Timing of Queens prize shoots

[RDavies]

I just read the post on W.A Queens needing numbers but being at the same time as its next closest Queens shoot (The S.A Queens Prize). Both of these are a few days away from the National Queens.

I,m not normaly one to complain, but I was wondering why the QLD, NSW, S.A, W.A and National Queens shoots are within 2 months and the ACT Queens not long after.

I was thinking, there are 2 groups of people who attend these big shoots.
The workers and small buiness owners who have to beg and grovel to the boss (or those who fill in for them) to get time off for an interstate shoot, and have to realy kiss the boss's butt big time to go on a pile of shoots within 2 months.
A sub group of this is the family man, who's travels and leave applications are dicated by school holidays.

The others are the retirees, who travel around the country as people of leasure, timing their travels around these big shoots, trying to get to a few of them on their lap around OZ. (Thats me in 30 years when bills are paid off). Problem is, the trigger pulling Grey Nomads will have to turbo charge their Winabagos to get to the rush of shoots in the short period.

Why cant more of these shoots be either during school holidays, or at least lining up with Grey Nomads annual seasonal migrations and being far enough apart so as not to create a Kontiki tour effect of a different state each week followed by 9 months of knitting and watching soapies ?

[DaveMc]

Well said Rod.
I will add another level to it too.
The recent QRA Queens and upcoming NRAA Queens are both held mid week. I think if they could centre it over a weekend then they would get much more participation.

Several members of our club would have flown down if QRA queens was more central on the weekend and a great deal of discussion is going into the NRAA Queens. Some are thinking of coming down for Presidents match but flying home before Queens. From our club alone I would say it could double the entries as one car can take down gear for several people and they can then fly in easily.

Dave

[Lynn Otto]

The WA/SA Queens clash has always annoyed me, I love Perth and would take any excuse to go there, plus now that my son lives in Perth there is even more incentive to go for the Queens but not at the cost of my own state Queens.

[johnk]

Dave,

The QRA Queens has been located to finish on the Saturday at the request of participants. In the past, it did finish on the Sunday. The Wednesday prior is a public holiday in parts of SE Queensland for the RNA Exhibition & perhaps that had an influence on it.

By the way, after 2011, the NRAA Queens is reverting back to its traditional mid-June scheduling - see http://www.nraa.com.au/calendar/NRAAScheduleV7.pdf.

John

[AlanF]

Does anyone know whether the NRAA has any say about State/Territory Queens dates? I know that the VRA has to approve Victorian PM dates. James Corbett - are you able to chime in on this one?

[DaveMc]

Thanks John,

Was not aware of that as was my first one this year down there.
And I too don't normally like to whinge just like to offer on the "suggestion" side. However, if they wish to attract people to come from afar it still doesn't make sense to do around a "local holiday". Long weekends or school holidays would be much easier for some of the participants.

I tried your link to look at next years dates but got the old "broken link" Also tried on the NRAA website with no luck.

Cheers,
Dave

[johnk]

Dave,

I didn't think that you were whingeing, mate, just wondering; I was just giving you the explanation. As you said, if it's the first time you dropped in, you wouldn't have a background on our local issues.

The link doesn't work for me either. To locate the schedule, go down the list of items on the left side of the NRAA home page. It's third from the bottom.

Cheeers, John

[RDavies]

I understand the NRAA nationals and associated World Palma Championships are a special event and timing for it over rides normaly scheduled shoots. I also think the finishing on a Saturday (or Sunday when Monday is a public holiday) is a good thing as most people need a day to drive or fly back home.
Its just a bit of co ordinating of all the state Queens shoots would be beneficial for numbers at each event.

[DaveMc]

Thanks John - got the calender now. Cheers.

I too Would love to get to more of these. just trying to work out how?? As Rod said - kids - work and long way to travel make it hard but willing to try. Certainly if they were more spread out it would be a lot easier weekends aside, there is nearly always someone from the club driving to them to get some of the heavy gear there to make plane trips feasible without front rests etc.
Alternatively another suggestion if someone could make any spare front and rear rests/mats etc available or flexible squadding to share then it would also make it more feasible to fly (WARA?, SARA? hint! hint! anyone??? Can return the favour for next years NQRA Queens and team shoot.

Dave

[Triplejim]

Does anyone know whether the NRAA has any say about State/Territory Queens dates? I know that the VRA has to approve Victorian PM dates. James Corbett - are you able to chime in on this one?

The NRAA tried to have SARA and WARA organise their week-ends but both their meetings are on public holidays and neither would budge.

WA Queens birthday was Monday 3rd October now Friday 28th October this year only to coincide with CHOGM
Their Queens series starts with the Duke on Thursday 29th September and finishes Sunday 2nd October
http://www.wara.asn.au/Queens/2011-Queens

SA Labour day is Monday 3rd October
Their Queens series starts with the Hunt on Thursday 29th September and finishes Monday 3rd October
http://www.riflesa.asn.au/queens/Queens_flyer.pdf

Basically WA and SA clash 3 years out of 4. JC

[AlanF]

Thanks James. So the NRAA can only ask the States to cooperate, and they may or may not do so. It doesn't surprise me that WA does its own thing - they only had a handful of eastern visitors at their 2010 Queens, and it didn't clash fully with SA.

Alan

[DaveMc]

Thanks for that James.
I for one can really see the logic for both state bodies. I think having the WARA Queens over the Queens long weekend and also the start of their school holidays would probably encourage more participants than worrying about a clash with SA which might only normally bring a handful over (as you pointed out Alan). No doubt WA is a very big state and has some logistical issues that are hard to comprehend (travelling from the Far North is nearly as far as from Sydney!!).

Just as logical for SARA with travellers coming from far and wide too.

A great pity but nonetheless totally "understandable" and probably the right choice for them.