Outstanding Guyanese national rifle-shooter Ransford Goodluck passed on August 1, 2024, after a period of illness. He was 71.
Goodluck was regarded as one of Guyana and the Caribbean’s most prolific marksmen, having won local and regional championships on many occasions.
Another national rifle-shooter and executive of the Guyana National Rifle Association Ryan Sampson spoke glowingly of Goodluck’s contribution to the development of rifle-shooting in Guyana and the Caribbean during a tribute at the funeral service.
See below the full tribute.
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Ransford Goodluck was a remarkable rifle-shooter
Ransford Roxroy Goodluck was born 24th January, 1953, to parents Isaac and Elaine Goodluck in Queenstown, Georgetown, Guyana.
He joined the Guyana Police Force on 10th January, 1972, and was given regulation number 8782. During his tenure in the Force, he became the Force’s armourer and further developed his skills for handgun and rifle shooting.
He became an outstanding member of both handgun and rifle teams representing the GPF in competitions involving the Joint Services. He resigned from the Force with the rank of Chief Inspector.
In January of 1979 he became a member of the Guyana NRA.
Goodluck/Goody was a prolific marksman who represented and who has held both the Guyana and West Indies individual rifle titles.
He represented the West Indies at several international rifle shooting tournaments around the world, with credible performances. Ransford contributed significantly to the development of Rifle Shooting in Guyana and the Caribbean over the last few decades.
He has played a major part in all the rifle team members acquiring the perfecting the skills of precision shooting.
This can and was attested to by the many persons who shared their life experiences with Ransford.
In 1979, the Guyana NRA had started a rebuilding process of the rifle team in preparation to host the Caribbean championships.
Ransford was selected and Guyana for the first time won the Benson & Hedges trophy, which is the symbol of Caribbean rifle shooting supremacy.
Ryan Sampson
Ransford had also emerged as the Junior champion in 1979. This was the beginning of a most outstanding Full-bore shooting career in Guyana the Caribbean and internationally.
In 1985 Ransford was selected to the first West Indies full-bore shooting team to take part in the annual Imperial meet at Bisley, England. Thereafter Ransford’s shooting career took off.
Having been elected the Guyana NRA Captain in 1994, Randford, along with other team members, proceeded to retool the well-worn out equipment and further rebuild the team in preparation for hosting the championships in 1995.
Specifically, the team’s major weakness was long range shooting at the 900 and 1000 yards.
Upon his insistence, rigorous training was done over these two ranges, and along with proper retooling, Guyana for the first time, won all the team and individual competitions with Ransford emerging the Caribbean individual and overall champion for the first time.
To date we remain the Long Range Champions because of his initiative.
This individual success was followed up in 1996 when Guyana hosted the Great Britain rifle team on the first stop of its tour of the Caribbean.
Ransford won the individual competition over three days beating the world renowned the late Andrew Tucker into second. This was followed up with the hosting of the Caribbean championship 1996 in Jamaica.
The Guyana team was led to an unprecedented long-range victory over Great Britain, Canada and the Caribbean teams at Twittingham Park, the first by any Caribbean team. To date, this still stands as our most outstanding team achievement.
Ransford had represented Guyana as a competitor at several Commonwealth Games- 1994 Victoria, Canada; 1998 Malaysia; 2002 London, England; 2006 Melbourne, Australia; 2010 Delhi, India, where Guyana placed fifth in the team match – the highest placing of a Caribbean team to date.
He represented Guyana at the Commonwealth Games on numerous occasions and was the proud Flag bearer at one.
He managed the 2014 Full-bore team to Edinburg Scotland where they placed a creditable 6th. He returned as a competitor in 2018 Gold Coast Australia where the team performed creditably as a team and individually.
Having won his first individual Caribbean Championship in 1995 in Guyana, Mr. Goodluck followed this performance up with championships – 1998 Barbados, 2000 Jamaica, 2004 Trinidad, 2008 Jamaica, 2010 Barbados, 2018 Barbados – seven (7) occasions, more than any other Full-bore shooter in the history of Caribbean to date.
Locally, Mr. Goodluck has won the Full-bore championships, Spoon shoots and Recorded shoots on more occasions than any of the current shooters.
Based on these performances throughout his career, he was awarded National Runner-up Sportsman of the year 1995, 1998, 2004 and outright National Sportsman of the year 2005.
Throughout, Mr. Goodluck has been the one who, on most occasions, singlehandedly has been training and producing top quality Full-bore shooters both locally and making significant inputs with others in the Caribbean territories.
The Guyana rifle team initially rebuilt by Mr. Goodluck and company in 1995, continues to dominate full-bore shooting in the Caribbean, especially at the longer ranges having lost on only three occasions since 1995.
Based on his achievements, Mr. Ransford Goodluck is regarded in the Caribbean and internationally as a Caribbean Icon in the sport of Full-bore Rifle Shooting.
Ransford was easily one of the most unselfish sportsmen anyone could encounter.
He was a very skilled armourer/gunsmith, the best in the Caribbean. During tournaments other competitors, his rivals, who encountered problems with their rifles would approach Ransford for help, he would always find the time to assist them; that is the essence of selflessness.
Two month ago he was on the range and having made a few adjustment to his rifle, he shot maximum scores of five V-bull, V-bull, before stating that he has to stop as he’s having some pains. Never did we know it would have been his last visit to the range. He was looking forward to the West Indies Championship in October.
He leaves to mourn his wife Omida Goodluck and all his children – Michelle, Sonia, Colin, Ronette, Randolph, Arianne, Randy, Luwendo, Ashanti and Emanuel. His siblings – Otis, Michael, Brian, Jason, Marion, Joy and Gem.
Many nephews, nieces and cousins too numerous to mention.
Ransford journey with us may have come to an end, but his spirit lives on in our hearts and memories. He has left an indelible mark on our lives, and for that, we are eternally grateful.
Rest in peace, dear brother.
You will always be remembered, and your legacy will continue to inspire us all.
Thank you.
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