Army cadets are winners

TUG OF WAR: Ashburton Cadet Unit members (from front) Cadet Sergeant Ashleigh Clarke, Cadet Sergeant Sebastian van Rooyen, Cadet Lance Corporal William Brown, Cadet Corporal Wessel Blignault, Cadet Staff Sergeant Liam Collett, Cadet Theo Vannini (partially obscured), Cadet Lance Corporal Gideon Kuipers.

Held at the West Melton Rifle Range, the competition saw five teams from Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Timaru and Ashburton go head to head in 13 stands (activities) over two days.

The activities were tug of war, navigation – theory and practical, radio procedures, rifle safety, target shooting, army fitness test, observation skills, equipment carry, first aid, initiative, general cadet knowledge and drill.

Ashburton unit Commander Cezarne Rodgers said the unit brought home three of the five trophies up for grabs, including for overall winner.

Esprit De Corps trophy being presented by Area Commander of the Southern Area Flight Lieutenant Lauryn Stephens Royal New Zealand Air Force to Cadet Warrant Officer Class 2 Brodyn Gabites.

The unit won seven of the 13 stands to beat their main competition Nelson by one point, having taken out not only the drill, but also rifle safety, shooting, observation, radio procedures, general cadet knowledge and tug of war.

Cadet Sergeant Sebastian van Rooyen took the individual award for top male army fitness test.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Brodyn Gabites took the individual win for top shooting score, top navigation theory score and top general cadet knowledge test.

In the tug of war, the unit won all of their pulls against all the other four teams to take the win.

UNIT SUCCESS … Cadet Sergeant Sebastian van Rooyen, from left, Cadet Staff Sergeant Liam Collett (holding large shell), Cadet Sergeant Ashleigh Clarke, Cadet Warrant Officer Class 2 Brodyn Gabities Team Leader, Cadet Corporal Wessel Blignault, Cadet Lance Corporal Gideon Kuipers (rear) , Officer cadet Amy Bennett Team Leader (front), Cadet Theo Vannini, Cadet Lance Corporal William Brown (holding short shell trophy) and Cadet Levi Appleton-Day, Team Manager.

By Dellwyn Moylan