Guyanese Diversity on the Caribbean Ranges

May 15, 2013 Sports

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Dukhiram and Archer representing Antigua & Barbuda and Canada respectively

By Franklin Wilson in Barbados
The talent of Guyanese sportsmen and women is always recognized and capitalized on everywhere we go and in the world of Fullbore Rifle Shooting, it isn’t dissimilar.

Guyana, are the reigning Team champions of Fullbore shooting in the Caribbean and from today be defending the Long and Short Range Titles at the Paragon Ranges here in the Land of the Flying Fish, Barbados.
The visibility of our talent is prominent at these championships which has attracted some of the best shots in the world from as far as Great Britain, Australia, Channel Islands and Canada apart from the usual Caribbean make up.
The Canadian team has Guyanese representation in the form of former top shot Paul Archer, while the Antigua and Barbuda team includes Rohit Dukhiram who is one of the best in the Island.
Both shooters shared their views on being a part of their adopted country teams.
Archer is no stranger to ranges in general, having been a former Guyana National Captain who has represented the Golden Arrowhead at every level with a high degree of success; he was once rated as the best shot in the land of Many Waters.
He started shooting at the tender age of 11 and made his first tour in 1970 at the said Paragon Ranges here in Barbados. Thereafter, the marksman made several tours to Bisely, England (Captain of the Guyana team in 1973) and throughout the Caribbean.
He was selected for the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada in 1978 where he relocated to some years later.
Back in the days, persons started smallbore shooting and graduated to fullbore one year later; Archer started firing shots at Thomas Lands, where the current Army Headquarters are located, at the time that area had a 600 Yards Range.
There was a break in shooting for about seven years before the ranges were relocated to Yarrowkabra, Linden Soesdyke Highway where the Timehri Rifle Ranges are now located.
Archer was quick to point out that after migrating to Canada he had to make some adjustments and that would have affected his shooting career, he only returned to the scene in 2010 right here in Barbados where he shot for Guyana.
His current role here in Barbados is with the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association (DCRA) as Adjutant of the Canadian team.
“They have asked me to be Adjutant of this 10 man team since last year and I accepted. As a result of this it may mean that I will have to compete in the Australia match on Saturday for Canada and that’s entirely open at this moment.”
“With this team, we meet every night to go over what we have learnt and did not. I am basically suggesting things and guiding them, having had the experience here on many occasions.”
Archer, who has lived half his life in Canada, is still very much interested in taking up his rifle and aiming for the target as a member of the Guyana team as long as that opportunity presents itself.

“I still think about my roots, I try to support the Guyanese shooters as often and as much as I can but there comes a time when new blood has to come through. I don’t think that you should try to retune a machine that is working. The Guyana team is doing very well currently and for some years now, I’m an old guy in the game but still around.”
Archer’s experience no doubt has been looked at by the DCRA and as he said, there’s no reason that he shouldn’t be of assistance and pass on the knowledge that he has already gained to others, wherever the opportunity is.
In the case of Rohit Dukhiram, who is originally from Grove on the East Bank of Demerara, he migrated to Antigua in 1990. The soft spoken shooter was quick to note that prior to leaving Guyana he was not involved in the sport which he took up at a competitive level in 2000.
“I was always a lover of the sport and always had the desire to start shooting at some juncture. After going to Antigua, I saw some guys shooting and I did some asking around on how I can get involved, I got the information and eventually joined the club. Of course they did a thorough check of my background and so on and here I am now.”
The sport is fairly new to Antigua & Barbuda, they have now been competing at the Caribbean for the past seven (7) years and Dukhiram has made the team every year.
The Antigua & Barbuda Army owns the 600 Yards Range that is used by the Antigua & Barbuda Rifle Shooting Association. When the sport got off and running there, Dukhiram informed that they would have burrowed the Police rifles to practice on Saturdays before they were able to purchase two of their own.
“That’s how it started; we also did some hand gun shooting as well. Shooting is in my blood, I’ll be 60 year-old in July and as they say the older you become the better you get on the ranges so I see myself shooting for many more years to come.”

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