With both tying for the top spot after the initial rounds, against 1,082 competitors, a shoot off was needed and the lead changed hands throughout the final showdown.
However, it was Holden who won it with his last shot and the top GB shooter took the win with 23.2 from 25.5 – Le Cheminant finishing second on 23.1.
This type of nail-biting finish is something Jersey’s Cliff Mallett will need to prepare for as he, too, has reached a shoot-off for The Times Class, shot at 300 yards.
Mallett scored 50.10 and will battle it out against three others for the honours while James Marshall scored 50.9 to take fifth in the class.
‘Andrew had a fantastic shoot and despite the disappointment will still be very happy with second,’ said Jersey captain Bruce Horwood.
‘We now have the St George’s shoot this morning and we’re looking forward to the Queen’s event tomorrow which, now that the floods are subsiding, should be run as normal and I think we will get about 12 of the team through to the second stage, top 300.’ Other events shot yesterday included the Corporation in which Dennis Le Vesconte finished ninth and David Le Quesne finished 16th, both scoring 50s.
In the Wimbledon class, Daniel Richardson was 16th with 50.8; Le Quesne equal 52nd with Chris Cotillard on 50.7 while in the Newspaper Aggregate Richard Benest finished fourth with 200.28 and Le Cheminant was 11th, Peter Stock 20th and Mary Norman 27th.
Jersey also have five qualified for tomorrow’s Donalton Memorial, based on scores from long range shots – Colin Mallett, Bruce Horwood, Le Quesne, Richardson and Peter Stock.
