Remembering the life of “true gentleman” Keith Sadler

Keith Sadler Born: August 11, 1936 Died: November 5, 2022 Throughout his life as arguably the South West’s greatest ever rifle shooter, there was one thing about Keith Sadler that was always guaranteed. Whether you had been involved in the sport for a day or a decade, Sadler would wrap his arms around you and ensure you performed at your best. “I am giving part of his eulogy on Monday at the funeral,” close friend George Wittorff said. “I would describe Keith as a gentleman of the sport. “He was old school in the sense that he knew the etiquette of the sport and the range. He knew how to behave and instilled this approach onto new shooters. “Keith was a good friend and was a gentleman.” Long before Sadler was inducted as an inaugural member of the South West Sports Hall of Fame, he achieved something even more remarkable — getting the chance to represent Australia before WA. “What was most noticeable about Keith was the fact he burst on to the scene relatively early,” Wittorff said. “He was dominant from the 1960s for about three decades. “He was in four Australian teams, the first of which in 1965. “On this team, he went on a trip to NZ, and participated in the empire match. There were 567 individual shots in that match, and Keith came 17th, which is a pretty notable performance, given the fact he had only been shooting for about 10 years. “The fact he represented his country before his State — even today that is unusual, given the fact that you normally have to prove yourself at State level before going on to international.” Aside from a multitude of victories, Queens badges and respect from his peers, Sadler also possessed an uncanny ability to read wind conditions. “He was a devoted club member and excellent at wind coaching alongside shooters at team events,” Wittorff said. “Keith was very good at judging conditions. This was down to either reading the wind or the mirage — and how these would affect the bullet’s flight, and allowing the shooter to set their sights accordingly. “He was the master of this really.”