Reginald Walter Partridge died on July 13, 2023 after suffering a turn approximately a fortnight prior. Following is the tribute that was read at his celebration of life service at the St. Paul’s Church, Oamaru. His birthdate was 16 April, 1941.
Reg began his shooting “career” in 1965 when he joined the Mount Nessing club.
Then it was on to Kelso club for a season, before joining Waikoikoi from 1967 till 1971. Romahapa from 1972 to 1973;
Kurow, 1974 to 1976; Eveline in Oamaru, 1977 to 1990;
Papakaio, 1991; Enfield from 1992, he and other interested shooters from around the district, reopened Enfield club and kept it going, apart from the years from 1994 till 1997, when he joined Pukeuri; and in 1998 reopened Enfield and there he stayed until 2018, when it was closed down for the last time.
During those years, the Enfield club celebrated their 100th birthday, with many ex members attending to join in. Reg was the President of the Enfield club from 1998 till 2018.
As well as shooting for the various clubs, he was active with administrative duties also, taking on the president position for the South Island Target Shooting Association from 2002 to 2009; Otago Provincial president for a year before becoming the secretary/treasurer of Otago Provincial Association for about 13 years; treasurer of Target Shooting North Otago for at least 20 years. (And wow betide me if I mucked up his treasurer’s report in the minutes). A North Otago selector from 2010 to 2017.
Reg was presented with a Target Shooting North Otago life membership in 2016, as well as a life member of the Otago Provincial Association a few months prior to that.
From 2019 until he decided to stop shooting, he was a member of the Pukeuri club. He represented North Otago from 1990 till 2008 and an Otago Provincial representative from1999 until 2012. Always taking an interest in all that was going on in the shooting world.
To keep up his interest once he was uncomfortable shooting prone, Reg shot his targets from a bench with a rest. It sparked an interest with some of the older shooters also. It is just as difficult shooting off a rest.
Reg was one of the inaugural members of the Waitaki Outdoor club in 1985. Reg was the Outdoor president from 2001 till 2005 and again from 2010 till 2016. He took part in competitions including the Masters Games held in Dunedin from 1990 for many years, even competing in the Wanganui Masters one year when he and Marion were travelling around the North Island visiting family.
The shooting fraternity of North Otago and beyond will miss Reg’s calm nature and the way he made us all feel special.