World Long Range Rifle Championships (Palma Trophy)

Ballinger Belt - January 25 - February 10 2019.

(Entry is free but you will be asked to sign in and wear a Visitor lanyard, so organisers know who is on the range. Full details on the website. Please check the website for the daily timetable for start and finish times of competitions and practice sessions).

When you visit to the National Rifle Association at Alexander Road, Trentham, Upper Hutt you can watch shooters compete for the 158th Ballinger Belt – New Zealand’s oldest sporting trophy (January 30th – February 2nd), followed on February 5th-7th (with team days February 9th-10th) by the 2019 world long range championships (Palma Trophy) when seven countries will compete.

Hosted by the National Rifle Association of New Zealand, the International Palma contest is fullbore long distance shooting from 800, 900, and 1000 yards using metallic iron sights and includes invidual and team competitions.

Held here in Upper Hutt for only the 3rd time, the 2019 long range world championships will be at the Seddon Range, the only range with international capacity for 50 targets at 300-1000 yards in New Zealand. With its “tricky “ wind shifts, it is known as one of the most challenging ranges in the world.

The Ballinger Belt is keenly contested as usual with current world champion Ben Emms from Australia and the current Ballinger Belt winner John Snowden (Ashburton) amongst this year’s entries.

While visitors are welcome any day, from a spectator’s point of view afternoons are the best time to see all the action, as competitors will be shooting from 900 or 1000 yards.