World games shooting event for Ballymena?

Sports Minister Nelson McCausland and PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland last week visited Carnview Shooting Club, one of the potential venues for the 2013 World Police and Fire Games.

Located outside Ballymena, the club was established by farmer, and shooting enthusiast, James McKeown in 1996 and since then has grown to become one of the leading shooting facilities in Northern Ireland.

The club provides a range of shooting disciplines including National Skeet, Olympic Skeet, Down the Line, Automatic Ball Trap, Compac Sporting and Olympic Trench.

The Games will be held from Thursday 1 August to Saturday 10 August 2013 at various venues across Northern Ireland.

It is expected to attract up to 10,000 competitors, accompanied by some 15,000 family and friends, from all over the world and will be the biggest sporting event ever hosted in Northern Ireland. This extravaganza will provide these police officers, firefighters, customs and prison officers an opportunity to showcase their athletic excellence in over 65 events. As well as the sporting benefits, the Games will provide a boost to tourism, the economy and promote the reputation of law officers at home and abroad.

Speaking after a tour of Carnview Shooting Club Minister McCausland said the event would “showcase Northern Ireland as a venue for major sporting occasions, as a tourist destination, as a place to do business.”

ACC McCausland added: “To win the bid to host the 2013 World Police and Fire Games was a wonderful achievement for Northern Ireland. ”