St. John's Rod and Gun Club, St. John's (closer to Holyrood), NL
The St. John's Rod and Gun Club hosted the 2019 Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Trapshooting Championships August 29 - September 1, 2019. This year also marked the 40th anniversary of the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club hosting the first Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Shoot in NL. In 1978, NL shooters attended the Atlantic Provinces shoot at the Moncton Gun Club and were convinced to host the following year. A young Roger Butler of the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club was one of the members responsible for organizing the 1979 shoot at the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club. Poppy Roger is now retired but still plays a vital role in organizing shoots at the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club.
Here's Roger (left) accepting awards at the Moncton 1978 Shoot.
This year’s shoot attendance was boosted by strong shooter participation from the Atlantic Provinces and from visiting Alberta, Ontario and Quebec shooters - some regular AP shoot competitors and a few first timers. Event entry was up in all events and attendance records were set for a NL based shoot.
Like most places, the weather has always been a popular conversation topic in NL and is always on the minds of NL shooters. Considering the higher than normal hurricane activity this season, shooters were treated to decent shooting weather. Some rain, drizzle and fog (RDF) on Friday but bright skies and a little wind for the weekend’s championship events.
The St. John’s Rod and Gun Club is the furthest east in North America that ATA registered targets can be shot. Getting here is either a plane trip or several days drive and ferry crossing from the mainland. It’s for this reason that visiting shooters often make it an extended holiday and tour our beautiful province. Shooters become tourists and visit Cape Spear, Quidi Vidi, St. John’s, Bonavista, Twillingate and every little town, cove and nook and cranny between here and there. Some of the more adventurous even take in the recreational cod fishery.
Nova Scotia shooters and spouses pose for a picture. (Photo credit: Kevin Healey)
Jim Wood cod fishing (Photo credit: Jim Pollock)
View of Cape Spear Lighthouse - North America's most easternly point (Photo credit: Jim Pollock)
Quidi Vidi Village: (Photo credit: Jim Pollock)
Finding volunteer help and scorers for a large shoot is certainly an issue for all shoot committees. Like most clubs, the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club has a core group of members that make sure things go smoothly. Scoring help came largely from 3 Junior club shooters – Liam Porter, Keegan Bartlett and Jack Hoddinott and Alberta visitor Tenacity Smith who flew to NL with parents Jesse and Lynn Smith and brother Justus. Club member Jeff Thomas and visiting Ontario shooters Tom Bueller and Duncan Smith also pitched in when needed.
The St. John's Rod and Gun Club recognizes that getting young shooters interested and involved in our sport is key to ensuring the continuation of our sport for years to come. With that in mind, the three Junior scorers became first time ATA members and competed in the Singles Championship event. Their registration fees were paid for by a kind donation and their ammunition was compliments of our shoot sponsors – Federal, Remington and Winchester.
Junior Shooters Liam Porter, Keegan Bartlett and Jack Hoddinott. (Photo credit: Kevin Healey)
Congratulations to all Atlantic Provinces Champions including Singles, Doubles, HAA and HOA Champion Troy Coldwell, Handicap Champion Janaya Nickerson and Singles Open Champion Jim Wood who shot a 200/200 to claim the Open Singles title for the second year in a row.
Shoot Highlights
Handicap Champion Janaya Nickerson and dad Herbie Nickerson - Sub Veteran Handicap Champion (Photo credit: Kevin Healey)
Open Handicap Champion Lynn Smith (Photo credit: Kevin Healey)
Troy Coldwell: Singles, Doubles, HAA and HOA Champion (Photo credit: Kevin Healey)
Open Atlantic Provinces Singles Champion Jim Wood. (Photo credit: Kevin Healey)
2019 5 Man Team Champions: Ken d'Eon, Shawn d"entremont, Rejean d'Entremont, Reynold D'Entremont and Carl d'Entremont. (Photo credit: Kevin Healey)
A friendly rivalry has been ongoing between shooters from the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club and the Highland Gun Club shooters for several years now. It appears to have started with the Atlantic Provinces 5 Man Team Trophy. Shooters from both clubs would compete hard to make the provincial team and being on the losing end of the team scores was not something shooters liked. For 2019, the 2 clubs came up with a friendly grudge match type competition called the Atlantic Provinces Club Points Challenge. Based on the Singles Championship event, shooters would earn points for their club for finishing 1st or 2nd in each class. The club with the most points would win the trophy. The losing club will display the trophy, with the winning club’s name listed, at their club until the next Atlantic Provinces Championships.
The Atlantic Provinces Club Points Challenge Trophy. Designed and crafted by Troy Coldwell.
This year’s club points race was very close with the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club edging the Highland Gun Club by 1 point. Here, Andrea Bassan presents Ken d’Eon with the Atlantic Provinces Club Points Challenge trophy that will be displayed at the Highland Gun Club until next year's shoot, or possibly longer. Better luck next year, Gedou.
The 2020 Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Championships will be held at the Highland Gun Club in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, September 3 - 6, 2020.
Elected APTA officials are:
Event 1 Scores Event 2 Scores Event 3 Scores Event 4 Scores Event 5 Scores Event 6 Scores
High All Around (HAA) High Over All (HOA)
Day 2 Awards and Shootoff Pictures
Photo credits: Kevin Healey
Shoot Pictures
Photo credits: Kevin Healey