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Zimbabwe - Africa

ZIMBABWE PISTOL AND SMALLBORE ASSOCIATION SILHOUETTE SECTION Postal address - Secretary ZPSA Silhouette Section P.O. Box 4013 Harare Zimbabwe, Africa

Membership 35

Range Facilities

• 12 Ha. Rifle and pistol ranges situated on the Cleveland national range complex 15 Kms from central Harare.
• Club house and ablution facilities catering for all meals and functions.
• Silhouette Ranges - (standard facilities)
• 1 big bore rifle
• 1 big bore handgun
• 1 field pistol
• 2 small bore handgun
• 2 small bore rifle
• 1 air rifle
• Plus planned additional ranges to cater for full IMSSU Shoot i.e. IMSSU WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

History of silhouette shooting in Zimbabwe

The sport of Metallic Silhouette Shooting is not a new one in Zimbabwe, though it has not unnaturally gained impetus in recent years through a combination of international competition and international recognition.

Silueatas were first introduced to this country by Vic Posselt and Tony Weeks and they were pretty much a Cleveland Pistol Club fixture for many years, beginning in 1982. One of the problems faced was that in those days the "world body" was the Handgun Silhouette Shooting Association and the HSSA did not affiliate clubs or countries, only individuals. This made keeping up with what was happening overseas, not to mention international competition, an impossibility. An equally daunting problem was that, although Cleveland Pistol Club kept the sport alive by creating a committee post for the purpose, Silhouette shooting was not seen as a Zimbabwean discipline, but rather as a Cleveland one. Geoff Tucker and Ron Speight by this time had taken the reins of the Section and kept it alive and kicking until both problems were solved.

In 1993, the Metallic Silhouette Section was created and a Section representative took a seat as a member of the Executive Management Committee of the Zimbabwe Pistol & Smallbore Association. Silhouette shooting was now nationally recognised, and some other clubs were showing an interest besides Cleveland. More good news was that the International Metallic Silhouette Shooting Union based in France was willing to accept the affiliation of the Zimbabwean section, encompassing all interested Zimbabwean shooters. By 1995, we were on the world map.

As the discipline was further promoted, its resultant expansion caused its administration to expand as well. I J Larivers and Ron Speight now formed the executive committee and Richard Rossouw became the section's first Training Officer. The stage was now set for international competition.

Zimbabwe sent a team to the 2nd IMSSU Championships in South Africa in 1996, with the backing of the ZPSA and the discipline's old friend, Cleveland Pistol Club. Our shooters won 5 A Class medals - 2 silver and 3 bronze - in South Africa - pretty good going for the first time out! This had the effect of engendering an interest among the South Africans, who sent a strong team up for the Zimbabwean Nationals later the same year. World records were equaled on our National Range. Zimbabwean shooters again migrated to South Africa for their Nationals in 1996. Meanwhile, the 1997 Zimbabwe Nationals have been made into an All-Africa Champs, with invitations sent to a number of African nations. Zimbabwe competed in all disciplines in the 3rd World IMSSU championships in Sippo, Finland in May 1998.

The section is becoming one of the most active in Zimbabwe and shows no signs of slowing down.

Last Modified:01 August, 2005 02:53 PM