Trap and Field's Around the ATA article from the Atlantic Provinces ATA Delegate
October, 2018
Hello from the Atlantic Provinces.
August has been a very busy month for clubs and shooters in the Atlantic Provinces with no shortage of ATA registered shoots to attend. Traditionally, July and August are the busiest months for the Atlantic Provinces and this year has been great – perhaps even busier than previous years.
The Highland Gun Club in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia hosted the first Nova Scotia Provincial Trapshooting Championships over the August 4th and 5th weekend. Doug Blades reports that on Day 1, 21 shooters survived the heat and humidity for the 200 Singles event. Some good scores were posted with Rejean d'Entremont and Ken d’Eon tying with 195/200 for event Champion. Rejean won the shootoff (24 over Ken’s 23) to claim the first Nova Scotia Singles Trapshooting Championship. Day 2 had 19 shooters in the Doubles and Handicap events. Doug Blades captured the NS Doubles Championships and Junior shooter Alex Nickerson shot a 97, earning him a 1 yard punch and the Nova Scotia Handicap Championship. Doug Blades also won the High All-Around race.
Ron Whitehead reports that the Petitcodiac Sportsman’s Club had a Handicap Marathon shoot on August 11. It rained very hard all day. Ten shooters who would not have duck hunted in this rain registered for the shoot. Ron reported that at times it was very difficult to keep glasses clear enough to see the targets but Brian Pettipas found them most of the time. Brian shot four 24’s and finished with a top combined score of the day.
The St. John’s Rod and Gun Club hosted their annual Memorial Shoot over the August 11th and 12th weekend. This shoot remembers the contributions of founding club member Roger Bidgood, past club president Dave Anstey and John Molloy – a young active member who lost his life in a tragic snowmobile accident while trying to save others that went through the ice. Dave was club president when I first joined the club in 1998. He gave me the keys to the traps and asked me to open up on Sundays and pass in the trap fees at the end of the month. And the rest is history, as they say.
The weather was fantastic for shooting and all events were well-attended with 26 shooters signing up. Troy Coldwell shot a perfect 100 to claim the John Molloy Singles and bested the rest of the field by 4 targets. The Dave Anstey High Overall award for the high combined score in Singles and Doubles went to yours truly.
The Highland Gun Club have invested a lot of time, effort and resources preparing for this year’s Atlantic Provinces Shoot. They have rebuilt one trap, built a new trapfield and put in new concrete handicap walkways on both traps. The club facilities are looking great and members are looking forward to hosting our ATA Provincial shoot for the first time Labour Day Weekend. Presquadding numbers were at an all-time high and we have already exceeded last year’s attendance. It’s looking like we will have record attendance for this year’s shoot. An encouraging sign that the hard work and dedication of club volunteers at the local scene is paying off.
For complete results, photos and more information on the Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Association, feel free to contact me or visit shootatlantic.com.
Regards,
Andrea
Andrea Bassan
shootatlantic.com