In 1910, A. M. Blackburn traveled from Winnipeg to visit his brother and buy a half section of land outside of Hansboro. The Hansboro News reported that, “Mr. Blackburn is the manager of the Grain Growers Association’s business of Canada, and...make(s) frequent trips to Europe... Last year it so happened that he was in England at the time of the contests in marksmanship. Being a good marksman and by reason of being a member of the Ninth Regiment of Canada, he qualified to enter the contest... with the result that he carried off the championship of the British possessions and actually of the world, as his record has not been equaled in any country.”

Not a lot is known about Blackburn anymore. But the Manitoba Provincial Rifle Association Inc. has written, “...the most outstanding marksman of those days was A.M. Blackburn. In 1909 alone, he won the Empire Service Rifle Championship, Prince of Wales Competition, Wingrove Trophy, Binningham Silver Cup, Martin’s Rapid-Fire Cup and the London Financial Times Cup, all at Bisley in the UK.”

 

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