In his words the award is “the perfect way to finish off a very special year”.

The Orange and District Pistol Club trio claimed the award – not their first – after a bumper year which included several state and national titles along with an extraordinary performance at the WA 1500 PPC World Championships in Sweden, where they shot for Australia.

There, the trio claimed two world titles along with several silver medals and a number of top 10 finishes as well – all of that equated to over 30 kilos of trophies.

On top of that, Dean and Pete Brus became the first father-son combination to shoot at a world championship and produced a remarkable performance during their world club teams revolver win, notching a new world record.

They won the title with an unprecedented mark of 1194, 13 in front of secondplaced Club TnT Berlin, of Germany.

At 18, Pete Brus also became the youngest shooter to represent his country by a whopping 28 years.

“We certainly weren’t expecting [the team of the year gong], there was a lot of unbelievable achievements from a lot of people and teams in Orange,” Dean Brus said.

“It’s the perfect way to finish off a very special year. It was a very, very special times for me as an individual, a father and a teammate. Having my father over there at the same time made it extra special as well. 

“To win a world title, compete beside Pete and shoot a world record as well, you couldn’t write that sort of script.”

They beat out Orange’s open netball side, Bletchington Public School’s girls’ hockey, touch and softball teams and the colour city’s over-40 women’s hockey unit.

Oates also claimed his second sportsperson of the year award after he, individually, claimed the world SP5 (distinguished revolver) high master world championship – with a strong 590 - and produced several massive performances at the state and national levels.

It’s his second time winning the prize, he also claimed it in 2013 after winning a teams world title and an individual second place.

He triumphed over an illustrious group of nominees which included Jason Belmonte, arguably the best tenpin bowler in the world, triathletes Janet Martin and Christine Wolfson, speedgolfers Mitch and Nicole Williamson and hockey gun Darryn Marjoram.

“I was impressed with all the nominees, but my money was on [Mitch Williamson] after he broke a world record,” Oates said.

“We train, we go away and compete but that’s enough for us you know. We’re in our little bubble and we understand what we’ve done, but we don’t really think about where it fits in with others people’s thinking. 

“I’m very honoured, very flattered. It’s just as special as the first time I won it and just as unexpected too.”

Dean and Pete Brus also came second in the world teams revolver (1186), while Dean Brus and Oates also finished runner-up in the world teams pistol (1180) and club teams pistol (1182), with the host nation winning all three events.

Oates’ focus turns to the European Shooting Championship in the Czech Republic, he flies out next Friday, while the Brus’ are working hard to maintain their national rankings in a bid to earn Australian selection again for next year’s world titles in Germany.

““I’m disappointed Deano missed out (on the ESC), he broke his leg before the final selections.I’m training for this one, but I’m thinking about Germany next year as well. That’s our Olympics,” Oates said.

“We’ve got  a title to defend now and we’re shooting pretty well, Pete and I are holding some high scores in the selection process. Hopefully we can keep backing that up and make the Aussie team again,” Dean Brus said.