Scotland's only “postal” indoor international match for prone rifle dates back to 1974, and is shot annually against a team from the North Island, New Zealand. A team of fifteen, with two reserves who also record scores, fire 40 shots each at 25 yards. In 2000, an event for a team of five U21 athletes was added to the programme. Trophies presented by the North Island teams are awarded to the top individual score in each of the senior and U21 teams, and each team member receives a commemorative badge and date bar on their first appearance in the team, with date bars for subsequent appearances.

These matches have been in abeyance for a couple of years now, but we have agreement from our friends in New Zealand to restart them in 2022.

In a “normal” year, the top eight placed competitors from the Speedway final qualified automatically for the Scottish Team, with the remainder being selected from those performing well in other indoor competitions, and was traditionally shot by Scotland two weeks after the Speedway final, usually in late March or early April, with New Zealand shooting their part in their spring (September or October).

In order to get the match restarted this year however, we will shoot at the start of the indoor season, at Denwood, on Sunday 9th October. In a first for this competition, Scotland will shoot the match on electronic targets.

With no Speedway to pick from this year, teams will be selected entirely from scores shot in indoor competitions, including the STS Short Range League, the NSRA National Short Range and Inter-County Leagues, the NSRA Scottish and British Short Range Championships and other relevant competitions. Anyone wishing to submit other indoor scores – for example in team leagues organised by the various county and leagues run within Scotland – then please get in contact with myself (or the STS Office at admin@scottishtargetshooting.co.uk) ASAP, as teams will be selected in the next week or so.

For 2023, I hope we can get back to a more normal schedule, and will co-ordinate with the organiser of the Speedway to try and ensure the dates are in close proximity once more. I would also hope to have a more formal selection process in place and published well in advance of the 2023 match.

Very much open to feedback on any aspects of this, or of ways in which we can improve the match.

Donald McIntosh, SBR AMG Events Team