Atlantic Provinces

ATA registered shooting has started in the Atlantic Provinces. The Petitcodiac Sportsman’s Club kicked off the 2026 season with a 200 singles marathon May 16, and the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club held their season opener May 24. Two new ATA members signed up at the St. John’s shoot.

Some good news from Nova Scotia. The Annapolis Valley Shooting Sports Club is working on a plan to add a second trap field. Club representative Barry Turner reports that the additional field will be a terrific addition to the club and will help them hold larger shoots.

Pre-squadding is open for the Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Shoot on sosclays.com. The St. John’s Rod and Gun Club will have the Sponsor’s Challenge on Wednesday, Sept. 2, and the 800-target program starts on Thursday, Sept. 3 with the Memorial Singles. On Friday, Sept. 3, 20 lucky shooters will have their names drawn for the SOS Clays Silver Bar Shootout and a chance to win one-ounce silver coins, compliments of SOS Clays.

New for this year’s shoot is the American Canadian High-All-Around Reverse Lewis Purse. There is no entry fee, and the first class starts with the low score. Shooters must complete all three championship events to be eligible. Class winners will receive $50 American and $50 Canadian. The purse is sponsored in part by New Jersey shooters Jim Lavalle and Kolleen Adams. The pair attended last year’s shoot in Yarmouth, NS, and have decided to make the trek to Newfoundland for this year’s 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

Hello to all! As I sit here writing to you this Memorial weekend, my thoughts go to all who have served and sacrificed to defend this great country of ours.

Tournaments are well underway as the Delaware State Shoot is taking place now, and the Empire Grand and Keystone Open are already in the books. Shout-out to Matt Wahl on claiming B class in the Empire Grand Singles Championship, shooting a perfect straight in extras to win the title! Earning a yard-and-a-half, Kiley Palmer won the Keystone Open Spring Handicap with a field-high 97. In our backyard, we have held five club competitions thus far. Congrats to singles champ Derek Harvey with 97 and handicap champ Brandon Gleason with 90 in Hamden. Jim LaFrance and Steve Coppola won Class A and B, respectively, with 97s, Gino Carrano was high gun in the handicap with 94, David DeGregorio took the doubles with 89, and Matt Kinney won the Giaquinto Purse with the combined score of 184 in Hartford. Bud Harman received the singles prize with 97, Steve Coppola in handicap with 91, and William Van Gilst in doubles with 88 for Fin, Fur and Feather. Bud Harman repeated the following week with 98 for singles honors, Jim LaFrance posted a 91 for handicap, and Brian Scussell was the doubles winner with 91 at Andover. Congratulations to all, especially given the weather conditions that have challenged the beginning of this season in the Eastern Zone. Please check out www.cttrap.com for all the upcoming shoot dates in our state.

The ATA Eastern Zone Championships will be held July 16-19 at the New York State Homegrounds in Cicero. The Eastern Zone and NYSATA, through generous donations by shooters for the shooters, include the Shooter Sponsorship Lewis. There will be $2,000 in each 100-target event on Friday, $4,000 on the 200 targets Saturday and $2,000 on each 100-target event Sunday. Stay tuned for details and updates on social media through the NYSATA Trapshooting Facebook page. Make your plans and be a part of this historic tournament. Take part in the tradition and share the camaraderie with our neighboring state associations that make up the great Eastern Zone. Hope to see you there!

I look forward to the next letter with all the highlights of our Connecticut State Shoot. As always, if you have any highlights you would like to see shared in this letter, please contact me at cap145@yahoo.com. I would love to hear from you. Shoot well and shoot often!

Cheryll Pittera

ATA Delegate

Maryland

Fellow trapshooters, for those who do not know me, I am a legacy trapshooter. My grandparents, three of my uncles, aunt, mom, dad and two brothers have all shot ATA targets, beginning in the early 1980s. Similar to my Mommom (MSSA secretary for 20 years and Maryland Trapshooting Hall of Fame member) and Dad (2012 MSSA president), I have followed in their footsteps by serving as the 2025 and 2026 MSSA president and as Maryland’s ATA First Alternate Delegate. But enough about me.

By the time you all read this, the Maryland State Shoot will be in the past. We have worked tirelessly to make this tournament a success and even better than last year. We continue with the delayed start times, the Bob and Marian Knode trophies ($400 silver) to the winners of the Thursday and Friday handicap and encouraging pre-squadding via SOS Clays. Additionally, Winchester/White Flyer has agreed to continue in the free giveaway of 10 cases of Winchester AAs throughout the tournament. A few new things we are doing this year are the SOS Silver Shootout, free hog barbecue and taco dinners, and $1,000 added to the 50-bird handicap option (courtesy of CRV Custom Arms). Thank you to all our sponsors.

If you missed out on this year’s state shoot, you still have an opportunity to join us at our Fall Handicap Sept. 5-6 at our homegrounds in beautiful Thurmont. I know I am biased, but I believe our tournaments are run efficiently, have good target presentations on well-maintained grounds, the staff is friendly, our entry fees are affordable, and we strive to offer top-notch trophy packages. If you have not been to our homegrounds, you are missing out. Programs and other information can be found on our website marylandtrapshooting.com.

Shoot well and shoot often!

1. Nick Hughes

ATA First Alternate Delegate

New Jersey

Dear shooters, as I write this article, we are in the start of the season for East Coast trapshooting, but Mother Nature does not seem to agree. The weather conditions have been challenging to say the least. Despite the cold, rainy and extremely windy conditions, shooters have come out to do what they love. The New Jersey southern zone was shot at Pine Valley, Ground Swipers and North Jersey Clay Target clubs. Congratulations to Scott Kalnas, David Cossaboon, Charles Lehman Jr., Caitlyn Barton and Ernie Onesti for winning their categories and classes.

During the Keystone Open at the PSSA, four New Jersey shooters took home trophies. Justin Malone, Thomas Clarke, Issac Mansoura and Ray Padovani each won a trophy.

We just completed the 2026 New Jersey State Shoot held at Pine Belt. Attendance was up despite the extreme wind conditions. In the Singles Championship, Mark Invidiato broke 193 in winds gusting to near 50 mph to win the championship. Keith Barton was runnerup with 187. Junior shooter Andrew DiGiacomo posted the second high score of 189 to win the junior crown. That was an amazing job in those conditions. Emily Malone took Lady I with 187. Also of note, for the first time anyone can remember, the North vs. South Team Singles Race ended in a tie. The question I ask: will it be Porkroll or Taylor Ham for the win? In the championship doubles, Scott Kalnas took first with a 96, and Pat Shulack Jr. was on his heels with 95, followed by Justin Malone winning A class with 94. Bob Jarvis won vet with 92. In the Handicap Championship junior shooter Christopher Gutauskus took home the honors with 94, followed by Frank Lehmann with 90. Oscar Olt took senior vet with 90. I would like to thank all the competitors for coming out to support trapshooting in New Jersey despite the less than favorable conditions. Once again, the Pine Belt Sportsman’s Association did a great job to make this 2026 state shoot a success. At the state meeting held Sunday morning, we elected a new president and board for the NJSTA. Thank you to the outgoing president Bob Jarvis, first VP Rick Batasko, second VP Keith Barton, director Pat Schulak Jr. and treasurer Len Donavan for their support and hard work during their terms. The new board members are Jeff Slimm as president, Charles Lehman Jr. as first VP, Chris Baker second VP, Steve Martin as treasurer and Ben Shapiro as director.

Unfortunately, I have to report the trapshooting community has lost another member. Steve Ligato passed away suddenly after a relatively short fight with a medical condition. Steve recently stepped down as a director of the NJSTA because of his illness. He had served on the board for several years as well as being a former board member at Pine Valley. Steve was also a member of Square Circle and was a big part of getting them approved as an ATA registered facility. He was a very dedicated trapshooter, always trying to help his fellow competitors. Steve liked to introduce new shooters to seasoned veterans, and youth shooters to other youth shooters to help grow the community. What I will remember most is his kind and positive disposition. Steve Ligato will be missed, and we should always keep a place in our hearts for the gentleman shooting in the green Australian bush hat.

Tom Clarke

ATA Delegate

New York

Hello from the Empire State of New York. I hope everyone is doing well and out shooting some registered targets now that the warmer weather has arrived.

The 2026 Empire Grand American, held May 5-10, is now history. The tournament was up 13.04% compared to last year. A total of 176,800 targets were thrown.

For the Singles Championship, Herbert Lewis was the champion with the lone 200, and Samuel Leiendecker took runnerup honors with 198. During the Doubles Championship on Sunday, James Flint was the champion with 95, and Lewis took runnerup honors with 94. In the Handicap Championship, Frank Morton was the champion with 92, and Leiendecker was runnerup with 91. In the HAA, Lewis was champion with 383×400. Finally, Anthony Fortino was the HOA winner with 935×1,000. All trophy winners can be viewed on the New York State ATA webpage, www.nysata.com, and in T&F Magazine. This was excellent shooting by all trophy winners. Well done!

During the silver bar shootoffs on Friday evening, Chris Pollichemi won the silver bar donated by SOS Clays. On Saturday evening, John Ruggeri won the silver bar provided by the New York State ATA.

On Friday evening, there was a free steak dinner provided to all shooters and guests, along with free beer. There was even live music.

Saturday evening, after shootoffs, there was a free beer tasting. Both events went very well.

The NYSATA would like to thank all those shooters who participated during the tournament. Also, thanks to all those who scored and loaded trap machines, the kitchen, cashiering personnel, Michelle McEwen, Terri Oswald and Mallory Backus for handling the trophy counter, Don Neilson who oversaw classification, and all those who also helped. Thank you.

The 2026 Grand American will be held July 29-Aug. 8. Anyone who plans on attending and is wanting to view the program for information, the program has been posted on the ATA webpage, www.shootata.com.

Congratulations to Randy Moeller for being named ATA Executive Director and Grand American Tournament Director. Randy will have tough shoes to fill after the passing of Lynn Gipson. We all wish Randy success.

If anyone wishes to have something placed in one of these articles, you can contact me at Trapshooterdavec@yahoo.com or phone at 585-519-9543. Please stay safe and healthy. May God bless.

Dave Cichelli

ATA Delegate

Alabama

In most of the country, trapshooting has started out strong. Sign up for your state shoot and also try to participate in other shoots nearby.

Joke of the month—Roadside signs: lf a tree falls in the forest and no one’s there to see it, a chinchilla 500 miles away may bark at it. My dog will eat anything until you put a pill in it, then he’s Gordon Ramsay. Whoever said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend never owned a dog. Having cats in the house is like living with art that throws up on the carpet. Cats can memorize 120 commands, but they don’t want to. Running feels great unless you compare it to not running. Dogs are living proof that good still exists in the world. If a black cat crosses your path, he probably has some important cat stuff to do. Word of the month— Arshtaters: A staple of the Irish diet and the source of french fries. “Ah like arshtaters, but ah hate to peel ’em.” 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

South Carolina

Hello from the Palmetto State! I am pleased to share the latest updates from our trapshooting community as we celebrate recent achievements and look ahead to upcoming events.

I’m excited to recognize Gary Ferguson for reaching 50,000 handicap targets. Gary began shooting in 1997 and is a lifetime member of the ATA. He currently serves on the SCTA Board of Directors as treasurer and is active at Mid Carolina Gun Club and Partridge Creek Gun Club. Congratulations, Gary, on this achievement.

I also want to recognize Garry Welch, who traveled to the Mississippi State Shoot and tied for non-resident C class HAA, but then he won non-resident C class in the HOA. Congratulations, Garry, for shooting so well.

Our South Carolina State Shoot was hosted at the North Carolina Homegrounds April 29-May 3. We had wonderful weather all five days and great participation. Twenty-three states were represented, with an average of 125 shooters daily. During our championship events, we had 191 shooters in singles, 131 shooters in doubles and 150 in handicap.

Our state meeting was held Sunday morning to provide members with an update on the activities of the board. Elections were also held for SCTA officers serving in 2026-2027: president, Teresa Knight; vice president, George Powell; secretary, Terri Campbell; treasurer, Gary Ferguson; upstate directors, Shawn Speakman and Rodney Raines; low state directors, Bill Ward and Garry Welch; ATA Delegate, Teresa Knight; and ATA Alternate Delegate, Gary Olson. Thank you to all board members for their commitment to the SCTA and their willingness to serve.

During the meeting, the 2025 State Team members were announced.

First team—captain Kenneth Inman, Richard Gadbois, Stephen Conley, Rodney Raines, Doug Stenback. Category shooters—Terri Campbell, Lady II; Thomas Campbell, veteran; Randy Knight, senior veteran. Second team—Gary Ferguson, George Powell, Gary Olson, Garry Welch, Michael Roth. Powell was also recognized for having shot the most targets: 14,150.

Thank you to all shooters who participated in our state shoot, and we look forward to seeing you again at our 2027 state tournament at the North Carolina Homegrounds. I would also like to recognize the NCTA HOF committee members who worked extremely hard to make our shoot happen at the NC Homegrounds: Jim Hughes, Jim Wilson, Marty Hill and Jeri Wilson.

South Carolina clubs continue to host Big 50s and 300-bird events, and we welcome your participation in these competitions. Thank you for your continued support of our sport and community.

Hope to see you shooting soon.

Teresa Knight

ATA Delegate

Tennessee

Alright, folks! Tournament season is in full swing, and if you haven’t gotten out and exercised your shotgun, you are falling behind the rest of the pack. It’s time to dust off that trusty shootin’ iron and get with the program. There are lots of opportunities out there, and finding a shoot in your area shouldn’t be a tough proposition. So, go to the club, shoot some practice, and get in the game—it’s past time!

Speaking of tournaments, the great state of South Carolina had their annual state shoot at the North Carolina Homegrounds April 29-May 3. South Carolina puts on a great shoot, and this one did not disappoint. More than a few Tennessee competitors showed up to display their talents, and some showed out and brought home some non-resident trophies. Let’s take a look at some of the winners from the Volunteer State.

Event 1 singles: Tanner Burks, sub-junior, 97; Alex Gannon, junior, 99. Event 2 handicap: Jack Brickey, sub-junior, 95; Alex Gannon, junior, 92; Maynard Brooks, senior vet, 95. Event 3 doubles: Mike Burnette, AA, 93; Tanner Burks, sub-junior, 95; Cade Harvey, junior, 90. Event 4 Singles Class Championship: Mike Burnette, A, 99; Tanner Burks, sub-junior, 97; Alex Gannon, junior, 99; Rick Sweeney, sub-vet, 99. Event 5 handicap: Tanner Burks, sub-junior, 95; Richie Bolin, sub-vet, 95; Maynard Brooks, senior vet, 93. Event 6 Doubles Class Championship: Mike Burnette, AA, 95; Cade Harvery, junior, 97. Event 7 singles: Tanner Burks, 100; Clayton Klingensmith, C, 96; Alex Gannon, junior, 99; Kaylee DuBois, Lady I, 97; Rick Sweeney, sub-vet, 99. Event 8 handicap: Jack Brickey, sub-junior, 92; Alex Gannon, junior, 93. Event 9 doubles: Rick Sweeney, sub-vet, 95. Event 10 Singles Championship: Cade Harvery, winner, 198; Tanner Burks, sub-junior, 197; Kaylee Dubois, Lady I, 196. Event 11 Doubles Championship: Steve Conley, B, 92; Jack Brickey, D, 88. Event 12 Handicap Championship: Cylar Martin, winner, 95.

Wow! That’s a lot of hardware coming back to the state of Tennessee. Great shooting! Congratulations to all those who brought home a trophy. I apologize if I missed any winners, but when you have a list as long as this one, it’s easy to overlook one or two. Thanks again for all who made the trip and participated.

Well, it’s time to move on to the next venue down the road. Get those guns ready, gas up your vehicle and find a shoot to attend. There’s no time like the present. Thanks for supporting our great sport! Go out there and break a few. Good luck and safe travels.

Remember—the rulebook is your friend. Read it please!

Mark Cantrell

ATA Delegate

Louisiana

The Louisiana State Shoot is complete. Our old nemesis, rain, showed up on Friday, but at least it was relatively light rain and not thunderstorms. Only a few dropped out to avoid it, and all events were completed. Attendance was down a little bit due to the weather forecast, but by all accounts, we deem it successful. Saturday and Sunday after Friday’s rain were beautiful, the sort of days that everyone dreams about having. Once again, the catfish and chicken dinner on Saturday evening was enjoyed by all. Participants joined us from Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas, I don’t know if we get so many far-away participants because they have heard how great our state shoot is, are chasing All-American points, or trying to fill their list of state shoots; but regardless, we are glad to have them join us. It’s what keeps small states like Louisiana viable.

Thomas Smith IV was returning resident champion for the third time in the championship singles with 198, winning a shootoff over Brooks Barnett. Thomas is also a 2026 All-American. Non-resident winner in the singles was Gus McAnelly of Arkansas, also with 198. Thomas Smith IV was also resident champion in the Doubles Championship for the second time with 94, winning a shootoff over Jim Jenkins. Non-resident winner in doubles was Seth Smith of Arkansas with 95. The resident champion in the Handicap Championship was Brooks Barnett with 95. Non-resident winner was Bill Burke of Mississippi with 96. Thomas Smith IV took resident HAA honors with 376×400 for the third consecutive time. Chad Arkenberg of Ohio took non-resident HAA honors with 379. HOA resident champion, repeating for the third time, was Thomas Smith IV with 919×1,000. Non-resident winner was Gus McAnelly of Arkansas with 919. For all the shooter scores and all the proud winners in every event, go to latrap.org, shootscoreboard.com or our state shoot article in the June issue of T&F.

Thanks to all the people who volunteer their time and effort to make our shoot happen. Without them, it wouldn’t be possible.

If you’ll allow me to get on a soap box for a moment. Shooters who pre-squad and don’t show, decide they aren’t going to shoot an event, leave a shoot early, and those who arrive late to an event without releasing their posts, create a problem for those who are trying to manage the shoot. We must spend a large amount of time, which we don’t have, trying to track that person down to see if they are going to shoot or not. Worse for those who pre-squad and don’t attend, a spot is wasted, and someone who would have liked to shoot may have been prevented from going. I understand emergencies happen, but that’s not what I’m discussing. Please, please, please notify shoot management personnel as soon as you know to release your spots; it just makes it easier for all of us.

Twenty-two of our AIM shooters shot at Toby Bancroft Memorial Gun Club on May 9 for the AIM State Shoot. No rain showed up to amount to anything, thank goodness. Cole Maestrini took top honors in junior gold singles with 93. Avery Dumas was junior champ with 98. Brooks Barnett was sub-junior champ with 96, and Blaze Steel was pre-sub champ with 84.

In handicap, Dalton Brooks led the junior gold category with 91. Maddox Schulte blew the field away with 96 to capture the junior category. Sub-junior was taken by Brooks Barnett with 85, and pre-sub was won by Coran (Squishy) Richmond with 79.

Cole Maestrini also took top honors in doubles with 87 for junior gold. Avery Dumas won junior with 85. Brooks Barnett had the HOA score and took sub-junior with 90. Coran Richmond won pre-sub with 71.

HOA junior gold top honors were claimed by Cole Maestrini with 269×300. Avery Dumas also had 269 to take the junior category. Brooks Barnett had the high score with a 271, and Squishy Richmond won pre-sub with 231.

Everyone enjoyed a fine jambalaya lunch prepared by the Dumas family and sponsored by Ergon. Thanks to all the AIM parents and other volunteers who are necessary to make this happen.

Mill Creek Gun Club held their first shoot of this calendar year on May 16. A small, dedicated crowd of 11 attended. Summer has arrived in Louisiana after a long and unusually cool spring. Thomas Smith took top singles honors with 97 at his home club, with Seth Smith of Arkansas breathing down his neck with 96. The results were reversed in handicap with Seth Smith taking the top score with 94 and Thomas Smith with 92. Brett Blackburn of Arkansas led the field in doubles with 96, and Thomas Smith was right behind scoring 94. HOA was Thomas Smith with 283, Seth Smith with 282 and Blackburn carding 280. Pretty good shooting, guys.

At the time of the creation of this article, a number of our Louisiana shooters will be attending the Mississippi State Shoot at the Coast Rifle and Pistol Club in Biloxi. I hope to be able to report that our shooters showed out there. CRPC is a great place to attend.

Can you believe it? When you read this, the Grand is upon us. I can’t wait for all the shooting and pageantry to get started. It won’t be the same with Lynn Gipson not being present. I hope all your preparations are made. Louisiana will have a pretty good contingency going this year.

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

Jim Jenkins

ATA Delegate

Missouri

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. For the last few years, it also signals the conclusion of the Missouri State Shoot. The 147th state shoot is now in the books. The first couple of days were a little on the wet side, which affected the attendance somewhat. From Wednesday on, attendance was trending up with an overall increase of 2% for the shoot, which is somewhat surprising given the fuel, ammo and target prices also trending up. On behalf of the MTA Board of Directors, I would like to thank everyone who attended this year’s shoot. The MTA management and staff, as usual, went above and beyond putting on this shoot with the grounds looking fantastic. Things got a little messy after the deluge of rain and wind between the championship singles and shootoffs on Saturday evening as the storm passed through the facility.

For the Singles Championship on Saturday, 627 shooters took the line. When it was done, Shelby Skaggs posted the lone 200 and claimed the resident singles title. Congratulations, Shelby. In non-resident standings, five shooters broke all 200, with Brenden Mowen claiming the top spot after six shootoff rounds. Congratulations, Brenden. On Sunday there were 369 entries for the Doubles Championship, with Anna Rawe and Justin Ballantyne tied with 99s. After one shootoff round, Anna claimed the top spot. Congratulations, Anna. The non-resident race had three shooters tied with 100. After five OT rounds, Tyler Honnold took home the No. 1 trophy. Congratulations, Tyler. The final event of the week, the Handicap Championship with 436 contestants, had three shooters tied with 96s for the coveted title. Drew Lamberth claimed the top spot with just one round in the shootoff. Congratulations, Drew. Seems like I mentioned this person earlier, Tyler Honnold had the lone 98 for the first-place non-resident win. Congratulations again, Tyler. In the HAA, Patrick Hopson claimed the resident prize, and Tyler Honnold picked up another out-state trophy. Congratulations, fellows. Last but not least, Shelby Skaggs bested the resident field in the HOA with 1,259×1,300. Congratulations, Shelby. In the non-resident race Dagen Voigtman came out on top with 1,279×1,300. Nice shooting, Dagen.

As stated earlier we had a slight increase in attendance over last year’s shoot. I haven’t had time yet to digest why, but these days, it is always much appreciated when there is an increase in attendance. As I write this report, I am in Sparta getting ready for the U.S. Open, which has seen an increase in pre-squadding over last year. Hopefully this shoot will also enjoy an increase in attendance as it has for the last few years. In many ways it will be the same tournament as always. In other ways it is not going to be the same. This will be the first event hosted by the ATA since 2012 without our past Executive Director Lynn Gipson. The shoot will go on, and I am sure Randy Moeller will do a fine job. There are a lot of great folks here that, as usual, will do a great job and are a large part of the success of the U.S. Open.

If anyone has anything they would like to have reported or has any concerns, please contact me at srickett@sbcglobal.net or 816-863-9003. NKJV James 1:4—My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Shoot often, shoot well and be safe!

Stephen Ricketts

ATA Southwestern Zone Vice President

Texas

We just finished up our Zone 4 shoot, which was held in Waco this year.

Event 1 singles winners were as follows: Trent Melton, 99 (winning shootoff against Darin Clawson and Taite Hoopes); AA, Richard Leos, 98; A, Jason Johnson, 98; B, Ramon Ibarra, 97; C, Shane Weber, 93; D, Tommy Bockholt, 92; Lady I, Codi Waters, 96; Lady II, Yaani-Mai Gaddy, 91; sub-junior, Hagen Weber, 98; junior, Taite Hoopes, 99; sub-vet, Darin Clawson, 99; vet, Ronny Beard, 97; senior vet, Pat Thomason, 97.

Event 2 handicap winners were: Darin Clawson, 96; 19-21, Shane Weber, 89; 22-24, Ramon Ibarra, 91 (flip with Chris Stamper); 25-26, Danny Thomason, 89; 27, Billy Hopson, 90; Lady I, Codi Waters, 94 (23 over Gabriella Garcia); Lady II, Patricia Todd, 89; sub-junior, Hagen Weber, 89; junior, Mackenzie Ludlow, 86 (Taite Hoopes forfeit); sub-vet, Tommy Bockholt, 93 (Dave Ayers forfeit); vet, Pete Helmick, 95; senior vet, Pat Thomason.

Event 3 doubles winners were: Hagen Weber, 97; AA, Drew Fryman, 93; A, Rangel Queiroz, 90; B, Steve Bradbury, 91; C, Ramon Ibarra, 92; D, Kody Sanchez; Lady I, Codi Waters, 84; Lady II, Yaani-Mai Gaddy, 89; sub-junior, Kole Risinger, 67; junior, Dawson Heffley 88; sub-vet, Billy Hopson, 95; vet, Ronny Beard 88; senior vet, Marvin Allbright Jr., 91.

Event 4 Singles Championship in-zone winners are as follows: Drew Fryman, 196 (50 over Billy Hopson); AA, Rangel Queiroz, 192; A, Marvin Allbright, 190; B, Dutch Nielsen, 189; C, Mackenzie Ludlow, 185; D, Hunter Fryman, 188; Lady I, Karis Fulks, 145; Lady II, Allison Allbright, 183; sub-junior, Colton Fryman, 166; junior, Karson Beverly, 191; sub-vet, Billy Hopson, 196; vet, Billy McFarlen, 193; senior vet, David Womack, 193. Out-of-zone winners are: Randy Burton, 199; AA, Richard Leos, 193; A, Trent Melton, 195; B, Chris Stamper, 195; C, Pamela Ayers, 186; D, Tommy Bockholt, 185; Lady I, Codi Waters, 186; Lady II, Patricia Todd, 189, sub-junior, Hagen Weber, 193; junior, Kody Sanchez, 193; sub-vet, Kevin Merrell, 191; vet, Ronny Beard, 192; senior vet, James Dusek, 185.

Event 5 preliminary doubles winners were: Hagen Weber, 97 (49 over Drew Fryman); AA, Drew Fryman, 97; A, Rangel Queiroz, 90; B, Gregory Garrett, 95; C, Ramon Ibarra, 89; D, Mackenzie Ludlow, 86; Lady I, Gabriella Garcia, 73, Lady II, Yaani-Mai Gaddy, 75; sub-junior, Kole Risinger, 74; junior, Kody Sanchez, 89; sub-vet, Billy Hopson, 96; vet, Don Rackley, 84; senior vet, Joe Altom, 89.

Event 6 Doubles Championship in-zone winners are: Billy Hopson 99; AA, Drew Fryman, 96; A, Dutch Nielsen, 88; B, Clif Altom, 92; C, James Huff, 88 (14 over Billy McFarlen); D, Joneel Harris, 82; Lady II, Allison Allbright, 83; sub-junior, Colton Fryman, 72; junior, Mackenzie Ludlow, 86; sub-vet, Steve Bradbury, 86; vet, Pete Helmick, 92; senior vet, Marvin Allbright, 96. Out-of-zone winners are: Hagen Weber, 98; AA, Trent Melton, 97; A, Randy Burton, 90; B, Kevin Merrell, 91; C, Ramon Ibarra, 90; D, Dave Ayers, 81; Lady I, Codi Waters, 83; Lady II, Pamela Ayers, 80; sub-junior, Kole Risinger, 73; junior, Kody Sanchez, 84; sub-vet, Darin Clawson, 92; vet, Ronny Beard, 82; senior vet, James Dusek, 86.

Event 7 Handicap Championship in-zone winners were: Steve Roach, 96; 19-21, Kurt Beverly, 91; 22-24, Billy McFarlen, 89; 25-26, Steve Bradbury, 79; 27, Marvin Allbright, 88; Lady II, Allison Allbright, 92, sub-junior, Colton Fryman, 88; junior, Karson Beverly, 92; sub-vet, Billy Hopson, 89; vet, Pete Helmick, 90; senior vet, James Huff, 91. Out-of-zone winners are: Paula Ayers, 96; 19-21, Shane Weber 95; 22-24, Chris Stamper, 92; 25-26, Danny Thomason, 87; 27, Trent Melton, 86 (Randy Burton forfeit); Lady I, Codi Waters, 88; Lady II, Patricia Todd, 83; sub-junior, Hagen Weber, 87; junior, Kody Sanchez, 88; sub-vet, Darin Clawson, 90; vet, Ronny Beard, 83; and senior vet, James Dusek, 89 (flip over Pat Thomason).

HOA in-zone winner was Billy Hopson 760×800, and Hagen Weber took out-of-zone honors with 761. HAA in-zone winner was Billy Hopson, 384×400, and, again, Hagen Weber took out-of-zone winner with 378 (36 over Trent Melton).

Also at Zone 4, Steve Bradbury shot at and broke his 25,000th singles target, and Danny Thomason shot at and broke his 100,000th handicap target. Congratulations to them!

I guess that’s it for now. If you have anything you’d like included in a future article, please email me the details, and I’ll do my best to feature it in the next update. Be sure to visit the TTA website (shoottta.org) for additional news and a list of upcoming events across Texas.

As always, I encourage everyone to volunteer at your local club and support our youth shooters. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me or any of the current TTA officers—we’re always happy to help!

Again, thanks for your support, and I will see you at the next one.

Billy Hopson

ATA Delegate

California

Hello, fellow trapshooters. The target year here in California has been very eventful with numerous tournaments all over the state. Hopefully all of you have been able to attend some of the shoots and visit the clubs across the state.

The calendar has been stacked with some pretty decent-sized shoots. There were several one-day shoots and a few two-day shoots. Attendance at some of these was well over 100 participants, and the majority of them were over 50. We had more than 50 tournaments on the calendar since the beginning of the target year. With that being said, there were tons of opportunities to get your qualifying targets in-state to make the State Team.

There were two standout events that happened in May that I would like to mention.

The first is a new one for this year, and we are calling it the Spring Fling. It took place at the Kingsburg Gun Club May 2-3. There were six events with 200 targets being thrown for each discipline. This is also the shoot where some of the prizes are to win your state shoot targets. The event was also promoted along with the SCTP program concurrent with the ATA events. There were buckles and medals awarded specifically for the SCTP events, as well as a pellet gun buy-in option for Event 3. The weather was fantastic, and the targets being thrown were incredible. It made for a great weekend of shooting. The Kingsburg Gun Club did not disappoint with hospitality as well. The gun club over the two-day event put 53,000 targets in the air.

Event 1 singles scores brought in three 100 straights, two of them were posted by sub-junior and junior shooters. Event 2 handicap garnered a 99 from the 27-yard line, very impressive shooting. Event 3 doubles high scores were two 98s. The second day’s events were as follows: Event 4 doubles, high score was 97. Event 5 singles gave an additional two 100 straights. Event 6 handicap high score from 25.5 yards was a sub-junior shooter with 97. They threw great targets and had some impressive scores. We are looking forward to being a part of the Spring Fling again next year at the Kingsburg Gun Club.

The second shoot was the annual Golden West Grand that took place at Livermore-Pleasanton Rod and Gun Club May 6-10. As always, this is another fantastic shoot out of Livermore. The club is nestled in the foothills and throws green targets. It can be challenging at times when the sun is coming up. Because of this, they don’t start shooting until 10 a.m. every day, but that is truly to the benefit of the shooters. There is always a lot of friendship and fellowship among the campers. The Friday night fish fry never disappoints and is followed up with the free tri-tip dinner on Saturday night.

Here’s some results from the shoot: Event 1 doubles high score was 98 with Chayton Vega as winner. Event 2 singles was a 100 straight with Gary Bonetti as top gun. In the Event 3 handicap, Colton Tucker was winner with 96. Event 4 doubles was won by Shelby Skaggs with 98. Event 5 handicap winner was Chayton Vega with 96. Event 6 began the championship events. GWG Doubles Championship, Zach Nannini took the top award, and Chayton Vega was runnerup, both shooting 97. Event 7 Dan Bonillas Handicap, winner was John Thomas with 99. Event 8 GWG Singles Championship, with 200 straight was Shelby Skaggs and Zach Nannini, with Zach forfeiting to Shelby for the win; Zach took runnerup. Event 10 GWG Handicap Championship, No. 1 was Heath Habib with 96, and runnerup was Bodie Wass with 95. A further breakdown of all scores and winners can be found on shootscoreboard.com and in this issue.

Be sure to add both the Spring Fling and the Golden West Grand to your bucket list to come to California and shoot.

As of press time, I look forward to seeing everyone at the California State Shoot, held at the Kingsburg Gun Club. It is a great tournament with a beautiful venue and lots of fun things to do.

Chayton Vega

ATA Delegate

Idaho

Well, the 2026 Idaho State Shoot is in the history books, and what a great turnout we had. Darin Ames from Pocatello (and our new state ATA president) shared with me some fascinating statistics. He’s been keeping track of the number of shooters per tournaments and individual events since 2018. This year was the largest turnout in the last nine years. We were up 6.2% from last year and over 36% from the year before. We threw more than 157,000 targets and had 217 shooters. There were shooters from 12 states, with New York being the farthest! I believe two things contributed to such a great turnout. One was the fact that the Western Grand was a week later than usual. The other factor was the weather, which was fantastic for most of the shoot. The last few hours of the final day got nasty for the last squads, but for most of the tournament, temperatures were in the 70s and 80s. A sincere thank you for all who attended!

The five main Idaho championships went to just three shooters, two of whom had the same first name. Kyle Perry won the Singles Championship after a shootoff with Waylon Klundt, Michael Houser and Stuart Welton, all with 200 straights. Greg Church from Colorado took home the out-of-state trophy with 199.

Kyle Arnzen won the in-state Handicap Championship with 98 and a shootoff with Alan Keasal, while Jacob Turner from Washington won out-of-state with a huge 100 straight from the 27-yard line. (His squadmate John Mullins also hit a 100 from the back fence a few days before!) Those Washington shooters are tough.

Stuart Welton took home the gold on the Doubles Championship after a shootoff with Russell Pierce, both shoting 100 straight in the main event. Once again, John Mullins from Washington took the out-of-state trophy in the doubles.

Lastly, Stuart Welton took both the HOA and HAA for Idaho residents. It looks like Stuart has recovered from several years of shoulder injuries taking home three of the five big trophies!

At our membership meeting, Grant Williams joined his father Darin Williams in the Idaho Trapshooting Hall of Fame. It was an emotional induction for sure, as Grant and Darin are the only father-son inductees.

Also, elections were held. Our directors for the next year are Darin Ames (president), Klye Perry and Dyrk Rogers are the directors from the southeast zone. Mike Strong, Lahoma Turner and Kyle Arnzen are the directors from the southwest. Kathy Connerley (treasurer and secretary), Marvin Heimgartner (vice president) and Phil Stevens are our directors from northern Idaho. ATA Delegate and Alternate Delegate are myself (Leonard Wehking) and Kent Graham.

I hope your summer shooting goes great!

Leonard Wehking

ATA Delegate

Montana

The 25th Montana State Team Singles is the annual April highlight. The event has been strategically constructed to recruit new members to the ATA through a team format, which includes a new shooter (no registered targets in the prior target year). The success speaks volumes, as nearly 29 squads from every corner of the state made their way to Logan Trap Club with combined efforts to claim the Team Singles and Team Handicap Championships’ traveling trophies. Through the wind and the rain (predictable for the east side in the spring) the spirits were high, competition was solid with many first 25, 50 and 75 straights, and the Logan club once again provided exceptional hospitality.

Butte Trap Club Team (Riley Rigby, Mark Hislop, Seth Duclos, Josh Bridgeman and Evan Jensen) were declared State Team Singles winners (933 squad total).

Flathead Clay Target Club Team (Fred Brechbill, Dave Wines, Rod Barkley, Clayton McDaniel and Bridger Kelch) took runnerup (928 squad total).

The 406 Clay Target Team (Hank Crenshaw, Andrew Kelly, Alexa Piseno, Ryan Fleming and D.J. Waldo) were third (923 squad total).

State Team Handicap winners were Aiden DeLong, Andrew Kelly, Jaden Schreckendgust, Ryan Fleming and D.J. Waldo of Team 406.

The 406 Clay Target Team Youth Council introduced the Gary Delin Behind the Line Legacy Award and presented it to Mr. Delin. The award was created to recognize a lifetime of dedication to youth, to leadership and to the sport of trapshooting, measuring Mr. Delin’s impact, not only accomplished on the line but everything built behind it. They collectively described his influence living on through the generations of shooters (young and old), which he has guided, supported and inspired, claiming “what you don’t see breaks the most targets.” Moving forward, the 406 Youth Council plans to present the legacy award, in the name of Mr. Delin, to those across Montana who follow his lead in supporting and shaping the future of trapshooting.

Shooting scholarships were presented by Mr. Delin to brothers Jeremiah and Nathan Lemos, in memory of Montana State Hall of Fame enshrinee Bill Beyl. Antelope provided entertainment, as they casually played a game of chase between the trap house and the line during a doubles shootoff. Friends caught up and told stories after a long winter on their respective sides of the divide. Traveling trophies headed to Butte and Kalispell, where they will be displayed until we meet again in April 2027.

Andrew Kelly

ATA Delegate

Nevada

We begin on a somber note. As many of you are probably aware, Lynn Gipson, Executive Director of the ATA, passed away after a brief illness April 18. Our thoughts go out to Lynn’s family, along with much appreciation for Lynn and the many things he did for trapshooting. Rest in peace.

The Spring Doubles Marathon unfolded April 11 at Clark County Shooting Complex (CCSC) in Las Vegas under windy conditions, but with sunny skies. The 500-bird marathon was shot in five 100-target events. The first three events offered $2,100 in cash trophies available to class and category winners, with two more 100-target events for those looking for more pairs. HOA winners on Events 1, 2 and 3 in the marathon included: HOA, Ken James, 267; B, Bob McCullough, 245; C, Carlos Rodriguez, 256; D, Dennis Jones, 233; sub-junior, Juan Rodriguez, 234; junior, Angel Diaz, 262; ladies’, Camille McCullough, 233; sub-vet, Jeff White, 251; vet, Merle Acampora, 247; senior vet, Don Houston, 262.

Next on the docket, the NSTA Race for the Buckle Big 50 transpired April 25 at CCSC in Las Vegas. The 70° weather and mild winds encouraged 38 shooters to take the line. In Event 1 singles, six shooters tied for first place with 49s. Joe Atkin, Jack Wang, Ken James, Don Mayhall, Cole Rosario and Corky Peters all let just one slip by. One of the singles winners, Joe Atkin, enjoyed a day of shooting with three generations of his family on his squad. Corky Peters cornered the handicap with a flashy 50 straight. This was Corky’s first 50 straight in a Big 50 handicap. He received a well-earned half-yard punch. Ken James let just one escape to win the doubles with 49.

The NSTA sponsors two shoots per month that offer three 50-target events. Those two shoots are the Race for the Buckle Big 50 and the First Sunday Social Shoot. Both of those tournaments offer a great opportunity for new shooters. Fifty targets, low-key events and a friendly atmosphere create just the right combination for someone new to the game. For example, the Big 50 attracted three new shooters this month. Ethan Matallana, Nicholas Bowen and Carlos Ramirez all registered their first ATA targets.

This month we highlight a man who has been very instrumental in the growth and development of Nevada trapshooting in recent years. Greg Pink became president of the Nevada State Trapshooting Association (NSTA) in 2019. Since that time, Nevada trapshooting has seen a steady growth in participation and programs. For example, in a huge organizational shift, under Greg’s leadership the NSTA took the responsibility of sponsoring all the ATA shoots in Nevada several years ago.

Greg and the very supportive NSTA Board of Directors saw that because there are few trapshooting clubs in Nevada, there needed to be shoot sponsorship at the state association level to ensure shooting opportunities for Nevada ATA members. This year, for example, NSTA will sponsor and manage 30 Nevada ATA shoots, including the famous Nevada State Shoot. Such a dynamic tournament schedule creates a profusion of opportunities for Nevada shooters. Further, a few years ago the very popular Wednesday night trap league found itself without a management team. Previous NSTA president, Tony Delafonte, stepped in and brought the management of the Wednesday night league under the NSTA umbrella. When Greg became president in 2019, NSTA league management continued with the help of Jeff White, Jon Slinker, Linda Hand and Corky Peters. Greg and the NSTA Board of Directors continue to look for innovative ways to support Nevada ATA shooters. Some of the most significant contributions that Greg has made to the NSTA and trapshooting in general has been through his trapshooting management company, SOS Clays. Greg began his interest in trapshooting several years ago while watching his son, Cam, participate in youth trap programs. Shortly after, Greg was beginning to participate in ATA shoots himself. As Greg attended more shoots, he reports that he began to look for ways to make the trapshooting experience more enjoyable for shooters. He noticed that shooters were hampered by waiting in lines to sign up, trudging from the trapline to the clubhouse to check scores, wondering who was on their squad, trying to figure out when they were on deck, sometimes waiting days to see how much money they had won, and so on. Greg observed that these problems were bothersome to shooters, to the point of sometimes discouraging participation. He set about to find solutions and improvements to these problems. SOS Clays was born. Greg reports that SOS now allows shooters to manage those issues more effectively from their phones or computers. In addition, shoot managers are now able to streamline operations and reporting, often reducing management time and expense, according to Greg.

It was only a few years ago that Greg had conversations with many of us about his idea to significantly change trapshoot management through the use of sophisticated technology. If I am being honest, some of us were a little skeptical of the possibility for success of such an enormous undertaking. However, the proof is in the pudding, as they say. Today SOS Clays manages more than 3,000 shoots at approximately 400 gun clubs. Many shooters now control much of their own shooting experience via their cell phones and computers. In addition to his innovative perspectives and contributions, a great part of Greg’s success as president of NSTA comes from his tireless work ethic and his focus on interactions with shooters. At the state shoot for example, we might find Greg hard at work on the grill and later talking with ATA’ers from around the country, making sure their needs are met with everything from a bottle of water to helping them find a hotel. All this while coordinating a shoot hosting almost 500 shooters and their friends and families over 13 events, plus prelim days.

Greg would be the first to tell you that much of the success of NSTA is due to the tireless efforts of the truly amazing board of directors and others who contribute their time and effort to making NSTA one of the most vibrant and active trap associations in the country. However, we all know it takes a good captain at the helm of any successful ship. We see that and more in NSTA President Greg Pink. Many thanks to Greg and the exceptional NSTA Board of Directors for all they do.

It’s never too early to make plans for the Grand American. The 2026 dates are July 29-Aug. 8. It will be held at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, IL. See shootata.com for details.

The Nevada State Shoot is scheduled for Oct. 27-Nov. 1 at the Clark County Shooting Complex in Las Vegas. See nvtrap.com for details.

Until next time, let’s remember it’s a game. Have some fun out there!

Danny Talbot

ATA Delegate

New Zealand

Our annual 200 Singles Cup was held May 23 at Putaruru Gun Club. The weather cooperated with a calm, clear day with the clouds not coming in until late in the afternoon. The targets really looked good.

We ran three classes—A, B, C—with added money cash prizes for first, second and third in each class plus quality meat packs. We normally shoot 100 in the morning, break for lunch then the second 100 to give the shoot more of a social atmosphere. This year we had Subway platters on the house for a rolling lunch, so you could wait until you finished shooting or have lunch prior to finishing the last 100. This helped speed up the day for those who had a distance to travel.

Class A and overall winner was Roger Bidois, and second was Grant Russell. Roger also managed to tickle 30% of the A class singles jackpot for $298 with his 98 in the second 100. B class winner was Grant Preston. Second and third were Greg Godden and Tom Gourlay. C class winner was Alexi Wood. Second was Garry Baty, and Wayne Steer placed third.

A big thanks to all those who helped on the day loading traps, refereeing and scoring and helping clean up at the end of the day. Shane Ward came the day prior to help set targets and load traps. Pete Nola and Shane Ward again came in early to help set up as well as all the work around the club Pete does to give us a nice venue.

Thank you to our sponsors: Putaruru Gun Club, Geoff Wells Laporte Targets, Simon Brown Falcon Ammunition, Dave Cundy ITP Suppliers of Inox and Lanox Fine Cleaners and Lubricants, Reloaders Supplies, New Zealand Hunting Adventures, Bidois Family Westlorne for Quality Canvas and Leather Products, Ron Thomassen Logging, the ATA and Chris Hurring.

Good shooting.

Paul Basten

ATA Delegate

Utah

Spring trapshooting in Utah can be a bit dicey at times, as the cold air from winter leaves and the warm air of summer takes its place. That being said, the shoots must go on, and Utah shooters are as tough as they come. Shooters who have been keeping their skills sharp over the winter months and early spring are definitely ahead of the curve as the ATA season gets going.

Recently the Helper Gun Club hosted a one-day ATA tournament that was well attended, and believe it or not, the weather could not have been better. The shoot was on Saturday, May 9, and there were 43 participants in the Event 1 doubles. Rob Stratton broke 47-48 to finish with 95 enroute to the high score of the day. Dale Erickson, Trace Huber and Quint Sudbury were all one target off the mark with scores of 94 apiece. The second event was a handicap, and Stan Mecham carded a 96 to top the leaderboard by two birds. Trace Huber posted a 93 to secure the long-yardage win. In the final event of the day, singles, three shooters, Brian Gooch, Joe Sudbury and Ed Wehking, broke scores of 99 to lead the way.

As of press time, Utah ATA tournaments included the May 17 Ogden shoot as well as the Memorial Day Spanish Fork tournament held May 23-25. Vernal Rod and Gun Club scheduled a marathon day June 1 and then the Western Grand American June 2-7. Tooele Gun Club threw a one-day shoot on June 20 and Spanish Fork hosts the Utah State Shoot June 23-28.

I hope to see everyone out supporting these clubs and breaking great scores as the weather heats up into the late spring.

Sharred Oaks

ATA Delegate

Washington

Greetings from Walla Walla.

We are in the heart of the shooting season now. We’ve had well attended shoots at the Coulee City Sportsmen’s Club and Marlin Gun Club. We are glad to have clubs on the west side of the state host ATA tournaments, as Bremerton offered targets and Old Skagit threw a Memorial Day tournament. By the time you read this, a two-day shoot at Colton and the WSTA Championships will be in the books, and we will be gearing up to return to Colton for the Western Zone. We also had a good turnout of Washington shooters at the Couer d’Alene Idaho Skeet and Trap Club. I hope Washington shooters will make the quick hop across the border for two more days of ATA participation this summer. I’m sure several of our shotgunners have made their plans for the Grand American. Washington has put up a good showing at the Grand in recent years, and we hope to keep it going. We will have a lot more news to report after the state shoot is complete, but for now, we owe a big thank you to all our sponsors. CCI/Speer offered four boxes of shells to all sub-junior and junior shooters who enter this year’s WSTA shoot in Walla Walla, and we had some great silent auction contributions. The WSTA directors and volunteers from the Walla Walla Gun Club also put in a lot of hours to make this annual tradition happen. Of course, a helping hand is always lent by many of you who show up to shoot; it is greatly appreciated.

When you get the chance to bring a new shooter into the sport, please do so.

Shoot straight and keep your powder dry.

Sean Lewis

WSTA Director

Wyoming

Happy Fourth of July. We truly are fortunate to live in the USA. As of press time, we have been busy getting ready for the state shoot, which will be held in Laramie this year. Dave and the gang have really gotten the club and grounds in top shape. And hopefully the skeeters under control!

If you see Phil Vasquez around, congratulate him on shooting 200,000 singles targets. That is a huge accomplishment!

For those attending the Grand, make sure you get squadded and a campsite reserved. It’s a lot easier to do it online than to stand in line at the counter.

Till next time.

Ron Miller

ATA Delegate