PISTOL SHOOTING
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ORANGE'S Brian Johnson travels to Wagga Wagga today for the Pistol Australia Championships but not as a competitor.
Johnson will be a Judge B at the national championships which will be contested by Orange shooters Dean Brus, David Oates and Max Wicks.
As a Judge B Johnson oversees the running of the events, checks scores and makes sure everyone's equipment meets safety and competition regulations.
Becoming a Judge B is not easy as you have to be recognised first.
"The judges at competitions see what you're like as a range officer and invite you to become a judge," Johnson said.
In 1997, with the 2000 Olympics looming, Johnson completed an ISSF judge's seminar to become an international Judge B."
The 49-year-old has plenty of international experience having just come back from Melbourne where he worked as a range officer at the Commonwealth Games.
Johnson was not the only Orange person working at the Melbourne International Shooting Centre with wife, Helen, the officer in charge of equipment control.
As the range officer at one of the pistol and small bore ranges Brian was one of the few people able to interact with competitors while they were on the line.
"I controlled the range," Brian said.
"I had to make sure they were all following the rules.
"I had to make sure their equipment has been through equipment control.
"Each competitor had a little monitor showing them their shots and there was a little printer printing out each shot.
"I had to make sure all of that was working."
Helen, 39, had to complete random trigger checks after competition matches and make sure everyone's equipment meets the international rules.
The Johnsons can add the Commonwealth Games to their list of international experiences which already includes volunteers at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympics, the 2004 World Cup in Sydney and the 2005 Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships.
There is only one down side to being so good as a judge, according to Brian.
"I don't get to shoot as much as I'd like to," Brian laughed.
In the future Brian would like to become a Pistol Australia Judge A.
