The Northern Southland College pupil competing in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Clay Target Championships at Hamilton from September 23 to 25 won both the girls highest points overall trophy and the New Zealand single barrel championship.
In the highest points overall championships she shot 74 out of 75 and in the single barrel event she shot 14 out of 15 to win a place in a shootoff against five other girls, which she won.
She was also selected as captain of the South Island girls’ team in a fixture against the North Island team.
On the last day of the championships the pupils took part in a regional competition and along with Northern Southland College pupil Mackenzie Appleyard-Drake, 18, Marnie was part of the Southland team which won that event.
Marnie, 14, has been competing seriously for about a year and was very pleased with her performance, she said.
"It’s the best I’ve ever shot forever."
She shot at 91% accuracy during the three days of competition.
She is a member of the Balfour Gun Club and credited her performance to coaches Dave Baker and Ian McLachlan.
Practice was once a week but as the national competition approached the shooters practised an extra day.
She enjoyed clay target shooting.
"It gets me ready for duck-shooting."
Mackenzie also placed second in the girls’ New Zealand single rise championship and the New Zealand single rise trophy.
