Atlantic Provinces

Hello from the Atlantic Provinces.

The Canadian Trapshooting Association and the Brandon GC in Brandon, MB, hosted another well attended Canadian Trapshooting Championships June 28-July 2. There were 119 shooters from across Canada who attended. Six shooters from North Dakota also shot in Canada’s national trapshooting championships.

Pat Lamont, who shoots at the host club, won the Canadian singles, doubles, HAA and HOA, and Alberta’s Shane Vaughan won the Handicap Championship. The 2024 Canadian Trapshooting Championships will return to the Vancouver GC, located in Richmond, BC, for the first time since 2013.

Eight shooters from the Atlantic Provinces were among those in attendance at this year’s shoot. Making the winner’s list in the Canadian Singles Championship were: Troy Coldwell, runnerup; Peter Tucker, D; and Brian Blades, veteran. Well done, guys!

The number of sub-junior, junior and junior gold shooters in attendance was great to see and an encouraging sign that trapshooting is appealing to younger shooters. In total there were four sub-juniors, five juniors and five junior gold shooters in attendance, which represents 11% of the total shoot demographics. Those are impressive numbers for our Canadian Championships. The parents and host clubs that support these young shooters deserve recognition for their dedication and efforts.

The Marthallers are definitely a trapshooting family. Mom Sarah told me that she had to rent a U-Haul trailer to get her and her three daughters from Mossleigh, AB, to the shoot. Sub-junior Julia, junior Jessica and junior gold Hannah all had a great tournament. The youngest, Julia, shot exceptionally well and won sub-junior honors in the singles, handicap and all-around. Connor Bish, another junior shooter from Mossleigh, also shot well and won the junior title in all four championship events. That’s good shooting.

You find the complete shoot results and shoot wrap-up article on www.shootcanada.ca.

The 2023 Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Shoot gets underway Aug. 28 and runs through Sept. 3. Good luck, shooters.

For more information on the Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Association, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or visit shootatlantic.com.

Andrea Bassan

ATA Delegate

New Jersey

As I sit here writing this month’s Around the ATA article, I am just returning from the ATA Eastern Zone, which was held this year in Elysburg, PA. Next year’s ATA Eastern Zone will be held at the Cicero location in up-state New York July 18-21. If you look at the calendar, it will be a week earlier than usual, ending on the third Sunday of July instead of the fourth Sunday. This was done since the Grand American starts July 31 next year.

Getting back to attending the shoot, it is a chance to see old/young friends, like Lee and Joyce Marsh, and getting the current goings-on in the Atlantic Indians. The Zone also brings down Delegates from the Canadian provinces, like Peter Grant from Quebec and Paul Shaw from Ontario. The weather this year was nice with no rain at all during the day; there was rain at night and in the early morning hours.

The Pennsylvania Grand was held June 30-July 2. Thirty-five New Jersey shooters attended, with Barry Ferriolo and Joe Sissano each winning an award.

The following weekend it was back to New Jersey and the Garden State Grand. It is believed that Scott Kalnas was the first shooter to break all 400 singles targets in the three singles events in the GSG’s history—what an accomplishment, Scott. Well, Scott, also won the Doubles Championship on Friday, Sofia Granata won the handicap on Friday, John Conway from New Hope, PA, topped Saturday’s handicap, and Michael Chiarella paced Sunday’s handicap. All the shoot winners will be in Trap & Field.

The following weekend it was back to Elysburg, as mentioned earlier in the article, for the ATA Eastern Zone Shoot. Thirty-five shooters from the Garden State were in attendance. Rick Batesko secured the Zone Doubles Championship on Sunday with 99 and prevailed after a two-round shootoff. Nice going, Rick. He also won the sub-veteran HAA. Others claiming trophies were Diniz Cordeiro, Justin Malone, Michael Chiarella, Patrick Shulack Sr. and Thomas Wolf. All the winners for shoots at the PSSA Homegrounds can be found on www.rjstuart.com.

The Northeastern Grand will be taking place this year Sept. 6-10 up in Cicero, NY.

The Jersey Devil Classic will be held Sept. 16-17 at the Pine Belt facility.

North Jersey CTC will be holding the 2024 New Jersey northern zone shoot Sept. 22-24. There will be two satellite locations, at Ground Swipers and Pine Valley, with shooting there this year on Friday also. NJCTC will be holding their Club Championships Oct. 8.

It is now off to making my list of what I need to pack in my vehicle for the 850-mile/1,368-kilometer trip to the 2023 Grand American in Sparta, IL! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone.

If you have an idea for an article or just a question, I may be reached at 732-546-7910 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Joe Sissano

ATA Eastern Zone Vice President

New York

Greetings from New York State. I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe and healthy.

The 2023 New York State Shoot is now history. The tournament was held July 5-9. The weather was excellent, and the tournament ran very well. Daniel Fadden took the singles championship with a lone 200 straight, and David McMasters was the runnerup with 198. In the Doubles Championship, Urban Womer was champion with 97, and Michael Fox Jr. was runnerup with 95. Timothy Holtz became the handicap champion with 96, and Jim Kenyon was runnerup with 95. In the high-all-around, Daniel Fadden won with 395×400, and Jim Kenyon was runnerup with 380. Finally, in the high-over-all, Fadden was high with 949×1,000, and Edwin Johnson was runnerup with 929×1,000. All trophy winners can be viewed on the New York State ATA website, www.nysata.com, and in Trap & Field Magazine. Congratulations to all trophy winners.

Congratulations must be given to Daniel Fadden on winning the singles championship with 200. The was Dan’s first 200, and what a time to post that score. Excellent shooting by Dan.

Ceremonies were held on July 8 after the singles but before the shootoffs.

In the Ronald McDonald House ceremony, chairperson Susan Gullotta gave a check to the representative of the charity for donations from shooters and the New York State ATA for the Ronald McDonald House. For 2022 high averages, plaques were given to Chad Landon for high singles, Heidi Womer for high ladies’, and Michael Fox Jr. for high handicap and doubles averages. The New York State Teams and the New York state ATA All-Americans were introduced.

At this time, I would like to thank Travis Dann for all his hard work and dedication for being on the board of directors and as an Alternate Delegate over the years. Travis has retired, and he will be missed. Thank you. Alternate Delegates are Todd Hosbach and Dennis Bobbette, and I remain as the Delegate.

Thank you to all the shooters who attended the tournament; all the workers; Mary Zuller, who ran the kitchen; Wayne and Joyce Morris; and all the board of directors of the New York State ATA who made the shoot a success. The tournament was a Competition Factor 4 for All-American points. Thank you.

The New York state western zone shoot was held June 17-18 at Hamburg R&GC. Caleb Lindstrom was the singles champion with 199, and Aaron Leone was runnerup with 193. Caleb Lindstrom took the Doubles Championship with 95, and Lucas Danler was runnerup with 89. In the Handicap Championship, Matthew Krist was winner with 96, and Gary Ruzzine was runnerup with 94. Finally, in the all-around, Caleb Lindstrom was high gun with 383, and Dave Cichelli was runnerup with 376. A total of 13,600 targets were thrown.

Some target achievements to be mentioned are James Smiley Sr., who registered his 25,000th singles; Alex Wisniewski and Brian Euscher registered there 25,000th handicap; Donald (Scott) Grossman registered his 25,000th doubles; Charles Wildenstein registered his 50,000 handicap; and Gerry Ostrander registered his 100,000th handicap target. Excellent, and keep on shooting those targets.

Please remember, the 2023 Northeastern Grand American will be held at the homegrounds in Cicero Sept. 6-10. We all hope you plan to attend.

If anyone would like to have something written in one of these articles, please contact me at [email protected] or phone me at 585-519-9543. Please stay healthy, safe and in good spirits. May God bless you all.

Dave Cichelli

ATA Delegate

Ontario

Greetings from Ontario, Canada.

At the time I write this article, our provincial championships at the St. Thomas club have concluded. We had a solid three-point shoot with several out-of-province shooters, including ones from the USA. There were many shooters who shot personal bests, and many had exceptional results. I handed out patches for participants’ first-ever 25, 50, 75 and 100. In fact, I have to replenish my stock when I attend the Grand.

We had numerous Ontario shooters at our Eastern Zone competition in Elysburg, PA, which started July 20. We have excellent shooters in our Eastern Zone, and scores are high.

I want to give my perspective on the pursuit of All-American points. For many people, making an All-American Team is a significant accomplishment. For others, it is routine. But the chase or pursuit of these elusive points is what motivates many to attend as many shoots as possible—throwing away all competition results except their best seven shoots.

I talked to one parent recently who commented to me that were it not for earning All-American points, his child would shoot only a few competitions here and there but not the multitude of shoots he currently attends. And, from an ATA vitality perspective, we are in the business of throwing targets, the more the merrier.

With the cost of shooting these days, the dream of making an All-American Team can be a significant challenge, but many find a way to prioritize their financial budget to include a little for clay target shooting.

Best to all of you as you finish off the current target year.

Paul Shaw

ATA Delegate

Alabama

Hello, trapshooters! It’s a brand new year for trapshooting, and I hope everyone can get out and get some targets in before winter sets in.

Now is a good time to give your shotgun a good cleaning and also clean out your shooting bag. I know a lot of people are already loading shells for the coming year.

Get out and shoot and support your local clubs!

Jokes of the month: Signs on the road: “Teenagers: Tired of being harassed by your stupid parents? Act now! Move out, get a job, pay your own bills while you still know everything.”

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, and in water there is bacteria, you decide.”

“Someone’s therapist knows about you!”

Sign outside a vet clinic: “It’s all fun and games until someone ends up in a cone.”

Word of the month: Bub: A fragile glass object that converts electricity into illumination. “Ah think that light bub’s burnt out.”

Please keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers. Without the men and women of our armed forces protecting this country, we would not be able to enjoy this great sport. When you see a soldier, thank him or her for their service.

If you need my help or have any news to report, contact me at [email protected].

Wayne Sartwell

ATA Delegate

Florida

Hello, all, from the most Southern, Northern State!

Florida trapshooting is in full swing, and there are just too many shoots for me to post who did what. Please refer to Gun Club Scores in this issue or shootscoreboard.com.

Recently I have been asked, “How can I make it into the Trap & Field Magazine?” Good question. A few ways come to mind, and the first being you or your gun club representative contact me about your outstanding achievement. Another is by ATA recognition. For example, shooting your first straight or making AA or AAA and the 27-yard line status.

Southern Zone Telephonic Shoot, aka Florida against the world!

Man, was it hot, and congratulations to all the Florida shooters who survived! No kidding, having these Zone shoots in July in Florida puts us at a huge disadvantage. But hey, we did it and did it well. I am extremely proud of our Florida shooters. This is the best we have competed in a long time. No, we did not annihilate Kentucky, but our shooters did come home with 15 Zone trophies and some added money. That’s the good news, now the bad news. Editor-in-Chief Terry Heeg said she would tweak my ear or something like that if I write another 10,000-word article, so you will have to read the Southern Zone Shoot winners in the shoot story in a future issue. But! She’s not around, so I will post our site winners, and I will take my ear tweaking at the Grand.

Event 1, Doubles Class Championship: A, Jim Cummings; B, Justin Royal; C, Chris Molina; D, Don Kerce; women’s, Karen Harrington; sub-junior, Lee Royal; junior gold, Hector Rangel; veteran, Ronald Todd; senir vet, Kay Ohye. Event 2, Dixie Handicap: winner, Chris Coomer; 19-21, Jay Lehman; 22-23, Molina; 24-25, Thomas Harrington; 26-27, Elmer Ebling; sub-junior, Lee Royal; junior, Hector Rangel; veteran, Steven Herbert; senior vet, Andy Kotsaftis. Event 3, Singles Class Championship: AA, Dax DeMena; A, John Farina; B, Hidalgo Rangel; C, Bob Delong; D, Dan Levison; women’s, Nancy Patterson; sub-junior, Lee Royal; junior, Hector Rangel; veteran, Ronald Todd; senior vet, Bill Bezubiak. Event 4, Singles Championship: winner, DeMena; AA, Farina; A, Hidalgo Rangel; B, Michael Reed; C, Stetson Lee; D, Steven Hebert; women’s, Patterson; sub-junior, Corrado Capaz; junior, Hector Rangel; veteran, Guy Fox; senior vet, Donald Keith. Event 5, Doubles Championship: winner, Hidalgo Rangel; AA, Mark Isner; A, Justin Royal; B, Thomas Harrington; C, Kenneth Steveson; D, Shane Platt; women’s, Karen Harrington; junior, Hector Rangel; veteran, Guy Fox; senior vet, Ohye. Event 6, Handicap Championship: winner, Cody Tipton; runnerup, Doug McKinney; third, Farina; fourth, Coomer; fifth, Daniel Brandreth; sixth, John Helm; womens, Karen Harrington; sub-junior, Lee Royal; junior, Hector Rangel; veteran, Platt; senior vet, Bezubiak. Good shooting, guys!

Congratulations to Craig Rhodes for finally shooting that allusive first 25 straight. Also congratulations to Daniel Anthony (aka, brother) for smacking his first 50 straight (and he’s a junior).

Let me give appreciation to the folks at the Volusia S&TC. Like a lot of small clubs, they sometimes get overlooked. Before COVID, they threw like the second most targets in Florida. Like most clubs, it is all run by volunteers. Bill and Mark Brumley pretty much run the administration part and then there are the people who make it happen. Bruce and Lisa Smith work hard at keeping the storehouse (ammo and stuff) supplied and 5-stand going, Chris Hubek, Dean Boothe and Harry Barry running the weekly operations at the trapfields. Keeping score, stocking the traphouses and filling the machines and helping new shooters. Then the RSOs . . . that’s supposed to mean Range Safety Officers but in reality it means free labor—Bill Weaver (skinny Santa Clause, dubbed by my wife) his brother Gary Weaver, Mike Bounce, Wade and Rhonda Aliff and others I don’t recall their names (dammit). Oh, I almost forgot Ray Smith (ex movie stuntman) But really, thank all you guys for supporting trap and the other shooting sports. Bill, I got a kiss for you, no lips this time (from Dee)!

Odds and ends

For shooters who constantly decline handicap reduction yards, did you know you can ask your Delegate to have a Code D added to your file, which freezes reductions for a year/

Gun club representatives

Please visit shootata.com for general info and club resources, such as supplies and forms. There you also have a toolbox; check it out.

ATA rule for the month

SECTION VII OFFICIAL SCORING, 6 thru 8 (this happens a lot)

6. A shooter that misses the first post in any event may make up that post only and continue with the squad. Squad members should move off the line during the shoot up function 7. It is the duty of the referee/scorer to see that the shooters change posts at the proper time; however, any targets shot after failure to move at the proper time shall be scored. 8. Inadvertently skipped posts. A shooter is required to shoot the requisite number of targets from each post (5 or 10 as specified by shoot management). If a shooter inadvertently skips a post, he/she or any member of the squad shall not be deemed to be out of turn but will be required to shoot the specified number of targets from the skipped post. All targets shot will be scored, but no more than the specified number per post will be scored, with the exception of #7 above.

I will try to keep all of you informed and entertained with what’s going on in Florida. I want to especially recognize shooters and clubs.

My e-mail is [email protected].

Mike Reynolds

ATA Delegate

Kentucky

The Kentucky State Shoot was an overwhelming success this year. The AIM program was up, and the kids had a good time and produced some really good scores. Many thanks to T. C. Crossland and Linda Cox for all the hard work. The state program had more than 1,100 entries for the week, with shooters from 24 states attending and shooting the 1,200-target program. There were lots of big scores and more winners than can be named in this article, so please check shootscoreboard.com and the T&F article in a future issue to see how your favorite shooter did. President John Kerr, KTL directors and the many volunteers should be commended for all their hard work.

The ATA Southern Zone Shoot was shot at the same site as the state shoot as well as Silver Dollar SC in Florida and the Coast R&PC in Biloxi, MS. Attendance was good with perfect weather.

The AIM Grand National Youth Championships were July 27-31 and the Grand American was Aug. 2-12. Attendance was up this year for AIM. As of press time, the Grand was still going on.

Dan Ryan

ATA Delegate

Mississippi

It is hard to believe it is September already. It seems the older I get, the faster the calendar turns, not to mention the clock. It just feels that it was not that long ago we were at the 2022 Grand and then the 2023 Mississippi State Shoot, and now here we are with the 2023 Grand in the record books, a new target year starting and dove season in full throws.

For a lot of our shooters, the Grand marks the end of their target year and their trapshooting for a while. As September brings the beginning of the football season and numerous hunting seasons, which will run into the next calendar year, the lure of the stadiums, woods and hunting fields is stronger than the trapfield for some. There are still lots of trap opportunities in Mississippi through the fall and winter, and I encourage you to not completely give up the trapfield during hunting season. Shooters are just coming off a long spring and summer of shooting and should be in “shooting shape.” While you are in “shooting shape” and your eye is calibrated, fall is an excellent time to build target counts in relatively good weather. If you don’t, you will be faced with trying to build targets and good averages next spring when the weather can be unpredictable at best and stormy at its worst.

Just to mention a few great trapshooting opportunities in Mississippi this fall: Capitol GC in central Mississippi, Starkville GC in northeastern Mississippi and Coast R&PC in south Mississippi all have monthly trapshoots set on the ATA calendar. Visit the ATA site for dates and programs.

If you are looking for a short getaway near the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, a shoot you should not miss is the Fall Classic hosted by Coast R&PC, just north of Biloxi. The Mississippi Gulf Coast offers many family activities and some of the finest fresh seafood in the country. The fellows at CRPC did a fantastic job hosting the Zone Shoot back in July. Not even the last-minute cancellation of the food truck deterred the CRPC from delivering a great shoot. Hospitality at its finest.

Dates for the Fall Classic are Oct. 12-15. Make plans to attend.

Everyone, be safe, and I look forward to seeing you on the trapline.

Will McCarty

ATA Delegate

North Carolina

Milestones from the 2023 North Carolina State Shoot: Greg High of North Carolina registered his 250,000th target on Wednesday. Welcome to the Quarter Million Club. John H. White IV of Alabama completed his ATA Grand Slam on Wednesday with 100 in the doubles event. Chuck Woody of North Carrolina registered his 25,000th singles target during the Singles Championship on Saturday. Cason Williams of Georgia shot his first 200 straight on Saturday to be named the out-of-state winner.

Some other milestones will be recorded shortly after the state shoot. They are as follows: James Hughes, 50,000 doubles; Billy Thigpen, 75,000 doubles; Donna Cornett, 25,000 handicap; and Tiffany Decker, 75,000 singles. Congratulations to all of you!

July was an interesting month for North Carolina shooters. It’s the first time in many years we have not been one of the host clubs for the Southern Zone Shoot. At our NCTA meeting in 2022, it was decided to forgo the shoot in 2023. Our team of workers has been pressed into service for four shoots every year for a long time. They have spent most of their personal vacation time getting the NC Homegrounds ready for the shoots and also keeping everything running smoothly. It was time to give these folks a break!

I’d like to thank them all for the incredible dedication and commitment to excellence: Marty Hill, Jim and Jerri Wilson, Jim Hughes, Greg High, Darvin and Donna Cornett, Brad Barnett, Tiffany Decker, Tim and Thea Crabtree, John and Carole Miller, Jason Dancy, Dennis Taylor, Tom Pitts (posthumously), Lynn Blankenship, Jamie Ivey, George Sudderth, Joe Nally, Joel Schram and Patrick Childers. If I have omitted anyone, my apologies and thanks. Without these folks our homegrounds would not be feasible. So our decision to give them some time off to enjoy a vacation (or just to go to a shoot without having to work) was an easy one. They will all be back working hard at the upcoming Dixie Grand American Sept. 26-Oct. 1. We’re looking forward to seeing you there and enjoying great targets and beautiful fall weather in the North Carolina foothills. It gets full pretty fast, so watch for the pre-squad online.

Last but not least, kudos to Greg High for winning the senior veteran trophy at the Mississippi venue of the Southern Zone Shoot! Great 196, Greg!

That’s all for now. If you have any questions about North Carolina trapshooting, please e-mail me at [email protected].

Bob Schultz

ATA Delegate

South Carolina

Good news, we have a new active board member. Garry Welch is our new low state director. Garry has started “Palmetto Trap” on Facebook. He has been busy attending shoots and posting pictures, scores and other info. Check it out. Thanks, Garry.

In the achievement department, Milon Campbell has reached the 25,000 doubles level. Milon was the winner of the “most targets shot” award last year.

The Grand is two weeks away as this is written. I’m hoping the big high pressure weather system with its high temperatures will have moved on. We have had some brutal temperatures and storms there in past years. I’m hoping some Grand trophies will come back to South Carolina.

Keep in mind that the Dixie Grand takes place at the North Carolina Homegrounds the end of September/first of October. Hopefully there will be no hurricane this year.

Regular monthly and Big 50 shoots will be available after the Grand. Temperatures will be lower, and no big shoots, until the Dixie, will interfere. Shell prices have lowered a slight bit. Sportsman’s Warehouse and Walmart are down a little. I wish the same could be said for reloading components.

Keep having fun.

Jim Faber

ATA Delegate

Tennessee

Well, I hope everyone had a great time at the Grand. Let’s start the new target year off with a trip to east Tennessee. Hog Heaven will host their Fall Festival Shoot Sept. 14-17 at White Pine.

The 25th annual Dixie Grand American will be Sept. 26-Oct. 1 at the North Carolina Homegrounds, Bostic.

Seventy-four Tennessee shooters attended the Kentucky State Shoot. Those winning trophies were: Shannon Hopkins, Caleb Clayton, Kristen Duren, Jacob Duren, Tyler Honnold, Stephen Russell, Hunter Morton, Hayden Jacobs, Brady Duren, Clint Parson, Richie Bolin, Jayda Blount, Zachary Holt, Hallie Jacobs, Trevor Lance, Jim Adamopoulos, Bryant Downing, Blaine Rouse, Zachary Carter, Mark Cantrell, John Crutcher, Johan Wyatt and Shelby Clayton.

One of the three locations for the Southern Zone was at Berea, KY, with 30 Tennessee shooters in attendance. Matt Smelser, Luke Johnson, Mike Burnette and Mitchel Loveless won trophies.

Read the new rulebook, please.

For more info, visit our website at shootattn.com.

You can reach me at [email protected].

Billy Cook

ATA President

Arkansas

The 97th Arkansas State Shoot is behind us. Congratulations to Luke Clayton, singles champ; Seth Smith, doubles champ; and last but not least, William Mahan, handicap champ. We had an awesome state shoot. The Jacksonville shooting complex worked their tails off to host a great tournament. A big thanks to the ASTF board members for putting together a great shoot, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next year. As always, it was good to visit with our out-of-state visitors. We always look forward to seeing you!

A big congratulations goes out to Kayla Workman and Chet Orick for their 25,000 singles attainment and Wendy Pennock for her 25,000 doubles attainment. Chet attained his earlier this year in March. Chet, sorry for being late.

As the new trap year gets underway, good shooting to everyone, and I hope to see you at the next shoot.

Isaiah 26:4—Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

God bless.

Robby Pennock

ATA Delegate

Louisiana

Our Louisiana shooters got the month of July off to a good start with the full heat of summer bearing down on us. The Mill Creek Gun Club (MCGC) in Simsboro, LA, hosted the Tommy Smith Memorial 200 Singles Shoot. The shoot is in memory of Tommy Smith Jr, who was a longtime fixture in Louisiana trapshooting history. The privately owned gun club is managed by Thomas Smith IV and is located on the family property and generally hosts about five shoots a year, timed to not interfere with the family’s hunting activities. The club boasts a comfortable clubhouse/camp with a very nice display of trapshooting memorabilia obtained by the family over the years. Thank goodness for the large porch and large shade tree adjacent to the trapfield to allow shooters to rest in the shade. It’s located in what we Louisianians call our I-20 corridor. The shoot was missing a few of the regular shooters today who had traveled to Capitol GC in Clinton, MS, so they could work on getting some needed targets in handicap and doubles. Kade Childress, one of our Shreveport shooters, got his first 100 straight after having numerous 99s in his bag. Congratulations, Kade! Thomas Smith IV was also able to nail a 100 straight, and the two celebrated together. Our Joe Cassiere had his best score today in a few years and had a nice smile when he left the trapfield.

Our second July event occurred at Red Chute SSC located on Barksdale Air Force on July 9. Seven souls braved the thunderstorms rolling through on this hot summer day to shoot at singles and doubles. It was challenging to concentrate on the targets with one eye on the storm clouds. Fortunately, the shooters only got a little damp. Sam Weber from the Dallas area drove over to shoot, and David and Joshua Seale joined us to shoot their first registered trap.

July 15 saw the Toby Bancroft Memorial GC host their monthly shoot with 30 shooters in attendance. Luke Maestrini was the singles victor after winning a coin flip for a four-way tie of 97s. Keith Crissman got a half-yard punch with his 91 in handicap, and our friend Caleb Coody won doubles with 94. We’re always glad when Caleb comes to a shoot because he brings the best pies to share as he practices his baking skills. A variable breeze was welcomed to help stay cool in the July heat, but it was just strong enough to create some challenges, as some of the targets seemed to have a mind of their own with those sudden jumps or dives we all dread so much. The Norment, Ezernack, McBride, Moore and Elam families visited from Texarkana, AR, to get some targets. New shooters to the club are always a welcome addition.

As July wraps up, our thoughts, as for most in the trapshooting community, have already turned to the Grand. Louisiana has a relatively small number of shooters who attend, mostly since we have such a small community here. We do have a relatively large number of AIM shooters who will be attending and normally shoot very well. Louisiana is so proud of our young shooters. The AIM Grand shooters are: Brooks Barnett, Luke Maestrini, Kade Childress, Cooper Martin, Dalton Brook, Coran Richmond, Natalie Brooks, Ava Richmond, John Byrnside, Collin Sims, Avery Dumas, Zachery Skipper, Landon Johnston, Thomas Smith IV, Cole Maestrini and Augden Watson.

I hope to report big things from our attendees, but that’ll remain to be seen. I do know that both our Louisiana shooters and our Mississippi and Arkansas brethren, as well as our many friends from all the states, will have a good time while there. We hope everyone has much success.

Check out our website www.latrap.org. There’s information on registered tournaments of interest to our shooters, the scores/winners of our Louisiana shoots, and information on all the gun clubs in the state that host registered shoots.

Jim Jenkins

           ATA Delegate

Missouri

I hope everyone has been busting clays on a regular basis and are tuned up for the Grand American beginning on Aug. 2. I just finished packing and am getting ready to make the yearly trip to the largest shooting event in the world at Sparta, IL. Ammo appears to be easier to acquire for this year’s shoot; however, it hasn’t gotten much less expensive. I was always told if its fun, it’s going to be expensive. July is probably the busiest month of the year for registered shoots with some of the largest state shoots and the ATA Zone shoots going on, throw in all of the shoots at the local gun clubs, and the folks at the ATA office have their hands full. Please be patient with them, as they are working feverishly getting scores recorded and uploaded. If there is a delay in getting scores uploaded, it may be an issue with the procedure that is used by some of the clubs and not the ATA office.

There were 197 shooters who attended the Missouri Summer Handicap July 6-9 at Missouri TA, Linn Creek. While the temps were somewhat summerlike, it was not the normal oven-like heat we normally see in the Ozarks in July. Justin Ballantyne posted the lone (his first) 200 in the Singles Championship, declaring the champion trophy. Congratulations, Justin! In the Doubles Championship on Sunday, Todd Albers claimed the top trophy with the lone 96. Congrats, Todd! In the Handicap Championship, Derick Gerding and Grady Fallert posted high scores of 94, with Derick claiming the high-gun trophy. On behalf of the MTA BOD, thanks for all who attended; we appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you again at the Missouri Fall Handicap Sept. 18-24 at MTA. Speaking of the Fall Handicap, we made a few changes to the program. Shoot notification cards are in the mail and include a QR code that when scanned with your smartphone, will direct you to the program on the MTA website. We hope this shoot is on your calendar; it’s going to be another great one! If anyone has concerns or anything they would like to have reported, please contact me at [email protected] or 816-863-9003.

Proverbs 3:13 NKJV—Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding.

Shoot often, shoot well and be safe!

           Steve Ricketts

           ATA Delegate

Texas

Well folks, this may be the news that many of you have been waiting for. This will be my last article in Trap & Field. I did not run for reelection as your Delegate. Billy Hopson has served many years as your First Alternate Delegate and is now your new Delegate. I know Billy will do a fantastic job for all the shooters in Texas. Congratulations, Billy.

Just think, no more read the rulebook, release pre-squad positions you aren’t going to use, have an up-to-date average card, or notify the ATA office if you are refusing a computer-generated reduction. Don’t y’all feel relieved.

It has been an honor to serve the shooters of Texas. I have enjoyed working with, helping, and visiting with each and every one of you. Thanks for allowing me to serve you these past years. I have enjoyed every minute of the years that I have served the shooters of Texas.

I have some of those never famous and often never read “fatman attagirls and attaboys,” but I will send those to Billy and let him report those to you in the October issue of Trap & Field.

If you have news, send it to Billy. I know he will appreciate having something to report. If you don’t have his contact information, send it to me, and I’ll get it to him.

For the last time, y’all shoot well, y’all shoot often, and y’all have a great time.

Jerry O’Connor

Past ATA Delegate

Arizona

With the summer heat setting in here in Arizona, shooting within the state has been limited. One of the shoots that has braved the triple-digit temperatures was the participation in the ATA Western Zone Shoot held July 14-16 at Mohave SC just outside of Kingman, AZ. Twenty-eight shooters shot the championship singles on Saturday, with temperatures starting at 102º in the morning and in excess of 113 º in the afternoon. Sunday’s temperatures were even higher.

Even with the heat, Mohave shooters posted some respectable scores and took home some Zone trophies. Congratulations to Gary Hargis, Event 1, C; Charles Storm Jr., Event 1, senior vet; Jesse Zamora, Event 2, senior vet (with a half-yard punch!); Darvin Thomas, Event 3, B; Greg Spiczka, C with 197; and Sheldon Pirvetts, junior gold with 197 and shootoff.

Additionally, several Arizona shooters participated at other clubs. Congratulations to Dick Goerlich, who won the Handicap Championship, shooting in Spanish Fork with an amazing 100 straight from the 27-yard line. What makes this accomplishment even more amazing is Dick was shooting a release trigger for the first time at this shoot. Good shooting.

On a separate note, longtime ATA shooters Gary E. and Marlene Gasaway have recently set up a scholarship program at Hillsdale College in Michigan. They have quite an extensive shooting program and are a very conservative liberal arts program. They, nor their students, can take any money from the U.S. government to support their college tuition. The scholarship is set up with the following requirements:

1. That the student must be on the college’s shooting team.

2). That the student must be a U.S. citizen.

3). That the student must maintain qualifying grades, etc.

The scholarship will start out paying an amount of $10,000 a year and will grow as they fund the scholarship.

Those interested can inquire with the John A. Halter Shooting Sports Education Center https://www.hillsdale.edu/about/facilities/shooting-sports-center/.

           Don Williamson

           ATA Delegate

California

Kingsburg hosts one of my favorite shoots. Typically very hot and in the 100s, the shoot was unseasonably cool for the state shoot, which to many was a welcome relief to the usual hot weather. The cooling weather made the many campers who attended very happy come nightfall. We had a great new visitor from New York, shooter Roy Offhaus competed at the 110th California State Shoot, making this his 48th state shoot. He needs to complete Alaska and Hawaii. My conversation with Roy and his wife was wonderful. It was the perfect year for him to attend. They did some sightseeing while here, and they even visited Yosemite. He stated that Kingsburg was a beautiful club and right up there as one of his favorites in his many travels. Meeting Roy was certainly one of the highlights of my week.

Our state shoot was led off with our AIM and SCTP shoot June 17-18. The kids competed with 200 singles on Saturday followed up on Sunday with 50 pair of doubles and 100 handicap. There were a total of 232 youth competing and several staying over to compete in the regular pre-state and state shoot. The state shoot was shortened by one day. Pre-state was Monday and Tuesday, and state began Wednesday. A switch was made to go back to pitch targets, as last year, bios were thrown.

Pre-State: Attendance was up for pre-state, presumably due to weather as well as several were trying to attain requirements needed to make their respective State Teams. There were no shootoffs during Pre-State; ties divide. Event 1, 100 singles. There were no perfect 100s, but three 99s came in from Wade Stanfill, Doug Gustafson and Chayton Vega. Event 2, 100 handicap. The high score was two 94s from Chad Wiebe at 22.5 yards and Ronnie Johnson at the 20-yard line. Event 3, 50 pair of doubles, David Kelly shot the lone high score of 96, followed by three 95s. Event 4, 50 pair of doubles, Colton Tucker shot the lone high sore of 97, followed by three scores of 95. Event 5, 100 singles, there were three perfect scores from Doug Gustafson, Ethan Prescott and Jules Azzi. Event 6, 100 handicap, two 94s came in with high scores, Ronnie Johnson and Wade Stanfill followed by three 93s.

See story in this issue for list of winners at the state shoot.

On Wednesday night of the state shoot, there was an 18-yard oscillating doubles using “fruit salad targets.” What a fun event. There were 60+ competitors, and it was a good time for all. Logan Engelman took top honors on this one. To further the excitement, there was a proposal at the state shoot right before the Event 4 class singles. Junior gold shooter Wyatt Esch proposed to his girlfriend before shooting began. Thursday night we had a movie night. A CGSTA board member brought an inflatable screen. We had popcorn and candy and sat out under the stars to watch a movie. This year’s movie was “Top Gun: Maverick,” and we had a great turnout.

That’s a wrap for the 110th California State Shoot. It was a terrific shoot, great weather and wonderful people. If you ever find yourself in central California in the middle of June, definitely put this shoot on your bucket list. Friendly people, nice facilities, great food and good times for all. Thank you, everyone; see you at the next big shoot.

Chayton Vega

ATA Delegate

Idaho

First off, I’d like to recognize Lahoma Turner for breaking her 25,000th handicap target. She was kind of nervous because she knew exactly where she was at and which target it was. As is turned out, she broke it cleanly and from the 26 1/2-yard marker. Congratulations, Lahoma!

Even though Idaho didn’t have a club that hosted the ATA Western Zone, we had 42 shooters travel to various out-of-state clubs to shoot it. You can check the scores on shootscoreboard.com, but to sum it up, Grant Williams from Idaho won the HOA and tied but lost on reverse score in the HAA. Bruce Bradley won both the HOA and HAA for sub-junior. Idaho shooters held quite a few single event titles also.

Well, the bags are packed, and the Grand American starts soon. Idaho has at least 14 shooters attending, but I think that number is not 100% correct. I’ll have it later. I wish them all good luck.

While there, Chester Carter (Alternate Delegate) and I attended a couple of meetings. One was the Western Zone meeting, and the other was the Board of Directors, which includes all the state and provincial Delegates and Alternates. We’ll also help referee many of the evening shootoffs. Those can be quite fun to watch.

Also while at the Board of Directors meeting we’ll elect a new Zone Vice President, a new ATA President, and my brother will move on to the Ex-Officio position. So congratulations, Ed, on making it to the top of the ATA. Maybe I’ll tell a chronicled story on how he got there. It all started one day with me and my dad sitting in a goose blind, nothing flying, and we decided to go pick up Ed from “Fred’s Burger Chalets” and try shooting trap at a fancy gun club. More than 400,000 targets later, he’s the President. There’s a lot more to tell, but it’ll have to wait.

Leonard Wehking

ATA Delegate

Utah

I continued my summer vacation by attending the Utah State Shoot in Vernal and proceeded to shoot the Montana State Shoot in Missoula. Then I headed south to shoot the ATA Western Zone Shoot at Spanish Fork.

Some highlights from the Utah State Shoot held at the Vernal R&GC: It was a fabulous shoot, no other way to say it. A good turnout and good weather, except for one extremely windy day.

Once again, the state association directors ran the shoot superbly. Sean and Stacy Hawley did their usual excellent job hosting a large shoot. The trap help was as good as at any place I have ever been, from the on-deck board helper to the loaders, scorers and sheet runners. “Wow” is all I can say. Be sure to check out the scores online and in this issue.

One shooter I would like to highlight (and will again later) is Dale Amos. Dale is working on a comeback to achieve a milestone of 50,000 singles targets. He came to Vernal to shoot the championship singles and decided to stay and shoot the championship doubles and handicap on Sunday. I want to put in perspective how long Dale has been out of the game. His hiatus lasted for 15 years until he came back last year to shoot singles. His singles were good, 94, 99 for a 193. He told me he had bought some very low noise and low recoil shells for doubles, 7/8 ounce, 980 feet per second, to be exact. I offered to give him some “normal” size shells, but he refused. He started relatively slow on the first couple of stations and ended strong with a 43×50 on the first trap. Then, on the second field, he went 50×50. I have always said that we over-handicap ourselves with our loads. On to the handicap event, where he did shoot handicap loads, carded a 95, and won resident senior vet. Shooting on the same squad with him brought back memories from years ago. It also reminded me of how much talent he has for the game.

The Montana State Shoot: The Missoula T&SC hosted the shoot. The club has good facilities and keeps things running smoothly with numerous volunteers. The background was challenging, but a few good scores were posted every day, not excellent scores, but good. Utah had four shooters: myself, Pam Wright, Cooper and Cindy Pierce.

One of the highlights was that I could give Tim Cassidy (Montana) his 50,000 singles attainment pin. Nice job, Tim.

Western Zone: The Western Zone Shoot was telephonic, spread across 11 sites. Spanish Fork was very well represented, with about 73 total shooters present. Butte, MT, was the big club with about 110 shooters. Utah’s own Spanish Fork had three shooters who posted 200s in the Singles Championship: Utah shooters Steve Johnson and Bobby Street plus David Womack of California. Bobby Street prevailed in the shootoff that included three other shooters from Montana. He banked an additional 200 targets for the win. Spanish Fork also had the handicap champion, Richard Goerlich, with the lone 100 straight. The weather at Spanish Fork was hot, but with almost ideal shooting conditions. The club looked great, and the help was outstanding. The club manager, Jenny McGowan, cashier Vickie Skelton, and all the staff did a great job. Thank you to Doug Ford, who helped ramrod things on the line.

Now to finish my highlights on Dale Amos. At the Zone shoot, he broke his 50,000th singles target and the entire 100 in the process.

I want to congratulate Bobby, Richard, and Dale for their accomplishments.

           Ed Wehking

           ATA Past President