21/10/2026
NHRSA OANOB 2026 – A RECORD TURNOUT, EXCEPTIONAL MARKSMANSHIP AND A HISTORIC FINISH
NHRSA PRESS RELEASE | 20 OCTOBER 2026
The Namibian Hunting R***e Shooting Association (NHRSA) celebrated its largest shooting event of the 2026 season at the picturesque Lake Oanob Resort, near Rehoboth, on 16 and 17 October. The event brought together an enthusiastic field of competitors for two days of challenging shooting, fierce competition and the camaraderie that makes hunting r***e shooting such a special sport.
Three disciplines were contested over the two-day event, with the .222/.223 Class taking place on Friday, followed by the Open Class and .22LR Class on Saturday.
Competitors faced everything the Namibian outdoors could throw at them — scorching heat, unpredictable winds and even the occasional raindrop. Despite the demanding conditions, shooters demonstrated determination, precision and outstanding sportsmanship.
A Historic Open Class Finish
The weekend produced an extraordinary achievement in the Open Class when Koos Strauss and Marius Louw shared first place, each finishing on an incredible 890 out of a possible 900 points.
Both competitors dropped just 10 points over the entire course of fire, delivering a remarkable shared victory and a historic moment for the association.
Stefan Louw followed closely with an impressive 870 points, while Francois Marais Jnr secured fourth place overall with 850 points.
The ladies also delivered noteworthy performances, with Bets-Marié Coetzee securing third place overall in the .222/.223 Class, finishing ahead of several experienced male competitors. Her performance was a wonderful reminder of the growing strength and competitiveness of women's shooting within the association.
Official Results – Oanob 2026
The association proudly congratulates the following competitors on their achievements across the various disciplines and categories.222/.223 CLASS – Friday, 16 October
Overall Results
1st Luandre Benade 825
2nd Thys Blauw 705
3rd Bets-Marie Coetzee 690
Men
1st Luandre Benade 825
2nd Thys Blauw 705
3rd Francois Marais Jnr 660
Ladies
1st Bets-Marie Coetzee 690
2nd Cassy Benade 665
3rd Karola Marais 630
Seniors (50+ years)
1st Marcell Dentlinger 530
2nd Frikkie Engels 485
The .222/.223 competition delivered an impressive victory for Luandre Benade, while Bets-Marie Coetzee's third-place overall finish was one of the highlights of Friday's competition.
OPEN CLASS – Saturday, 17 October
Men / Gold / Overall Results
Joint 1st Koos Strauss 890
Joint 1st Marius Louw 890
2nd Stefan Louw 870
3rd Francois Marais Jnr 850
Silver Division
1st Gareth Husselmann 545
2nd Demachu Brand 540
3rd Cassy Benade 530
Bronze Division
1st Francois McKay 685
2nd Benedict Hermann McKay 675
3rd Hans Martin Gunther 515
Penkoppe (Under 13)
1st Jerome Panizza 200
2nd Marlie Marais 90
Juniors (Under 18)
1st Vincent Maresch 660
2nd Anja-Mari van der Merwe 425
Ladies
1st Cassy Benade 530
2nd Karola Marais 485
3rd Bets-Marie Coetzee 440
Seniors (50–59 years)
1st Pieter Maresch 460
2nd Marcell Dentlinger 350
3rd Anthony van Wyk 225
Veterans (60 years and older)
1st Wilhelm Buyer 160
2nd Frikkie Engels 90
3rd Anton Bredell 15
The Open Class not only produced the historic shared victory between Koos Strauss and Marius Louw, but also showcased the talent developing among the association's younger competitors. Vincent Maresch and Jerome Panizza claimed their respective age-category victories, while Cassy Benade emerged victorious in the Ladies category.22LR CLASS – Saturday, 17 October
Overall Results
1st Luandre Benade 855.5
2nd Marius Louw 845.5
3rd Dewald Venter 820.5
Men
1st Luandre Benade 855.5
2nd Marius Louw 845.5
3rd Dewald Venter 820.5
Junior (Under 18)
1st – Vincent Maresch – 735.4
2nd Scarlett Benade 665.4
3rd Andri Venter 605
Ladies
1st Bets-Marie Coetzee 665.3
2nd Karola Marais 655.5
3rd Anel Venter 610.5
Seniors (50+ years)
1st Pieter Maresch 670.2
2nd Marcell Dentlinger 525.1
3rd Frikkie Engels 195
The .22LR Class rounded off Saturday's competition with another victory for Luandre Benade, who added the .22LR overall title to his .222/.223 overall win from Friday.
The younger generation once again demonstrated tremendous promise. Vincent Maresch claimed the Junior title, while Scarlett Benade and Andri Venter showed impressive determination in the Penkoppe category.
The People Behind the Success
An event of this magnitude requires considerably more than competitors and r***es. Behind the successful Oanob weekend were countless hours of planning, preparation and hard work.
The NHRSA extends its heartfelt appreciation to Luandre and Cassy Benade, who took charge of organising the event from beginning to end.
From identifying and securing the venue to designing and building shooting stages, coordinating logistics and arranging catering, their efforts ensured that competitors could enjoy a well-organised and memorable weekend.
Luandre and Cassy, your willingness to invest your personal time, energy and effort into the sport is deeply appreciated. It is through the dedication of members such as yourselves that the association continues to grow and thrive.
The association also extends its sincere gratitude to Agrimark Rehoboth and A.Rosenthal Guns, who generously sponsored prizes for the lucky draw. Support from businesses such as these adds tremendous value to our events and helps us continue promoting hunting r***e shooting throughout Namibia.
A special word of thanks goes to Lake Oanob Resort for its hospitality and to the hardworking catering team who kept our competitors well fed and hydrated during Saturday's demanding shooting rounds.
And finally, to every shooter who travelled, participated, assisted, encouraged fellow competitors or contributed in any way to making the weekend a success - thank you!
With Oanob attracting our largest field of competitors this year, its success is a reflection of the dedication, enthusiasm and passion shared by the NHRSA shooting community.
All Roads Lead to Hoffnung – Our 2026 Season Finale
With another successful Oanob event behind us, the NHRSA now turns its attention to the final shooting event of the 2026 season, The Seven Ahrens Memorial Shoot, taking place at Farm Hoffnung on 6 and 7 November 2026. This shoot invites tams of 3 shooters to represent their regio0ns for top honours. Team entry fee is N$750 for regional teams and N$1000 for corporate and social teams wishing to partake.
The year-end shoot promises another memorable gathering of the NHRSA shooting family, as members conclude the competitive season and celebrate the achievements, milestones and dedication of their fellow competitors at the annual association prize-giving.
The NHRSA 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will also take place on:
Date: Friday, 6 November 2026
Time: 19:00
Venue: Edelweiss Restaurant, SKW, Windhoek
All paid-up NHRSA members are warmly invited and encouraged to attend the AGM and participate in shaping the continued growth and future direction of their association.
As we approach the conclusion of another rewarding shooting season, the NHRSA looks forward to celebrating the friendships, achievements and shared passion that unite our shooting community.
See you at Hoffnung — let's finish the 2026 season on a high note!
Issued on behalf of the Namibian Hunting R***e Shooting Association (NHRSA).
