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Local straight shooting 62 year old headed for World Championships

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Well known local automotive businessman, Clive Taverner (62) has been invited to the 2014 World Clay Target Championships to be held in Italy in August.

Taverner is well known as “the voice” of the Tavcor Motor Group and his marketing related successes, but this time will be jetting off to represent South Africa in the World Clay Target Championships. When asked what sort of skill set is required to compete on this level, Taverner responded by saying that, “shooting clays which travel at over 120 kilometres per hour and at distances of up to 75 metres, requires quick reflexes and sound hand-eye coordination.”

He is one of the three members of the Protea team, including Dave Cohen and Orazio Cremona from Gauteng North Province and has previously represented South Africa in Dayton Ohio 10 years ago in the United States, and in Cauzabon in France, at the European Championships in 2009.

Taverner was a league Rugby player for the Crusaders in PE and ran for the Achilles Athletic club. He started shooting clay targets late in life at the age of 47 after rugby and running injuries eventually caught up with him.He is a member and former chairman of the Port Elizabeth clay target club, situated near St. Albans just outside PE and is one of the oldest persons in South Africa to obtain his National Colours for clay target shooting. He explained that, “the sudden arrival of a dominant left eye and being right handed has meant that I have had to close my left eye to be able to continue competing in the sport. This has put me in difficult situations when the targets fly out to the left –I suppose this comes with age.”
Despite the challenge, Taverner who has been employed in the family business for the past 43 years added that, “people used to retire from their jobs at the age of 55 not so long ago – this goes to prove that there is no age limit to achieving the highest levels in sport or business.”

He is married to wife, Susan and has 6 children, including two sets of twins. Susan is a former Protea track cyclist and a world record holder for the 2000 metres pursuit and twice named Eastern Cape female cyclist of the year.

Clive Taverner
Clive Taverner all ready for action for World Championships Photo: Graziella Ventresca – Norton
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.