Trap and Field's Around the ATA article from the Atlantic Provinces ATA Delegate
March 2022
Hello from the Atlantic Provinces.
At nearly 49 years old, I am among the group of longest active trapshooters in the Atlantic Provinces. I find that hard to believe as I write it; I still think of myself as one of the younger shooters. I have come to realize that as the generation of the shooters before me become inactive in the sport, we’re losing part of our Atlantic Provinces trapshooting history. The contributions that deceased shooters like Ken Brunt, Dave Anstey, Carl d’Entremont, Michel d’Entremont, Pat Wall, Roger Bidgood, Dave Williams, Don Stevens, Don Sullivan, Ian Ross and Wilfred Tratt have made is becoming less known. And the contribution that those still living like Jerry Stafford, Ron Whitehead, Ray Woodill, Derm Molloy are becoming less known as well. I’m willing to bet that a lot of shooters don’t even recognize the names.
Ken Brunt was one of the grumpiest guys I ever met, but was a nice man at heart. He was retired from the Canadian Air Force and continued to live in Greenwood, Nova Scotia until his death. Ken helped run the Greenwood Rod and Gun Club until it closed in the late 2000s, and regularly shot skeet and trap there with his buddies Bush Tratt and Sherman Ogilvie. Ken won many Atlantic Provinces titles and the 1999 Canadian Handicap Championship. And he served as the Atlantic Provinces Delegate to the Amateur Trapshooting Association and Canadian Trapshooting Association for many years.
Ken was also responsible for getting many shooters involved in skeet and trap. Herbie, Gary and Teddy Nickerson were three of those shooters whom Ken got involved in shooting clay targets in the early 2000s. Herbie tells me that Ken was a great guy and treated them like family. Ken’s wife Edna was also very good with the Nickerson’s young kids – Janaya, Stefan and Steven. Ken got the Nickerson kids started at trap, standing them just behind the traphouse and letting them shoot his .410 at clay targets for as long as they wanted. Herbie, Gary, Janaya and Stefan are still actively shooting today, while Teddy and Steven last shot ATA targets in 2018. Ken passed away in 2009.
In December, I received an email from David Jenkins, a Nova Scotia shooter who was active from the 60s to early 90s along with his brother and father. He was hoping that I had some information on one of his trophy wins. In a series of emails, Dave provided me with newspaper clippings and stories on trapshooting in the Atlantic Provinces from his active years. I find history like this interesting and important to share. You can read more about David and the conversation we had on our webpage – www.shootatlantic.com.
My conversation with David reminded me of a motion made several years ago at an annual general meeting of our association. The motion was to create a Hall of Fame for both shooters and contributors to our sport. The Hall of Fame idea never got off the ground, mainly because we didn’t have any volunteers to spearhead the project. I think it’s time for that to change. If you’re interested in becoming involved in the Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Hall of Fame committee, then please contact me.
For more information on the Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Association, feel free to contact me or visit shootatlantic.com.
Regards,
Andrea
Andrea Bassan
shootatlantic.com