Trap and Field's Around the ATA article from the Atlantic Provinces ATA Delegate
August, 2018
Hello from the Atlantic Provinces.
June has been a busy month for the Atlantic Provinces – a lot of good things happening thanks to the hard work and dedication of our local club volunteers and shooters.
The Highland Gun Club in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia have been busy landscaping their club grounds, improving the “curb appeal” of their trap fields and putting the finishing touches on a couple of traphouse rebuilds. Lead by the efforts of Doug Blades, Aubrey Spinney and a host of other dedicated members they’re getting everything in order for this year’s Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Shoot which is shaping up to be a well attended shoot. For the latest shoot information check out our association’s webpage - shootatlantic.com.
Ron Whitehead of the Petitcodiac Sportsman’s Club in The Glades, New Brunswick reports that their new Pat Trap has been a great addition to their club and is meeting their shooting needs very well. They are now able to shoot all ATA disciplines and shooters are busy practicing for this year’s Atlantic Provinces ATA Shoot. Ron also reports that at their first shoot over their Pat Trap, Paul Devereaux shot his first 50 straight. Well done Paul.
Trapshooting has also picked up in Newfoundland as the weather slowly improves. (I won’t mention that we shot in heavy wet snow squalls on June 3.) Congratulations to nineteen year old Zack Elms for shooting his first 25 straight at the St. John's Rod and Gun Club on Sunday, June 10. Zack, who's also an avid archer, attended the club's first ATA registered shoot of the season and smashed all targets to earn his 25 Straight Patch and one well shot hat. Herb Butt, one of the club’s top sporting clay shooters, registered his first 25 Straight on Saturday, June 16 at one of the club’s many cross discipline fun shoots. Both Zack and Herb are relatively new shooters and have been shooting registered trap for a couple of years now. Both shooters took advantage of the ATA’s complimentary memberships last year and are enjoying ATA registered shooting. Well done fellas.
Paul Bailey aka "Old Man Bailey" celebrated his 85th birthday on Saturday June 16, 2018. To celebrate the occasion, Old Man Bailey's shooting buddies at the St. John's Rod and Gun Club planned a lobster boil and surprise party for him. Old Man Bailey was none the wiser of the party and was quite surprised to see his family show up at the club. Happy Birthday Paul - here's to many more! Paul started ATA registered shooting after he retired for the second time from public service – first with the Canadian Air Force and then with the Canadian Coast Guard Fishery Patrol in the early 2000’s. Since then Paul has won many Atlantic Province Veteran and Senior Veteran titles and he’s often the first to arrive and last to leave our shoots. Paul has also come to enjoy shooting at the Silver Dollar and has been a regular at the Southern Grand shoot.
A Dartmouth Clay Target Association update – looks like this trap club located in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia is in the final stages of dissolving and ceasing all operations. Association founder Barry Turner reports that “the club had no means to control its western shoot fall zone and the Association had no option but to cease operations.” The club executive did investigate relocating but the relocation committee dissolved after exhausting all options. Club assets are being sold and equipment and targets being transferred to another local club – the Annapolis Valley Sportsmen’s Shooting Club in Kentville, Nova Scotia. In the mist of the unfortunate closing of one club there’s at least a bright note – there’s a good opportunity here for the Annapolis Valley Sportsmen’s Shooting Club to expand and perhaps host the Atlantic Provinces Championship at some point in the future.
For more information on the Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Association feel free to contact me or visit shootatlantic.com.
Regards,
Andrea
Andrea Bassan
shootatlantic.com