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51a Hibiscus Coast Highway,
Silverdale, Auckland
Phone 09 4274541
 Fax 09 4274542
 Mobile 021969159
Email robert@missioncontrol.net.nz

TROPHY CABINET

Welcome to my Trophy Cabinet

I started target shooting with a target air rifle in May 2007 at the Ardmore rifle range once a week. I did that to start with to see if target shooting was for me. Using a gun loaned to me by Parafed and under the coaching of Michael Johnson (current world champion) and Mikes Dad, Len, I learned some of the basic skills and how to develop the shot. Mike loaned me a shooting jacket and other equipment until I had decided if I wanted to take up the sport more seriously. Still a bit reserved on whether it was for me or not, Mike arranged for another competitor to have a competition shoot with me. We were both told to bring along a chocolate bar and it would be winner takes all. Well I was pretty confident of a win because I was sure that I was the better shot. But that day I learned that thinking you are a better shot was not the same as actually being the better shot. I lost and didn't get to take the prize. But that was a good thing, because I was so surprised that I got beaten it flashed up my competitive nature once more and I practiced harder following that major defeat.

Oceania in Sydney was on the horizon and Mike told me that he was going and that I could come along to shoot for New Zealand. Wow I was on the team, what a buzz. However I discovered a little bit later that I was not on the team until I had some qualifying scores. On the Paralympics NZ Pathway I was only a "grassroots" athlete. In order to represent New Zealand at Oceania I had to be a "Development" Athlete. In order to become a Development Athlete I had to shoot two Paralympics New Zealand Minimum Qualifying Standards (PNZ MQS) in each of the disciplines, Standing and Prone. The MQS for Standing is 570 and Prone 575 out of a possible 600 in 60 shots. Take out the pin point in the middle of the target for 10 points. So for a score of 570 you need to get 30 x 10 and 30 x 9 but if you get some 8's then you need to hit some more 10's. With lots of practice and 6 attempts I got there.

In Oceania I competed against the worlds best athletes as well as others in my league and in a field of 14 shooters I came 10th place in Prone and 13th place in Standing. I came home without medals but I came home with a truly international competition under my belt and I met really great people from all over the world. But the experience of an international competition was the most incredible thing. Just think, If I had not taken on the chocolate challenge, I might not have done that. Thanks Mike you are a true star.

36th PNZ Nationals Championships 2007 Prone. Robert Berger (centre) Gold Medal, Andrew Blay (left) Silver Medal, Bradley Mark (right) Bronze Medal.	36th PNZ Nationals Championships 2007 Standing. Bradley Mark (centre) Gold Medal, Robert Berger (left) Silver Medal, Grant Philip (right) Bronze Medal.
Paralympics New Zealand 36th National Championships 2007 Gold Medal Prone, Silver Medal Standing	Paralympics New Zealand 36th National Championship 2007 "TOP SHOOTER"