Bolwell, 38, grew up at Laharum and Wonwondah and now lives at Mockinya. 

He first joined Toolondo gun club in 1993.

Victorian representation came quickly for the young shooter who competed for the state team three times between 1994 to 1998 at junior level. 

“I won my first and only national junior title in 1995,” Bolwell said. 

The junior age group was for competitors aged 12 to 18. 

Bolwell joined the open category as soon as he turned 18 and was selected for his first Australian open team in 2007. 

He featured in the Australian team three times. 

Bolwell and the Australian team won two Glenn Cups in 2008 and 2014 and were runners-up in the World DTL Championships in 2014. 

Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly recognised Bolwell as the Sports Star of the Year in 2008. 

“The Glenn Cup was just before the World titles. It is only competed between Australia and New Zealand and we won both,” he said. 

“The Kiwis turned it around in the World titles and rolled us.” 

Bolwell said England was the favourite to win the World DTL Championships in 2014. 

“They had some really good shots going around, but they fancied themselves to win the titles that year. It felt good to finish one spot above them,” he said. 

Bolwell rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s best clay target shooters at the World DTL Championships in New Zealand. 

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“For the opening ceremony the Kiwis did the Haka and put on a dinner for all the competitors so they could meet,” he said. 

“It seemed very surreal I was there.” 

Australia, England, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland teams featured at the championships. 

Bolwell said he used a 12 gauge model 10 deluxe Miroku when he competed.

“My best nationals was in Perth where I shot a 628 out of 630. It’s the best I’ve ever shot,” he said.

“I remember there was probably no air left in the atmosphere when I stepped up for my last target. I took the biggest breath I’ve ever had, knew what I had to do and it happened.

“That was one of my better shots, if not my best shot I’ve done in my career.” 

It hasn’t all been perfect moments for Bolwell. 

“At the team high gun in Wagga, in my last and 100^th target in a points scored it got to me, as I pulled that was it,” he said. 

“All I had to do was hit the target on my first shot.

“I knew it was my last target and I let it get to me.”  

Bolwell featured in four Australian Mackintosh Open Teams in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2014. The Mackintosh is a 100 targets points score competition. 

The Australian team won in 2013 and was runners-up in 2008 and 2007. 

Bolwell’s passion for shooting runs deep but said his family and business came first. 

“Unfortunately, not many guys have been able to make a living out of shooting,” he said. 

“To do a normal shoot around here it costs $100, but if you go to a national or state event it could cost thousands of dollars if you include travel and accommodation. 

“I’ve definitely shot a house off. But if you want to compete and enjoy it, then it’s worth it.”

One day, Bolwell said he wanted to try to reignite his shooting career. 

“That’s the good thing about it – there are some cracking shooters in their 50s, so there is hope yet that I can have another crack one day,” he said. 

“I don’t shoot too much at the moment – I think I’ve only shot once or twice since the nationals this year.

“I am just waiting and if I get back into the right mind frame I will, when that is I do not know.”

Bolwell said the best advice he received was from an Australian Trap Association shooter from Echuca.

“An old guy was giving a spiel and said if someone was shooting good, study them, go chase them down and knock them off,” he said.

“He let out his secret and I thought I would give it a go.” 

Bolwell said the advice worked when competing at a state and national level. 

“You can’t be scared of the competition, you need to try and do it,” he said. 

“It’s not like when you’re at local level where people won’t go to a shoot-off if there is someone in form competing. There is a lot of reverse psychology used in shooting at the higher levels.”

Warrnambool is Bolwell’s favourite venue to compete.

“They’ve built a $4 million venue in the past five years and it’s magnificent. It has a great background and the facilities are as good as anywhere I’ve been,” he said. 

Bolwell said shooting required patience. Once a shoot-off lasted two days. 

“The concentration and mental side of the sport is just as important as being fit and able to go that long competing,” he said. 

“It’s as simple as, if you miss you are out.” 

Bolwell said the sport had changed over the years. He said he used to practice twice a week but now shooters were training full time.

“Being on a farm helped, though, because you could go out and find a rabbit or something. The more time with the gun in your hand, the better you are,” he said. 

Bolwell achieved two long runs of Double Barrel of 384 shots without missing during his career – at the 2006 Commonwealth Carnival and the 2007 Victorian titles.

“I also achieved a 25 pair double rise scores at the Commonwealth Carnival in 2006 and at the Victorian titles in Echuca in 2004,” he said. 

Bolwell shot a 50 handicap back marker in 2016 and 2017.

The Olympic dream was close for Bolwell. He said Australian clay shooting Olympic gold medallist Russell Marks approached him in 1998. 

“He asked me train with him in Melbourne for the Olympics,” he said. “Once I knew what was involved… Obviously it would have been a good opportunity, but it wasn’t a smart choice for myself and my family.”