The Queensland Rifle Association has selected one of its most experienced teams to do battle in the national championships to be held in Adelaide early in October.

The team now branded the Taipans, has won the coveted Merrett Match at two of the past three championships with the same core of shooters.

Three current Australian representatives are among the 11 shooters – Darren Enslin and his wife Gillian Webb-Enslin and George Edser.

Darren and Gillian, from Appletree Creek near Childers, shoot with the Pacific Rifle Club in Brisbane while George is a member of Central Rifle Club.

A second husband and wife are in the Taipans team – Colin and Karen Cole who shoot with the North Arm Rifle Club.

Colin and Ashley Bidgood from Crow’s Nest-Goombungee Rifle are two of the form shooters on the Queensland annual prize shoot circuit this year. Colin was also second in the Queensland Queens Prize shot in Brisbane in August.

Another team member Kim O’Loghlen from Natives Rifle Club won the prestigious Kaltenberg Royal Challenge Cup, a title contested at the Australian Queens Prize shoot in Brisbane in June.

Both the team coaches Rob Cadden and Bill Baker have coached at the national level and the captain Geoff Grosskreutz has led teams overseas, including two Commonwealth Games.

Geoff paid tribute to the late Bill Martin, captain of the team several times in recent years, who had instilled a sense of self belief in team members.

“The line-up of shooters this year is one of the strongest selected and we should give a good account of ourselves in Adelaide,” Geoff said.

The national teams titles will be staged over three days from October 2-4, immediately after the South Australian Queens Prize.

The full QRA Taipans team is

Ashley Bidgood, Crows Nest,Rodney Prayle, Maryborough, Colin Cole, North Arm, Lee Robinson, Beaudesert, Karen Cole, North Arm, Don Thompson, Natives, George Edser, Central, George Edser, Central, Darren Enslin, Pacific, Gilliam Webb-Enslin, Pacific, Kim O’Loghlen, Natives, David Gardiner, Natives
Captain: Geoff Grosskreutz, Brisbane
Manager: Catherine Berry, Natives
Coaches: Rob Cadden, Central and Bill Baker, Pacific