Agenda, Minutes and zoom link will be distributed to members nearer the time.

UPDATE: The AGM has been postponed, details of the new date will be distributed to members.

Dave Phelps inducted into Welsh Sports Hall of Fame

26 June 202627 June 2026 by Web Teamin Announcements

Welsh shooting legend David Phelps was honoured last night at the Team Wales Road to Glasgow event when he became only the second shooter to be inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame, number 214.

On the Roll of Honour, Dave joins sporting greats such as Sir Gareth Edwards, Colin Jackson, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Barry John as well as John Vivian, The Lord Swansea – the only other shooter on the Roll.

Spanning decades, Dave’s shooting career includes back-to-back wins of “the Roberts” (the British Prone Rifle Championship contested annually at Bisley) in 2000 and 2001. He went on to win Commonwealth Games Gold in the Men’s Prone at the 2006 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and has represented Great Britain at home and abroad, representing the GB Dewar Team seven times and competing for GB at four European Championships and seven World Cups.

Since retiring from international competition, Dave has started his own coaching consultancy and has been involved in governance at the levels of both Shooting and Sport Wales. Dave accompanied Team Wales to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as a member of the Chef de Mission’s team.

Most recently, Dave coached the GB Roberts Team to an overdue victory against the United States.

A smiling man poses holding a large silver trophy. The trophy is labelled the "Field Marshal Earl Roberts Trophy". The man is suited, wearing a tie bearing crossed rifles and a blazer badge embrodered "Great Britain - Coach" and the world "Roberts Trophy Match".

Two people stand on a shooting range holding a trophy

Aidan sets British Record at British Shooting Championships

25 September 202525 September 2025 by Web Teamin Announcements

Congratulations to Aidan Healy who set a new British Junior Record in August.

Shooting in the Three-Position 50Metre Rifle event at the British Shooting Pathway Championships in August, Aidan broke his own PB and Welsh Junior Record of 565 (set at the Junior International) with a huge score of 571. This was significantly in excess of the existing British Junior Men’s record (563, set in May 2025 at the Gibraltar Open by Louis Norman). British Shooting have now ratified the new record (webarchive link).

A group of target shooters compete form the kneeling position on an oudoor rifle range.

Tony Davies

7 September 202525 September 2025 by Web Teamin Obituaries

We are sorry to report the passing of Tondu and the WSRA’s former chairman Tony Davies.

Tony was a valued member of Tondu as a shooter and committee member. His guidance and advice will be sorely missed.

His funeral will be held at noon on Friday 12th September at Llanelli crematorium.

Mark Parry

18 August 202524 August 2025 by Web Teamin Obituaries

We are extremely sorry to report the death of Mark Parry, who passed away peacefully on August 18th 2025 after a short battle against cancer.

Mark was a larger than life character fondly remembered by all those he met. Mark devoted a huge amount of time to supporting target shooting, volunteering as a County Coach with the North West Regional Squad, putting in many hours at Appleton and Altrincham Rifle Clubs and working part time coaching the shooting team at Ellesmere College where he positively impacted the careers of many young shooters. Many younger shooters first recollections of Mark will be him keeping them in order at the BUCS Inter-University Long Range Championships, held at Appleton and where Mark was a regular volunteer on the range.

He was a superb X-Class shot, qualifying for the Roberts Final regularly as well as being a CSF gold medallist for Wales, most recently winning the Prone event at the 2022 CSF(ED) in Cardiff. He represented Great Britain in the Wakefield and Dewar matches multiple times. This July he was Match Witness for the GB Dewar Team.

Mark, you will be missed.

Mark’s funeral will be held at Wrexham Crematorium (LL14 4EP) on Wednesday 10th September, starting at 12 noon. The service will be followed by a celebration of his life at the Wrexham & District War Memorial Club (LL13 8DE). The family have asked for no flowers, and instead that a donation is made to either Cancer Research UK or the Hope House Hospice.