Barry Wood

Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

The Goulburn Valley has had a number of rifle clubs for many years.  One such club at Katandra boasted the local Regional Councillor for the Victorian Rifle Association Jack Jones. When Jack Jones’ daughter Dianne introduced her new boyfriend, Barry Wood to the family, Jack suggested that Barry might like to try his hand at rifle shooting. So Barry joined the Katandra rifle club in 1975 and found that he enjoyed his new sport and soon began to shoot well.

Barry soon shot scores that showed he was on the way up. In 1981 He was selected as one of ten members of the Victorian Rifle Team to shoot off against all other States.  It was a busy time for Barry as a self-employed plumber he had to arrange his working hours around his shooting arrangements which took him all over the country.

 By 1989 Barry became one of two Victorian shooters to compete against all other States, shooting in a competition in Queensland held over three weekends. He finished that competition being presented with a gold medal marked “Commonwealth Games no. 1 selection”. He had made the Australian team.

In 1990 Barry was chaired off the Williamstown Rifle Range as the winner of the Queens Prize in the final Queens Prize shoot held at the Williamstown range. He also travelled to the U.K. and shot at the famous Bisley Range in a competition with 2000 shooters. Barry was second in the Grand Aggregate shot over 6 days and picked up 4 one day aggregate prizes.  Barry had well and truly earned his place in the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games in Auckland. His good form continued in the games. He came second in the pair’s event partnered by Benalla’s James Corbett,  So Barry returned to Shepparton with a Commonwealth Games silver medal and had cemented his place as one of the Nation’s best rifle shooters.

Barry continued to shoot at interstate events as each state conducts a Queens Prize and Barry has won a total of 42 Queen’s badges.

 In 1993 Barry won the Australian Champion of Champions event shot over 4 distances. In 1996 he was successful as the Victorian Champion of Champions. He then gave competition shooting away to spend time with his growing boys who were into their own sports and Barry felt that should have their fathers’ support. He returned to shooting after 8 years and won his place in the Australian team again to shoot at Bisley in England. He has won events in the team’s competition on the Bisley range over the last three years and is still in good form.

Barry Wood can look back at a long and successful shooting career including representing Victoria 16 times and Australia 9 times. He shot for Australia in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.  He also has that Commonwealth Games medal to show that he made it to the top in his sport. Congratulations to top shot, Barry Wood.