Atlantic Provinces

Hello from the Atlantic Provinces.

The month of August has been a stark difference from June and July. The Atlantic Provinces have experienced record high temperatures, little rain, and a very active and destructive forest fire season.

In Newfoundland, there have been evacuation orders and alerts, daily poor air quality warnings, and road closures that added hours to daily commutes. The largest fire has burned 11,000 hectares and destroyed more than 200 structures throughout the small towns along Conception Bay North and the Bay de Verde Peninsula. An elementary school and a heritage building are among the destroyed structures. Water bombers, helicopters and firefighting crews from neighbouring provinces are helping local resources. Even the military has been called in for additional help. Fortunately there has been no loss of life.

Near my home club, the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club in Holyrood, NL, a fire raged out of control only 10 kilometers (six miles) away. That prompted the club executive, in the interest of public safety, to suspend all use of the club facilities for a period of two weeks. That fire was contained to 200 hectares and no longer poses a threat to residents of Conception Bay South. The club has resumed operations.

In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the provincial governments had put restrictions on travel and activities in wooded areas to help prevent wildfires. Gun clubs were ordered closed, and it looked like our Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Shoot would be impacted. Fortunately the Highland Gun Club in Yarmouth, NS, was given approval to operate by the provincial Department of Natural Resources. A forest fire in West Dalhousie, NS, was reported as out of control, and New Brunswick had reported 24 active fires.

Some good news though. In Newfoundland rain and cooler temperatures have been a huge help for the firefighting efforts. Many of the fires are no longer classified as out of control; the fire index for much of the province is no longer rated high, and the evacuation orders have been lifted for some areas. Hopefully the situation will start to improve in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia also.

Officials in Prince Edward Island have also issued fire prevention measures, and despite the hot and dry conditions in that province, they have not experienced any forest fires like the other Atlantic Provinces.

A thank you goes out to all the individuals involved in the firefighting and emergency response activities.

I’ll have good news to report next month. My shooting buddies and I are off to the Highland Gun Club in Yarmouth, NS, for the Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Shoot.

For more information on the Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Association, feel free to contact me at aabassan@gmail.com or visit shootatlantic.com.

Andrea Bassan

ATA Delegate

Connecticut

Greetings to all!

This past season has been one of the fastest I remember. Perhaps that comes with age, as I blink and the end of the target year is here. Congratulations to all who participated and gave of their time and effort to support our sport. I wish to thank all the Connecticut association clubs for their time and effort in making registered shooting a success in our state. The dedication and volunteerism of these member organizations is the backbone of trapshooting. I would like to congratulate Bob Hruskocy and Glenn Van Moffaert for taking on the roles of vice president and treasurer, respectively. A huge thank you to Malcolm Ross and Barbara Bond for their service to the CTA.

A special shout-out to Fred Andrulat, who traveled to the Grand American, competing in the Champion of Champions event. Fred was the Connecticut singles champion this past June and earned a chance to represent our state. Fred broke a 99 in the event, and I would say he certainly rose to the occasion.

The Eastern Zone Delegates held their annual meetings, where the New York State Trapshooting Association was awarded the host site for the Eastern Zone tournament in 2026. At the ATA annual meeting, a vote was taken concerning a change of age requirements in category for veteran and senior veteran. The proposed change did not pass, and the categories remain the same. During the recess of the meeting, the Eastern Zone held elections, where Phil Wright of New Hampshire was reelected as our Accountable Plan representative and Eastern Zone Vice President Joe Sissano was reelected by the Delegates, having served as Vice President in a four-year rotation. At the conclusion of the ATA annual meeting, as is tradition, Elissa Harding of Trap & Field Magazine presented the ATA President’s gavel to Joe Sissano, who will serve as ATA President for the next year. Congratulations to Joe and thank you for all your service to our sport.

The Hartford Gun Club held a tournament in conjunction with the Connecticut Citizens Defense League. There was a great turnout for the first CCDL Open. Congratulations to Randy Fairchild with a lone straight followed by Jim LaFrance with 99. Bill Morton was the winner of the cup with the combined singles (97) and handicap (93) score of 190. Tony Lobo was the winner of the gun raffle, which he graciously donated to the CTA. Special thanks to Dave Bicknell for organizing the shoot and sponsors.

Next week will be the final shoot of the 2025 season at Wolcott Land Owners, but we are not finished yet. Pahquioque has a shoot on Oct. 5. Great way to start your average for the 2026 year.

Shoot well and shoot often!

Cheryll Pittera

ATA Delegate

New York

Hello from New York. I hope everyone is doing well and starting to enjoy the autumn weather. I know that I am because it is much cooler than the hot summer weather.

I am sorry to say that New York has lost two good people involved in shooting. Allyson Fassbaugh passed away Aug. 1. She was 66 years of age. Allyson always worked the cashiering window at the New York state ATA homegrounds in Bridgeport. She was a wonderful person who always had a smile on her face and a nice story to tell. Allyson was married to New York ATA shooter and former New York state ATA board of directors member John Fassbaugh. The board of directors of the New York state ATA wish to express our deepest sympathies to John and all of Allyson’s family and friends on her passing. She will be missed.

New York state ATA Hall of Fame inductee David Proper has passed away. Dave started registering targets in 1976 and was standing on the 23-yard line. During his career, Dave registered 121,950 singles, 52,850 handicap and 69,600 doubles targets. Dave was one of the toughest singles shooters on the East Coast, having won two New York state singles championships. Dave was a great guy who always had a smile on his face and always said hello to everyone. The board of directors of the New York state ATA wish to express our deepest sympathies to Dave’s wife Linda and all of his family. He will be missed.

Congratulations to New York state ATA board of directors member Brian Luther for completing his quest of shooting in the state shoots in each of the 50 states. He completed his quest by shooting in the North Dakota State Shoot in July of this year. This is quite an achievement. Great going, Brian!

Some target achievements to be mentioned. Jenna Euscher has registered 100,000 combined targets, plus 50,000 singles targets. Registering 100,000 singles targets was Keith Miranda. Registering 50,000 handicap targets were Todd Hosbach and Heidi Womer. Susan Gullotta has shot at 50,000 doubles targets. Registering 25,000 singles targets were Forrest Davies, Darrin Padovano, David McMasters and Bruce Wichard. Vijay Puran has fired at 25,000 handicap targets and 25,000 doubles targets. John Cook has registered 25,000 handicap targets. Good going, everyone, and keep registering those targets.

The 2025 Grand American is now history. As always, it is a wonderful tournament to attend. A total of 43 New Yorkers made the trip to Sparta, IL, to shoot the event. I know everyone enjoyed the Grand. I know that I did.

Do not forget that we will have the Multi-State Challenge shoot at the homegrounds at Brigdeport Oct. 17-19. It should be fun.

Anyone who wishes to have something written in one of these articles, please feel free to contact me by phone at 585-519-9543 or email me at Trapshooterdavec@yahoo.com. Please stay healthy, safe and in good spirits. May God bless you all.

Dave Cichelli

ATA Delegate

Ontario

Greetings from Ontario, Canada.

The Grand American tournament is now behind us, and as I write this article on Aug. 18, it is just a few short weeks before the new shooting season starts Sept. 1. At the Grand we had a reasonably strong turnout of Ontario shooters—about a dozen. This is a far cry from the heydays at Vandalia where Canadians sometimes numbered in the hundreds.

Of those from Ontario who did attend, we had many strong performances. For myself, things didn’t go well. The rental trailer that my dog Lexie and I used had air conditioning that failed almost every day. We lived in a sauna or refrigeration throughout. It got to the point Lexie wanted to stay in my air-conditioned truck. I can usually handle the heat reasonably well by keeping hydrated with water and Gatorade. Not so this time. My doctor had put me on water pills that expelled water from my body—to the point I had to concentrate on where the nearest johnny on the spot was. This was an irritant to me, and I expect to my squad. And this worked in opposition to my efforts to keep hydrated—result, I got myself badly dehydrated that significantly affected my shooting. I left for home partway through championship week. I am still working at getting back to normal (many say a lawyer is never “normal”).

The nice thing about the Grand is that you see people and interact with them, and you get to appreciate the people and have a better understanding of issues that confront people from coast to coast. Over the course of any given year, there are things I see on the news that I would like a deeper understanding of and the knowledge and insight from our trapshooting colleagues is truly impressive.

There seems to be a brother/sisterhood among almost all the trapshooting fraternity. Most sports have the same strong ties among its participants. Trapshooting is no exception.

Good luck in the new target year.

Paul Shaw

ATA Delegate

Alabama

During the AIM Grand, shooters Davis Lindsey, Tyler Cross, Dixie Hester, Rhodes Berryman and Will Campbell won B class second place with 978. Also, Davis Lindsey won junior B class third place and HAA B class. Scarlett Davis won semi-auto pre-sub high lady and Kade LeMay won junior gold semi-auto third. Check out Trap & Field for all of the results.

A new year of trapshooting is here. Now is the time to get all of your “stuff” ready for another fun year of shooting. While you are getting ready, get familiar with the rulebook.

Thought of the month: six little stories with lots of meanings.

1. Once all villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of prayer, all of the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella. That is faith.
2. When you throw babies in the air, they laugh because they know you will catch them. That is trust.
3. Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but still we set alarms to wake up. That is hope.
4. We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future. That is confidence.
5. We see the world suffering, but still, we get married and have children. That is love.
6. On an old man’s shirt was written a sentence, “I am not 80 years old; I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience.” That is attitude.

Have a happy day and live your life like these six stories. Remember, good friends are the rare jewels of life, difficult to find and impossible to replace.

Word of the month: Likker: Whiskey, either the amber kind bought in stores or the homemade white kind the federal authorities frown upon. “Does he drink? Listen, he spills more likker than most people drink.”

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 wasartwell@charter.net.

Wayne Sartwell

ATA Delegate

Florida

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

Recently I have been asked, “How can I make it into the Trap & Field Magazine?” Good question. A few ways come to mind, with 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, AAA or 27-yard line status.

This month’s milestones: Federico Ramirez made the 27-yard line. Patrick Larsen has 100K total targets combined. Milestones include Juston Trimback, 50,000 doubles; Mike Reynolds, 25,000 doubles; and Brendan Doorly, 50,000 handicap.

Hello, all, just got back from this year’s Grand American, and it was great! Florida had 65 shooters, and Florida did pretty well. Check out Floridatrap.com for results. FTA president Tommy Harrington did a great job of posting all the trophy winners (a sneak peek, Florida grabbed 41 trophies). As far as the ATA vote to extend the veteran category to 75, it was voted down and by a fairly large margin. There are new changes or revisions to the ATA bylaws. The biggest, in my opinion, is: Section IV, L. Wheelchair shooters. To qualify for wheelchair shooter category, a member must have a permanent disability, or condition, that does not permit the use of their legs as a primary means of locomotion. 1. The chair category designation will be assigned only by the Central Handicap Committee or Zone CHC representative upon request by each individual shooter, and a new average card will be issued with the chair designation. 2. Shooters with a temporary condition that requires a scooter or other type of device are not qualified for wheelchair category. This rule does not in any way prohibit any shooter from shooting from a chair, stool, scooter or any other seating device. This means if you are not wheelchair bound, you most likely are not qualified to be a chairshooter. This was an executive decision.

Pappy, the myth, the legend . . .

To the world I am Mike, Florida’s ATA Delegate and the world’s greatest architectural designer by day. To my family, I am bigger than life, the “Pappy!” I’m sure that legend has it that I can whoop a lion or a bear one-handed and come out unscathed! If there are any shenanigans going on, you can be sure that Pappy is behind it. Where am I going with this . . . maybe Pappy is not as invincible as thought. Last month at Flagler Trap and Skeet Club, if not for all of my friends and fellow shooters, the world may have lost the great Pappy. I had heat stroke! I was in the clubhouse after a registered shoot, and fellow shooters noticed that I was kind of out of it. The last coherent thing I remember was thinking if I could get Jim Petruzzi to turn a gun box around, so I could see the gun because I didn’t feel good enough to get up. That was it . . . next thing I know, I was in the back of an EMT van answering questions heading to the hospital. I heard that while I was waiting for the EMTs, Ron and a few others were trying to get me cooled down. Thanks to those who noticed there was a problem and took measures. They found other problems at the hospital that I am now sorting out. A special thank you to Jim and Merian Petruzzi for staying with me and giving me a ride back to the gun club that afternoon. A lesson learned. If you are feeling overheated, stop and cool down. You may not be as tough as you think you are.

Fellow Fugarwees, we are getting the tribe back together. Please email me your info, so I can get in touch with you about the Fugarwee Pow Wow and golf scramble at Silver Dollar. If you are a current member and have not picked up your hat, you have one waiting.

ATA bylaws: Changes for 2026

Rulebook changes for the 2026 target year effective Sept. 1, 2025. Section IV, L. Wheelchair shooters. To qualify for the wheelchair shooter category, a member must have a permanent disability, or condition, that does not permit the use of their legs as a primary means of locomotion.

1. The chair category designation will be assigned only by the Central Handicap Committee or Zone CHC representative upon request by each individual shooter and a new average card will be issued with the chair designation.
2. Shooters with a temporary condition that requires a scooter or other type of device are not qualified for wheelchair category. This rule does not in any way prohibit any shooter from shooting from a chair, stool, scooter or any other seating device.

Section XIII, G.

3. Any load with a velocity greater than 1,290 FPS (feet per second) with maximum shot charge weight of 1 1/8 ounces, or 1,325 FPS with a maximum shot charge weight of one ounce, or 1,350 FPS with a maximum shot charge weight of 7/8 ounce or less, as measured in any individual shotshell. These velocities are maximum, and no individual shotshell shall exceed these limits for the designated shot charge weight. In addition, no load containing more than 1 1/8 ounces or any shot larger than No. 7 1/2 can be used. Shot charge weights are maximum, and no charge weight may exceed the weight amount by more than 3%. Steel shot in No. 7 maximum size #6 (equivalent to #8 lead) will be acceptable as long as velocity criteria are the same as for lead shot shells.

Appendix II, ATA state/provincial tournaments & The U.S. Open. All championship events, including High-All-Around and High-Over-All; plus preliminary events during the last seven days for a maximum of 1,300 targets, 13 events in both the preliminary events and the championship events. Any preliminary event prior to the final 1,300 targets, 13 events with 450 or more completed entries shall also be an All-American points event.

Appendix II, Other Major Tournaments. All championship events, including High-All-Around and High-Over-All. If the championship events’ combined completed entries is 450 or over, preliminary events during the last seven days for a maximum of 1,300 targets, 13 events in both the preliminary events and the championship events will also be eligible for All-American points. Any preliminary event prior to the final 1,300 targets, 13 events with 450 or more completed entries shall also be an All-American points event.

Mike Reynolds

ATA Delegate

Kentucky

At the time of this writing, we are wrapping up the 2025 target year. Kentuckians have achieved many milestones this year, including Kevin Polson shooting his 700,000th combined registered target in the Grand American Handicap. A total of 230 Kentucky shooters participated at the Grand American, and those shooters brought home many trophies.

In the Clay Target Championship, Trace Hardesty, Henry Winn, Colton Hines, Fulton Manning, Herbert Lewis, Keith Ditto and Andy Tilford all had perfect 200s. Furthermore, Roger Ross claimed chair runnerup in the event. In the Doubles Championship, Herbert Lewis carded another perfect 100. In the Handicap Championship, Barry Phillippi was the 19-20 champion, while Steven Byrd won the 21-22 crown, and Randy Fraley claimed the top spot in the 23-24 yardage group. David Elder’s 97 earned him third place in the 27-yard group as well as High Past Grand American Champion honors, while Maverick McClure and Clayborn Hunter Jr. earned sub-junior runnerup and chairshooter champion, respectively. In the HOA, Lewis finished third overall, with Trey Wilburn taking sub-vet champion, Robert Dyer claiming senior vet third, and Hunter placing third in the chair category. In the HAA, Lewis earned AAA third, with Hines and Edward Harris winning A and B class, respectively. McClure also took sub-junior third, while Hunter won chairshooter third.

It has been a great target year for the state of Kentucky, and a strong finish at the Grand was the perfect end to it all. I wish everyone the best of luck as we begin the new target year. Please keep in mind any changes in category that may take place as the new target year begins, and be sure to consult the rulebook for more information on that.

Good luck and safe travels in the weeks ahead.

           Jack Holland

For ATA Southern Zone Vice President Dan Ryan

Mississippi

A shootoff with Jim Porter: In my second year of trapshooting, I found myself in a shootoff for handicap veteran champ with Jim Porter. I know many of you knew or were acquainted with Jim, an unforgettable, colorful character, for sure, and all of us who knew him well miss him. This is just one of many stories about Jim.

I had met Jim two years earlier, not yet as a trapshooter, but was a scorekeeper for a singles event at the Mississippi State Shoot at the Capitol Gun Club in Jackson. As I sat in the chair, calling dead and lost, this fellow with a tall white hat and a long ponytail was on the squad, and it was hard to see targets when he was on Post 3, right in front of me. I had to lean to the side to see around his big white hat. A year later, we switched places when he was the scorekeeper, and I was in a shootoff for place in the state Handicap Championship. To me, his scorekeeping was as colorful as a country music song.

The shootoff took place at the state shoot at the Coast Rifle and Pistol Club in Biloxi. As we walked out to the field, down on the far end of the course, each of us with “a” box of shells, Jim carried on his usual colorful conversation, making it feel like we were just on a casual walk, just shooting for fun. After that first box, we were still tied and needed another box of shells, which was way over in the parking lot on the far side of the clubhouse. Amazingly, as luck would have it, we tied again, requiring another walk to the parking lot for another box of shells. You would think we would be smarter about how many boxes to take for a shootoff.

To make this story short, we did this, to the best of my memory, two more times, one box at a time. In the fourth round, daylight was fading, and I could start to see sparks flying out of my barrel, Jim got me by a target and won veteran high gun. Game over, walking back to the clubhouse, Jim still talking, you would have thought we both had won. Such was Jim’s personality.

As the years went by, Jim liked to tell the story, which he recalled as taking five boxes to resolve the winner, always mentioning our one-box-of-shells-at-a-time walks, and that if we had shot as well during the 100-target event itself, one of us would have won the thing outright to start with. In my memory, I thought we walked back for shells three times, to Jim’s four times. Regardless of how many times we walked back to get another box of shells, I’ll never forget that afternoon. I know many of you have stories about Jim also. That’s how knowing and shooting was with Jim, a most unforgettable person.

This month, the Coast Rifle and Pistol Club will be hosting the Fall Classic in Biloxi. Stay tuned next month for results.

Fall is coming to the deep South, setting up ideal weather for trapshooting and probably hunting for some. Mississippi offers trapshooting at several locations: Capitol Gun Club in Jackson, with weekly Big 50s and monthly shoots. Coast Rifle and Pistol Club hosts regular monthly shoots. It’s a nice place to shoot and visit. Additionally, there is Starkville Gun Club and White Tail Ridge in Blue Springs. Come on down; we would love to have you shoot with us.

           Bill Burke

           ATA Delegate

North Carolina

Wow! Summer is over and did it ever speed by. The Grand American and the AIM shoot were the highlights of the July-August shooting. We had a modest turnout from North Carolina this year. Twenty-four shooters from the Tar Heel State competed during the tournament. That’s down a bit from years past; however, with the SCTP shoot a couple weeks before, we lost some of our younger shooters to that. Back-to-back traveling shoots can put a strain on the budget, so some chose the SCTP event and did not come to Sparta.

Attendance at the Grand was down about 97 entries from 2024. That’s within 3%, so no real worries there. During the Board of Directors meeting the most significant vote was on changing the ages for veteran and senior veteran shooters. It was voted down, so no change there. There were some requests for tree trimming and removal in the background at Sparta. That will be addressed by the IDNR. Hopefully it will be corrected by 2026. Danny Ryan was reelected as Southern Zone Vice President for the second year. Danny is a real worker and has made significant improvements in the somewhat confusing ATA rulebook. I think we’ll see a far better and clearer version forthcoming as he continues to refine the book. Tim Hall from Alabama continues as secretary-treasurer of the Southern Zone. He’s doing a great job, so when you see him at a shoot, please thank him for his efforts.

By the time you get this, the Dixie Grand will be either beginning or in progress. Hope y’all can make it. The targets are great, and the long range weather forecast is cooler fall-like weather. If I can be of assistance to any shooter wanting to come, email me at bob.schultz964@gmail.com. I’m looking forward to seeing you at a shoot somewhere.

Bob Schultz

ATA Delegate

South Carolina

Hello from the Palmetto State!

I’m excited to start off this report featuring a shooting achievement for a South Carolina shooter: Randy Knight. Randy has reached the milestone of 75,000 targets in doubles, with a combined total of 224,750 for all three disciplines. Randy began shooting trap in 2001 at the Greenville Gun Club. Congratulations, Randy, on this great achievement.

South Carolina had 11 shooters attend the 2025 Grand American in Sparta, IL, July 30-Aug. 9. Those attending were Steve Conley, Jim Faber, Christopher Faris, Frank Ketron, Randy Knight, Teresa Knight, George Powell, Sean Power, Rodney Raines, Shawn Speakman and Todd Wutrick. We had 10 shooters in the Singles Championship, nine shooters in the Doubles Championship and eight shooters in the Handicap Championship. Todd Wutrick arranged a South Carolina state picture on Friday morning, championship week, for all of our shooters, and I believe it is the first South Carolina state picture at the Grand. Thank you, Todd, for scheduling, and thanks to the shooters who participated.

As we get ready to go into the 2026 shooting year, we hope you all will get out and shoot at your local clubs. South Carolina clubs are continuing to host Big 50s and 300-bird events and would love for you to participate. I hope you all have enjoyed the 2025 shooting season and are looking forward to a great 2026. Thank you all for your support of our sport.

Hope to see you shooting soon.

Teresa Knight

ATA Delegate

Tennessee

Well, folks, the 2025 Grand American is now in the books. It was a great time and mostly great weather . . . lots of camaraderie, and just a general fun time. The 95 Tennessee shooters who came to the Grand took home an amazing 48 trophies. Congratulations to all, and forgive me if I miss anyone. When you have this many shooters bringing home the bacon, it’s easy to overlook one or two. Here goes:

Event 1 Fiocchi Singles: Channing Garrett, sub-junior runnerup, 100; Caleb Clayton, junior gold champion, 100; Tyler Honnold, junior gold runnerup, 100. Event 2 T&F Handicap: Honnold, junior gold third, 98. Event 4 MEC Singles: Garrett, sub-junior runnerup, 100; Cade Harvey, sub-junior third, 100; Clayton, junior gold champion, 100. Event 6 Precision Fit Doubles: Garret, sub-junior runnerup, 96. Event 7 Sterling Cut Glass Singles: Clayton, junior gold champion, 100. Event 8 Rio Handicap: Herman Chandley, senior vet runnerup, 95; Walter Kern, senior vet third, 93. Event 10 NRA Singles: Garrett, sub-junior champion, 199; Hunter Tipler, junior champion, 200; Clayton, junior gold champion, 200; David Gabbard, senior vet third, 198. Event 12 Graf & Sons Doubles: Garrett, sub-junior runnerup, 96; Robert Smith, sub-vet runnerup, 98. Event 15 Winchester AA Class Singles: Harvey, sub-junior runnerup, 199; Clayton, junior gold third, 200. Event 16 President David Rhoads Handicap: Tipler, junior third, 97; Honnold, junior gold third, 96. Event 18 Wendell August Champion of Champions: Harvey, sub-junior third, 99; Smith, sub-vet champion, 100. Event 20 Kubota Doubles: Mitchel Loveless, AAA champion, 100; Garrett, sub-junior champion, 100; Harvey, sub-junior runnerup, 99. Event 21 World Clay Target Championship: Allie Watson, Lady I runnerup, 200; Harvey, sub-junior runnerup, 199; Garrett, sub-junior third, 199. Event 22 World Doubles Championship: Randal Layman Jr., B champion, 99; Smith, sub-vet champion, 99. Event 23 Caesar Guerini Preliminary Handicap: Chandler Brown, third place, 99. Event 24 Grand American Handicap: Smith, sub-vet champion, 98; Tom Kuntz, veteran runnerup, 98. ATA 2,600 HOA Championship: Garrett, sub-junior champion, 2,490. ATA HOA 1,000: Brown, AA third, 970; Garrett, sub-junior runnerup, 967; Smith, sub-vet third, 968. ATA World HAA Championship: Garrett, sub-junior runnerup, 391; Smith, sub-vet champion, 396; Tom Kuntz, veteran third, 390. HAA Preliminary Week: Garrett, sub-junior champion, 387. Super 500 Handicap: Smith, sub-vet runnerup, 471. Winchester Super 500 Singles: Tipler, AA third, 495; Garrett, sub-junior champion, 498; Harvey, sub-junior third, 493; Clayton, junior gold champion, 500; Honnold, junior gold third, 496.

Wow! That’s a lot of bacon!

Congrats to all, and again, if I missed anyone, I sincerely apologize, but it gets confusing when you have so many great contestants.

I would like to extend an extra special shout-out to Caleb Clayton, who did not miss a singles target in any 16-yard event at the Grand. That’s extremely impressive and deserves to be commended. Not only is Caleb a very gifted shooter, but he is a heck of a man as well. Congrats again, Caleb!

Okay . . . so now what? The target year is essentially over. It would be a very good time to purchase that new gun you’ve wanted. Maybe shoot some local tournaments or tune up with a little more practice? You could even get started on the new target year and attend some registered fall shoots. Whatever the case, I wish you the best of luck and a great start on the 2026 season.

The rulebook is your friend. Read it please.

Mark Cantrell

           ATA Delegate

Colorado

The 2025 Grand American is now over, and as usual it was an incredible event. Colorado came out and made their presence known! Colorado had 45 shooters in attendance. Here is a breakdown of the titles taken home by Colorado shooters: Denis Bringelson, Event 14 All American Woodworking Doubles, AAA champion; Millennium Luxury Coaches Super 500 Handicap, 27-yard champion. Kevin Davis, Event 2 Trap & Field Handicap, sub-vet champion; Event 17 Wenig Doubles Class Championship, sub-vet runnerup. Sandy DiGesualdo, Event 5 TrapshootingUSA Handicap, Lady II runnerup. Steve DiGesualdo, Event 7 Sterling Cut Glass Singles, sub-vet champion; Winchester Super 500 Singles, A champion. Mel Hensley, Event 12 Graf & Sons Doubles, senior vet third place; Event 21 ATA World Clay Target Championship by Browning, senior vet champion; ATA HOA By Prize Possessions, 1,000 targets; senior vet runnerup; ATA World HAA Championship by E-Z-GO, senior vet champion. Mike Herman, Event 6 Precision Fit Stocks Doubles: sub-vet runnerup; Event 21 ATA World Clay Target Championship by Browning, sub-vet third; ATA HOA By Prize Possessions, 1,000 targets: sub-vet runnerup; ATA World HAA Championship by E-Z-GO, sub-vet runnerup; E-Z-GO HAA Prelim Week, sub-vet third, Excel Bottling Company Super 500 Doubles, sub-vet runnerup. Troy Nelson, Event 19 Challenger Ammunition Handicap, 21-22 third. Scott Obenchain, Event 1 Fiocchi Singles, AAA runnerup; Event 4 MEC Outdoors Singles, AAA runnerup; Event 9 SOS Clays Doubles, AA champion; Event 10 NRA Singles, AAA champion; Event 19 Challenger Ammunition Handicap, runnerup; Event 21 ATA World Clay Target Championship by Browning, third, Excel Bottling Company Super 500 Dbls, AA champion; Winchester Super 500 Singles, runnerup. Brett Renck, Event 15 Winchester AA Class Singles, sub-vet champion; Event 21 ATA World Clay Target Championship by Browning, sub-vet runnerup. Lillian Russell, Event 23 Caesar Guerini Preliminary Handicap, junior third. Matt Slaugh, Event 6 Precision Fit Stocks Doubles, B champion; Event 9 SOS Clays Doubles, B runnerup; Negrini Preliminary HOA, 1,000 targets: C runnerup. Kathleen Starr, Event 24 Grand American Handicap by Elite, Lady II runnerup. Michael Wasserburger, Event 10 NRA Singles, sub-vet third.

More congratulations to Brett Renck for his first 200 straight and his second 200 straight in the Clay Target.

Our Colorado State Team, consisting of Mike Herman, Scott Obenchain, Paul Dible, Mel Hensley and Renck, won third place in the State Team Race with an impressive 995.

Our sub-vet team, consisting of Herman, Nick DiGesualdo and Darrell Vancleave, won first in the National Team Race with 846.

Thank you to all the shooters and vendors that came out to support such a great event. Thank you to all the amazing staff, officials and volunteers who made the 126th Grand American such an incredible event. I think I can speak for everyone when I say: we can’t wait till next year.

           Nikki Herman

           ATA Delegate

Louisiana

Red Chute had its last shoot of the year on July 26. Several Arkansas shooters came down to participate, including Windee and Cole Paityn; James Higgins; Cason Stacy; Landon and Jess Nichols; and Connor, Chloemae and Daniel Birmingham. Unfortunately summer thunderstorms rolled in, drenched a few shooters and dampened the spirits enough to only want to shoot singles. Local shooter Mike Lawler took top honors with 98 followed by Jim Jenkins with 96 and Stacy with 92.

Louisiana sent shooters to the AIM Grand. These included Brooks Barnett, Dalton Brooks, Natalie Brooks, Avery Dumas, Cole Maestrini, Luke Maestrini, Coran (Squishy) Richmond, Thomas Smith and their entourages. One of the fun parts of AIM is some shooting games. Our AIM shooters brought home some bling: lever action, Brooks Barnett, pre-sub first; 22 bolt action, Barnett, pre-sub first; 3 gun tactical. Barnett, pre-sub third; International wobble, Barnett, pre-sub third; International wobble Steven Skipper, coach first; semi-auto, Avery Dumas, high lady junior.

For the official competitions, they did well also: handicap: Barnett, pre-sub seventh. Doubles: Dalton Brooks, junior D champ; Barnett, pre-sub C champ. Singles: Barnett, pre-sub A third. HAA: Barnett, pre-sub A runnerup.

Scholarship winners include Lillie Graves and Luke Maestrini, Integrity.

As you can see, Barnett had one heck of a shoot. Congratulations to Brooks and all the other AIM shooters. Louisiana is proud of you!

For the 2025 Grand, Louisiana had the following shooters participate: Robert LaBorde, Jim Jenkins, Cole Maestrini, Luke Maestrini, Al Sikes, Steven Skipper, Thomas Smith and Andy Waldo.

Thomas Smith had a 200 straight in Event 10 NRA Singles and won junior gold third after several carryovers. He followed that up with a 198 in Event 15 Winchester AA Class Singles Championship, 99 in Event 18 Wendell August Champion of Champions, and 198 in Event 21 ATA World Clay Target Championship by Browning. Thomas had a 98 in Event 17 Wenig Doubles Class Championship, 98 in Event 20 Kubota Doubles, and a 97 in Event 22 ATA World Doubles Championship by Kolar.

Cole Maestrini had a 98 in Event 23 Caesar Guerini Preliminary Handicap and earned himself a one-and-a-half yard punch. But it was no cigar in the shootoff that evening against stiff competition.

Good shooting, Thomas and Cole. As for the rest of us, we shot some pretty good scores. But with the competition at the Grand, good doesn’t get one to the trophy table. I for one had a great time. The weather was cooler, even if it was windy. And I’ve written several times about the atmosphere at the Grand that just makes one glad to be there. This year was no exception.

The LTA held its board meeting on Aug. 16. The dates for our state shoot will be April 30-May 3 at the Toby Bancroft Memorial Gun Club in West Monroe. Target fees will be $39 per 100 plus $7 daily fees. We’d be tickled to death if you can join us. Space is limited, so pre-squad early. Pre-squad will open March 15.

Mill Creek held its monthly shoot Aug. 23, with 26 shooters participating. It was a beautiful day and relatively cool for August. Our shooting friends from Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas as well as our Louisiana regulars, along with the family entourages, showed up for some end-of-the-year targets. It was a long day with that many shooters, but we were able to get all events completed before the light left. It was close though; the doubles had some pretty good shadows that made them challenging. In singles Caleb Coody topped the list with 99, followed by Donny Sanders with 98 and Jenkins with 97. Handicap honors went to Avery Dumas with 92, followed by Caleb Ezernack with 91 and Coody and Sanders with 90s. Ezernack led the charge in doubles with 90 followed closely by Jenkins with 89. All in all, it was great day to be shooting.

In Louisiana, the smell of fall is just beginning. We have a few cool mornings, light jacket weather really, but the all-day cool days are still a month away when a fire can be built in the fireplace. Hunting seasons have begun as well as the near religious experience of high school/college football. I’m looking forward to pulling for my favorite teams, which for most of us here is LSU at the college level and high school teams too numerous to list. But the days are nice, and these cool mornings reinvigorate me physically and mentally. It’s great to be out shooting this time of the year. And it’s good for the gun clubs. Plus, there’s a whole new list of items to discuss between events and over lunch. So, if you have the chance, pick up your favorite shotgun and go bang a few. Continue with the fine-tuning of your gun to get ready for the targets to come. Plus you have a clean average slate to begin accruing those big numbers. Happy Halloween!

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

Jim Jenkins

ATA Delegate

Missouri

Well, there is another Grand American in the history books! For those of you who were able to attend, I hope you shot well enough to bring home some trophies or at least some memories that you can look back on. Shooting a winning score at the largest trapshoot in the world is certainly a great deal, at least in my book. Shooting well enough to be close to a winning score is still a big deal at this shoot, where there are so many of the best shooters from all over North America as well as other parts of the world.

Since the Grand moved to Sparta in 2006, Missouri has had a larger number of shooters attend than in the past. This year during the AIM Grand, of the 1,645 classified shooters, Illinois had the largest number with 475, Missouri was second with 249 and Tennessee with 228. During the Grand there was a total of 3,021 shooters classified with 591 from Illinois, 230 from Kentucky and 211 from Missouri. Congratulations to everyone who collected trophies during the 20th Grand American at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex. How many of you have attended, all 20? How many of you were not even born yet when the first shoot was held there?

For those of you who shoot competitively, you know what pressure is when you have worked to achieve a goal and are close to obtaining it. I have had the privilege of working around some of the best trap mechanics, target-setters, shootoff and gun club managers for a number of years. I have used my experience working around those folks to help others when possible. I am honored to have been elected as the ATA Southwestern Zone Vice President this year. The last time that Missouri had a member of the ATA Executive Committee was 1960, when Earnest Jelley was ATA President. I will do my best to utilize the experience I have gained over the years to serve the shooters of the ATA. While I still have goals to attain here in Missouri, I now have more over a wider area.

As I have stated in the past, during my travels I have found that there are many gun clubs that operate with volunteer labor. It’s those individuals who strive to make the shooting experience enjoyable for those of us who love to shoot. The last thing any of us want to see is our favorite gun club shut down for any reason and in most cases is the only reason some of those clubs are still in operation. If you have time to spare and the ability to offer any assistance, I am sure it would be appreciated. If anyone has any concerns or has anything you would like to have reported, please contact me at srickett@sbcglobal.net or 816-863-9003.

NKJV James 4:6—“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Shoot often, shoot well and be safe!

Stephen Ricketts

ATA Southwestern Zone Vice President

New Mexico

While driving to Sparta this year for the Grand American, I reflected on the careers of many individuals who have been integral to our New Mexico association. Recently we experienced another significant loss with the passing of Joe Whitehurst on July 9. Mr. Whitehurst was an influential figure in New Mexico trapshooting, having served as past president of both the Clovis Evening Lions Club and the New Mexico State Trap Shooting Association, in addition to establishing a successful youth program. He was well regarded for always bringing spare shotgun parts to events and offering assistance to others, as well as for his storytelling and dedication to fostering camaraderie within our community. His contributions will be remembered, and we extend our gratitude to Joe for his lasting impact on our association.

We respectfully invite you to observe a moment of silence in honor of those who have concluded their shooting careers. For a comprehensive list, please visit nmtrap.com.

New Mexico shooters did well for the Southwestern Zone, coming away with 20 trophies. Excellent shooting, New Mexico.

Congratulations to all those who took Grand trophies: Bryce Merrill, Madison Miller, Chase Dobrinski, Greyson Bollinger, Mary Alby, Mike Grady and me.

I will see you all for the October Multi-State Challenge.

Here is a quick New Mexico fact: White Sands National Monument is made up of white gypsum crystals, not actual sand.

           Samantha Rainsdon

           ATA Delegate

Oklahoma

The Grand American was once again nothing short of magnificent. I’m sure everyone who made the trip was glad they did and had a wonderful time.

The shooting began Thursday before Preliminary Week, as the AIM kids began competing in skeet, sporting clays and trap. This year I was able to be there for the AIM shooting; it was exciting to see more than 1,500 young shooters doing their best. Surely the ATA’s AIM program is the best thing out there for our young shooters. Our Oklahoma kids have done very well over the years, and this year was no different. Oklahoma youth broke high scores and brought home plenty of hardware.

Preliminary Week of the Grand began on Wednesday. Clay Laughlin broke 100 straight on that first day in the Trap & Field Handicap event. On Sunday of Preliminary Week Michael Gates broke 98 in the doubles and 98 in the handicap. He went on to win the handicap eight-way shootoff with 25 straight. Gates was also junior HAA winner. Oklahoma shot well and claimed many trophies throughout the 10 days of shooting. You can view all scores at scores.shootata.com. Five Oklahoma shooters posted perfect scores in the World Clay Target Championship: Kya Funkhouser, Brayden Bliss, Shelby Skaggs, Ron Bliss and Jacob Diller. After shootoff, Skaggs was Lady I champion for the second time, Ron Bliss was vet champ, Diller finished junior gold runnerup, and Funkhouser brought home Lady I third. All in all it was another good day for Oklahoma. Oklahoma’s young ladies shot well in the Grand American Handicap: Kynsli Harman was sub-junior champion with her amazing 99. Alexis Pletcher brought home the Lady I champion trophy with her awesome 98, and Addison Darling won junior runnerup with 98. I think we had another good year at the Grand American. Great shooting, Oklahoma!

Jeff Trayer

ATA Delegate

Texas

Howdy from Texas!

Here we are in a new target year. I hope everyone has been shooting well and started the year off strong.

Texas was well represented at the Grand American. Sixty-six shooters attended this year, and they received numerous trophies. Here is a summary of some of the trophies that were won:

Fiocchi Singles: veteran runnerup, John C. Scott, 100; veteran third, Elvin Clayton, 100. Trap & Field Handicap: 25-26 champion, Jake Hamm, 96. MEC Outdoor Singles: AA champion, Cary S. Skaggs, 100; C third, Dale Clayton. 98. TrapshootingUSA Handicap: veteran third, Dale Clayton (25.5), 93. Precision Fit Doubles: third place, Hamm, 100; A runnerup, Drew Fryman, 95. Sterling Cut Glass Singles: Lady II champion, Sue Hopper, 100. Rio Handicap: eighth place, Billy C. Hopson (27), 94; 25-26 champion, Hamm, 94; Lady II runnerup, Patricia A. Todd (20.5), 92; sub-junior third, Clayton J. Kaspar (20), 92; veteran runnerup, Jeff H. Webb (27), 93. NRA Singles: veteran third, Webb, 198. Krieghoff 100 Handicap: 25-26 champion, Garrett Greg, 95; veteran third, Ron Todd (20.5), 93. Blaser Handicap: 10-20 runnerup, Jason B. Johnson, 94. All American Wood Working Doubles: Lady I runnerup, Jennifer M. Rutger, 99; C third, James D. Huff. 94. Winchester AA Class Singles Championship: sub-veteran runnerup, Mike Whitaker, 200; A runnerup, Webb, 199; Wenig Doubles Class Championship: AA fourth, Darin Clawson, 99; D fourth, Pat A. Thomason, 95. Challenger Ammunition Handicap: 19-20.5 champion, Ronald D. Todd, 96; veteran third, Fred Sharrock (20.5), 97. ATA World Clay Target Championship by Browning: C champion, Ronald D. Todd, 199. Caesar Guerini Preliminary Handicap: 25-26.5, Hamm, 97. Grand American Handicap by Elite: 27 champion, Hamm, 97. ATA World HAA Championship by E-Z-GO: C champion, Ronald D. Todd, 387. E-Z-GO HAA Prelim Week, veteran champion, Webb, 384. Excel Bottling Company Super 500 Doubles: Lady I third, Rutger, 477. Millennium Luxury Coaches Super 500 Handicap: 25-26 runnerup, Hamm, 467; veteran champion, Webb, 462. National Team Race: open third, Texas, Hamm, 289; Drew Fryman, 285; Cody Renkoski, 282; Cary Skaggs, 279; Mike Miller, 275; Lady II second, Patricia Todd, 262; Allison Allbright, 259; Jerri Webb, 258; veteran first, Webb, 284; Elvin Clayton, 277; John Scott, 273. 28-Gauge Event: veteran champion, Clayton 45. Handicap Doubles: veteran champion, Clayton, 45. International, AA champion, Robson Couples, 44; D champion, Clayton J. Kaspar, 36. Grand Gun Winner: Clayton. Thanks to Yaani-Mai for putting this list together and posting it on Facebook, so I could steal it.

I need to give special recognition to Jake Hamm. He shot a higher HAA and HOA score than anyone from Texas. He ended up with a 363 in the HAA and a 2,513 in HOA. Good shooting, Jake! Maybe next year I can offer a prize or something to the highest scoring Texan. At least more than a shout-out; we will see.

I would like to thank the outgoing ATA President, David Rhoads. Over the years he has really helped me with interpreting rules, working through hypothetical situations to better understand the rules and answering all of my “stupid” questions (he says there are no stupid questions, but I think I really pushed the limit!).

I would like to congratulate Steve Ricketts, the Delegate from Missouri, who is our new Southwestern Zone Vice President. I wish I could say that Steve will have an easy job over the next five years, but I bet that will not be true. One thing I do know is that he represents the best Zone in the ATA. I think the Southwestern Zone has some of the best state Delegates and will work with him all the way.

If you have anything you would like me to mention in this article, please email me with the details, and I will do my best to share it in the next one. Be sure to visit the TTA website (shoottta.org) to see other news and upcoming events in Texas. As always, I would like to encourage you to volunteer at your local club and support youth shooters. Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me or one of the current TTA officers. We’re always glad to help.

Again, thanks for your support, and I will see you at the next one. I can be reached at texasatadelegate@gmail.com.

Billy Hopson

ATA Delegate

Arizona

Greetings, Arizona shooters (and others as well!).

With August comes the end of the 2025 Grand American and the end of the target year.

Let us start with the Grand American. It was great to see so many familiar faces as well as new ones. Arizona had a total of 26 shooters in attendance, and we represented well. Preliminary Week started off with the Event 1 singles, and Gerry Williams breaking 100. Event 2 handicap had myself with 98. Event 3 doubles had both me and Dave Landwerlen with 96. Event 4 singles top honors for Arizona were shared by Mark Mattson and Dick Goerlich with 99s. Event 6 doubles had Alexis Fernan with a 96. Event 7 singles were a shared effort of Mattson and Landwerlen breaking 100 straights. We slowed down for a couple of days, but Goerlich finished out Preliminary Week with a 100 in the Event 14 doubles.

Grand Week saw the competition get stiffer, with Tim Robb rolling out a 199 in the Event 15 singles. Event 17 doubles had Fernan the high Arizona shooter with 96. Event 19 handicap had Kaitlin Quan-Abel breaking 96 from the fence. Fernan continued to break doubles targets in the Event 20 twins with another 96. Landwerlen ran the 200 in the championship singles and made it to shootoffs with a field of 56 others. Darvin Thomas, this year’s ASTA Hall of Fame inductee, broke 198 to show that he still has the skills. Landwerlen continued to show well with a 97 in the Doubles Championship. The Preliminary Handicap had Jim Sharp and Bruce Hobbs shooting 98s in windy conditions. Jim continued his prowess from the fence, closing out the last event of the shoot, the Grand American Handicap, with 96. Overall great shooting from Arizona shooters.

I wanted to single out the Champion of Champions event from Grand Week by congratulating Darrell Goen and Fernan for both going 100. You both represented Arizona with distinction.

On to 2026. Weather will start cooling down, and shooting will be picking up. Please check the ASTA website for the shoot calendar (www.aztraps.com) for upcoming shoots. A couple of these upcoming shoots will be the Arizona State Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame Shoot, which is taking place Oct. 1-5 at Ben Avery Clay Target Center. This year’s inductee is Darvin Thomas. The next major Arizona shoot will be the Autumn Satellite Grand in Tucson. Weather should be great for both shoots.

Lastly, October is National Trapshooting Month. Grab a friend or family member and take them shooting. We will see you out there.

           Don Williamson

           ATA Delegate

Idaho

Well, the Grand American is over, and the Idaho spuds are home. This year we had 11 people from our state attend the Grand. They were Michael and Gwendolyn Houser (both All-Americans this year) Scott Abo (also All-American), Kelli Kennedy, Marc Banner, Blake McCutcheon, Bruce Bradley (All-American), Russell Pierce, Casey Stoddard, Kent Graham and myself.

Bruce represented Idaho in the Champion of Champions, Blake represented juniors and Russ sub-vet. Blake had a great Prelim Week with several trophies and several 100 straights in singles. Michael Houser had a 100 straight in one of the doubles events and won the carryover.

Once again, everyone had a great time, and the weather (other than being hot and humid) was actually very nice.

I had the enjoyable experience of breaking my 50,000th career handicap target. I was on Post 5 (last shooter on the squad), and everyone was watching me as I broke the last target. I was nervous, but didn’t know anyone else knew about my milestone. I was shooting with my brother Ed (past ATA President) and Charlie Long from Texas. Charlie is a 15-time All-American and was inducted into the Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 2019. He has shot more than 1,295,600 registered targets. He has shot at 388,300 handicap targets alone. Imagine what an honor it was for me to have him recognize and congratulate me. My 50,000 seems pretty puny compared to his accomplishments. But, it’s people like Charlie that make this sport so special.

While we were shooting at the Grand, Pocatello was having their 42nd annual Gun Shoot. Looking at the report, there were 85 shooters in the final handicap. The numbers were down a little from past years, but it’s still a great shoot. Utah shooters seemed to be at or near the top in most events.

But speaking of decreased numbers, here’s something I learned at the Board of Directors (Delegate) meeting at the Grand. While it seems that a lot of shoots seem to have less attendance, the actual number of registered shooters is maintaining, if not going up. The number of targets that are shot is down slightly. I believe this could be because of the cost of shooting. Everything we can do to keep the cost down and camaraderie up should be a primary focus at all of our clubs.

Lastly, I just got back from my annual trip to the Grangeville shoot. Talk about camaraderie. I have so much fun there that it’s become a permanent part of my shooting travels. (I know, I need to try to get farther north and pick up some more clubs). They had 63 shooters on the first event. This little club really packs them in. One of the big highlights was Levi Harrison’s first 100 straight in singles and the only one posted during the entire shoot. Way to go, Levi!

Troy-Deary has both the last and the first ATA shoot of this target year and next. Their last was Aug. 30-31, and their first is Oct. 4-5. I hope they have a great turnout!

Well, our season is winding down, and it seems like it just started. By the time this is published, we will be done but getting ready for the Camas Prairie League. I think I’ll start writing about individual shooters in the winter, like the articles Linda Hand does from Nevada. Contact me if you have some ideas.

Leonard Wehking

ATA Delegate

Montana

We returned to Billings for the 131st Montana State Shoot after a bit of a hiatus in the state shoot rotation and were greeted with updated facilities/camping and a very warm welcome. Wade Klingaman, Lisa Wilson and the Billings Trap Club went the extra mile to be great hosts, and certainly, it did not go unnoticed. Shooters from near and far gathered to try their luck on the line in Big Sky Country, including 64 youth from across the state who also made the trek to the east side to participate in the Montana AIM Championships. In classic Big Sky Country fashion, the Montana AIM director and 406 Clay Target Team head coach, Angela Crenshaw, pushed the limits with an action-packed weekend of activities, including the third annual Pro-AIM, 406 Top Shot Challenge, Youth Cornhole Team Tournament, Best of the Best Celebration, Negrini Bag Shoot-Off, Soda Float Social, Orange Crush Prize Wheel and fantastic prizes—buckles, buckles, more buckles (and added prize money!).

The third annual Pro-AIM competition was again a huge hit with seasoned shooters (handicap yardage) teaming up with AIM members (singles target scores) in a competitive yet dynamic race for the top five teams awarded with fancy buckles and prizes. Champion team: Dave Vicevich/Tucker Morin; runnerup, Riley Rigby/Ryan Fleming; third, Justin Shank/Nick Doty; fourth, Emi Smith/Dylan Neese; fifth, Ryan Miller/Aiden DeLong. To level the playing field, a second way to play with cash prizes and added money was paid via Lewis Class after a random scramble and repairing of teams by blind draw.

The 406 Top Shot Challenge awarded majestic buckles and prizes to the top three AIM shooters in handicap. Top Shot champion, Tucker Morin, 96, also high to win Preliminary Handicap champion; doubles Top Shot champion, Aiden DeLong, 89; 100 singles Saturday, Top Shot champion, Colby Harty, 97; 100 singles Sunday, Nick Doty, 100 first 100 straight!; ladies’ singles, Top Shot champion, Kaitlyn Tabbert, 184; 200 singles, Top Shot champion, Colby Hart, 196; and HOA, Top Shot champion, Ryan Fleming, 370. New this year was the addition of an all-youth modified cornhole tournament for an evening of relaxation and camaraderie. Five-minute timed rounds of bean bag tossing between teams allowed for all to get a turn and was immensely popular among the participants, parents and onlookers with lots of laughs shared by all. Trophies and ice cream gift cards were awarded—perfect pairing for a much needed cooldown to the daily 100+ degree temps.

Formal awards ceremony was held at the conclusion of the 100 singles targets on Sunday, where everyone enjoyed a soda float and the synergy between youth and adults. Dan Vogel presented a lever-action Henry rifle to the sub-junior singles runnerup, Jacob Cesnik. 406 Clay Target Team was crowned three-year running Montana State Team Singles Traveling Trophy winners. Angela Crenshaw presented well-deserved Making the Difference awards to recognize youth coaches throughout Montana, Jim Holodnick, Steve Kittel and John McDunn (Helena Hot Shots); Buddy Neese (Billings Young Guns); Jim Burman (Great Falls); and Brandon Morris (Central Montana Clay Crushers). Best of the Best Awards (in memory of teammate Jenae Best of the 406 Clay Target Team) were announced to honor Jim Holodnick (MT), Danny Williams (WA), and Greg Pink/Jon Slinker/Jack Wang (NV) for their above and beyond dedication to the youth of trapshooting, unwavering integrity, selflessness and leadership—all for the betterment of the sport. Shootoffs displayed top-notch humility and sportsmanship. Enthusiasm was contagious. By and large, the shoot was a success! See you all at the 2026 Montana State Shoot in Great Falls.

Andrew Kelly

ATA Delegate

 

Nevada

It’s nice and warm in most parts of Nevada in July.

However, Las Vegas shooters were not deterred by the heat as they hammered clays at the First Sunday Social Shoot July 6 at Clark County Shooting Complex. More than 30 shooters braved the high temperatures during three 50-target events.

Carlos Rodriguez won the Event 1 handicap with 49 and received yet another punch this summer. Carlos is now on the 24-yard line. Corky Peters was second with 47. Bruce Dame left no questions unanswered in Event 2 singles, as he broke all 50 targets. Gary Rusch, Greg Holden and Jack Wang were second with 49s. In Event 3 doubles, Jack Wang had 48, and Danny Talbot was second with 45. Junior shooter Cole Rosario broke his first ATA 25 straight in Event 2.

Shooters then shifted their attention to the Western Zone Shoot, which had two locations in Nevada this year. Nevada sites were the Mason Valley Gun Club in Yerington and the Lincoln County Trap Club in Pioche. Shooters competed over three days for local prizes and for Zone-wide honors. The Western Zone allowed shooters from nine Western states and one Canadian province to compete simultaneously July 18-20.

This month, we continue our look back at some of the historic Nevada gun clubs that helped make Silver State trapshooting what it is today. Bob Taylor’s gun club, located at his famous restaurant, Bob Taylor’s Ranch House in LasVegas, was an iconic central part of Nevada trapshooting for many years during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Ever the promoter, Bob’s shoots offered new cars as trophies, a pro football challenge that featured NFL players breaking clays, and everything in between. He even moved locales on occasion. For example, in the late 1970s, Bob created what he called Bob Taylor’s 50 Grand, $50,000 in purses were guaranteed, with more money likely as shooters played the options. Wanting to shoot it in the summer, he moved the entire tournament to the Jackson Hole Gun Club in Jackson, WY, where he had a summer home. I was fortunate enough to attend that shoot. It was a wild event. Most of the top shooters in the country were there, vying for what was then astronomical purse money.

A particular memory I have of the 50 Grand in Jackson Hole captures some of who Bob Taylor was. I recall we arrived at the shoot early in the week and headed in to sign up. However, I was stopped short of the clubhouse as my eyes locked on to a long white Cadillac convertible parked next to the entrance. It was pearl white, and the interior was deep red tufted leather. It was about as long as a football field. It had a gold colored, full-size shotgun, cut longways in half, attached to the outside of the car just below the door handles. A huge set of Texas longhorns, about six feet across, served as a hood ornament. A large white Stetson hung on the mirror. That eccentric car and the one-of-a-kind shoot characterized a lot about Bob. Always interesting. Back in Vegas, the show never stopped. At one point, Elvis and Ann-Margret had been at the gun club filming the eponymous Las Vegas epic, “Viva Las Vegas.” Bob used to say that during the filming of the movie, it was he who was breaking Ann-Margret’s clays while standing just off camera. Although the Ranch House restaurant is still going strong under different ownership, the gun club is long gone. However, Bob Taylor’s Gun Club remains a rich and integral part of Nevada trapshooting history.

Sadly, we lost a frequent Nevada shooter and great friend recently. Bruce Dame passed on July 25. Everyone was happy to see Bruce at a shoot. In the many years I had the good fortune to shoot with Bruce at the Magna Gun Club in Salt Lake, and later when he moved to St. George, I never saw Bruce when he wasn’t smiling. He always had a good word for everyone. He will be greatly missed. His obituary can be found at www.mcmillanmortuary.com/obituaries/bruce-dame.

           Danny Talbot

           ATA Delegate

 

Utah

Well, the 2025 Grand American is in the books, and once again the largest and most prestigious trapshooting tournament in the ATA did not disappoint. Apart from the first few days, the weather, while warm, was not oppressive, and the rain and wind pretty much stayed away, allowing for high scores and plenty of fun evenings. Utah shooters fared well, taking home quite a few trophies throughout the week-and-a-half-long shoot.

There were a total of 32 Utah shooters, many of whom brought non-shooting family members with them at this year’s Grand. When it was all said and done, 21 trophies were headed back to the Beehive State. Pam Wright won five of those, the most by any Utah shooter. Pam broke scores of 95 and 96 to win Lady II third and Lady II runnerup in the Little Egypt and All-American Doubles races. Her 94 in the Precision Fit Stocks Doubles secured the Lady II champion trophy. Pam was the Lady II third-place winner in the Champion of Champions with 99 and was the Lady II runnerup with 199 in the Clay Target Championship. Sharred Oaks took home three trophies from the Grand: TrapshootingUSA Handicap champion with 99, Rio Handicap 27-yard champ with 94, and the AAA trophy in the HAA with 396×400. Jay Best, Jarrod Collins, Britt Dalton, Kooper Freston, Sean Hawley, Trace Huber, Chris Kinder, Austyn Oakey and Ed Wehking all won event trophies throughout the shoot. Grayson Stuart was the fourth-place winner in the Nostalgia Shoot, having borrowed Charlie Hall’s Winchester Model 12 for the event. Utah turned in the second-highest score in the National Team Race. This year’s team was composed of Dalton, Hawley, Oaks, Kinder and Collins.

At the Delegate meeting there was some discussion about changing the age for senior veteran shooters from 70 to 75. However, when the vote came in, the change was voted down, therefore the senior veteran category will remain for 70-year-olds and above. A new chairshooter rule will be in effect, however. Previously if a shooter was sitting on a stool or a chair while shooting, they could be classified as a chairshooter.

The new rule states: Section IV, L. WHEELCHAIR SHOOTERS To qualify for Wheelchair Shooter category a member must have a PERMANENT DISABILITY, or condition, that does not permit the use of their legs as a primary means of locomotion. See the 2026 rulebook on the ATA website for the complete rule.

It was so nice to see the large number of Utah shooters at the Grand this year, and having so many of them being called for shootoffs was proof that we are heading in the right direction. Hopefully next year we can add to our attendance and trophy count. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any concerns or suggestions that you may have.

           Sharred Oaks

           ATA Delegate

Washington

Greetings from the Evergreen State! Summer is behind us; a new target year has started, and we are excited to see what 2026 brings for the WSTA and all the trapshooters in Washington.

Our state had a pretty good contingent of contestants at the Grand American, including James Peery who was A class runnerup in the High-All-Around and was in a doubles shootoff with 26 other shooters after a 98 in one event. As always, we are proud of our shooters at the Grand and other shoots they travel to around the country. James and wife Stacy have been making their mark and will continue to do so. Take a look in Trap & Field to see how our shooters did.

We started our target year with shoots at Colton and Spangle, which I missed due to the fair in my hometown of Rockford. Many of us are chasing our fall hunting pursuits and or gearing up for some ATA action in warmer climates for the winter. Our winter meeting of the WSTA directors will happen soon as well. President Jessica Pelissier and the rest of the board will get details hammered out for the 2026 state shoot, and the schedule of events for the year will be started. If your club would like to throw ATA targets, please contact us. If you are looking for shoot dates, check out shootwsta.com. Our website has been improved and is easier to navigate. We will try to post shoot dates as they are added to the schedule.

On a personal note, I’ve missed seeing a lot of you this past target year, as family and work matters have kept me from getting to as many shoots as I am accustomed to. I hope to rectify that situation in 2026, so I can contribute more stories from what I see at clubs all over the region and brag about Washington’s shooters. I always look forward to catching up with you. Another favorite experience of mine has been watching junior shooters grow up to be adults over the years and to see their shooting and life milestones.

Here’s to a great 2026 target year! See you soon.

Shoot straight and keep your powder dry.

Sean Lewis

WSTA Director

Wyoming

Greetings, everyone. Since we just finished up the Wyoming State Shoot, all these things are in my head, employees and expenses plans for 2027, etc. Anyway I’m sitting here at the Grand, and the thoughts started me thinking. With 27 banks plus some practice fields, that would (if we used the same formula that we use in Wyoming) take 270 trap kids. Plus the line help, say another 15 to 20. Then we need some help to pick up the score sheets and get them to the office, say another five because it’s almost three miles from one end to the other, just driving takes time, especially in a golf cart. Now we don’t want to forget the practice traps, which I don’t have a clue how many people man those. So let’s say another five people. Somehow the trap houses get filled each night either by magic or workers, and I’m thinking workers. With more than 125 traps, it’s going to take several, especially in the heat at Sparta. Let’s say another 20 workers. Then comes the office and support. I saw a picture of 30 people at a meeting, and I think they all were helpers. We won’t even get into the mechanics, target-setters and grounds people. So adding it all up, I come up with 350, and I’m certain there is more that I don’t even know about.

I would just like to say you all did a great job. Thank you from someone who understands what you go through.

Lastly, if you see Kim Ideen, please congratulate her on achieving 50,000 singles targets.

Till next time, good shooting.

Ron Miller

ATA Delegate