By Kevin J. Sabo
For the Advance
Competitors from across Alberta were in Castor over the June 14th to 16th weekend, for the 32nd Castor Trap Club Trophy Shoot.
Despite the rain hampering the shooting on June 14th, the weather cooperated for the remainder of the weekend which saw 32 shooters from around the province competing for the various trophies.
The Father’s Day weekend date for the event is a switch from years past. The tournament is normally held over the August long weekend.
“We had about average attendance,” said Donna Checkel, one of the organizers of the event.
“We changed the date hoping the attendance would go up, because people always seemed to have family functions in August.”
The Castor Trap Club hosts two tournaments a year, the annual trophy shoot and a one-day tournament in September, weather permitting. “We got snowed out last year,” said Checkel.
Both tournaments are sanctioned by the Amateur Trapshooting Association and the Alberta Provincial Trap Association.
Trap is a sport where the competitors stand on a firing line, and one at a time get one shot at a clay ‘pigeon’ launched out of a ‘trap-house’ at speeds of up to 40 mph with the goal of hitting the pigeon before it hits the ground. There are several variations on the sport including singles, doubles, and handicap.
In singles, the competitors shoot at one pigeon launched out of the trap-house.
In doubles, two pigeons are changed, and the competitor is challenged to hit them both before they hit the ground.
In the handicap competition, the shooters are moved back on the firing line up to several yards, increasing the difficulty of the shot. The better the shooter, the further back they are moved.
No trophies were handed out on day one of the shoot.
On day two of the event, winners of event three (singles) were; Champ, Trevor Dawe, ‘A,’Brad Johnson, ‘B,’ Kevin Hammel, ‘C,’ Ken Reid, ‘D,’ Greg Boxma, Lady, Lynn Smith, Junior, Abe Docherty, Vetera, Allan Day, Senior Veteran, Rod Huffman.
Day two event four (handicap)winners were; Champ, Lynn Smith, Long, Brad Johnson, Mid, Irv Scott, Short, Doug Hays.
Day two event five (doubles) winners were; Champ, Kevin Hammel, ‘A’, Brad Johnson, ‘B’, Allan Day, ‘C’, Lynn Smith, ‘D,’ Rod Huffman.
Day Three, event six (Singles) winners were; Champ, Brad Johnson, ‘A,’ Jesse Smith, ‘B,’ Kevin Hammel, ‘C,’ Adam Fuller, ‘D,’ Rod Huffman, Lady, Lynn Smith, Sub Junior, Ryder Fuller, Veteran, Jack Broadfoot, Senior Vet, Jerry Houchin.
Day three, event seven (handicap) winners were; Champ, Lynn Smith, Long, Kevin Hammel, Mid, Cameron Schole, and Short, Doug Hays.
The highest overall shooter of the weekend was Brad Johnson, hitting 459 of 500 targets.
For the Castor Trap Club, club president Doug Hays received the highest score, hitting 421 of 500.
The Castor Trap Club meets at the range adjacent to the Castor airpark on Wednesdays and Sundays during the summer months.
For more information, the Castor Trap Club can be contacted at 403-882-3238.
