Wendell Cherry has won the 2013 U.S. Open of Sporting Clays held at Backwoods Quail Club.  Runner Up was Bill McGuire, 3rd was Anthony Matarese.  Lady Champ was Diane Sorantino, Jr Champ Clinton Hinton and SJr Champ was Tom Seay.  In Vets Mark Hall took the win and in SVet it was Jack Concannon with the nod.  SSVet was Ron Shafer.

The 2013 SHOT Show (Shooting Hunting and Outdoors Trade Show) held each year by the NSSF is currently in full swing in Las Vegas, NV.  Here is an update from guest poster Henry Nachaj.

There are 61,000 visitors and around 30,000 exhibitors, here in Las Vegas.  The big news at Beretta is the new A400 20 gauge.  There are several barrel lengths and "Kickoff" is available making it the softest shooting 20!  They also showed the new 692 series.  Of course this is a competition model and no hunter versions are made.  The shotgun feels very lively. It is assembled presently on the regular previous 682 line but, some finishing is done in the Premium gun shop.  The new buzz is at CZ with their semi autos, the CZ912.  Fausti had a very nice display of their fine shotguns.  Winchester came out with a new way to see where your shot is going.  The wad keeps 1/8 Oz of shot during its flight therefore it keeps up near the center of the shot cloud.

Richard Faulds announced on his Facebook page today that he has a new gun sponsor, Caesar Guerini.  Faulds previously shot the Beretta DT-10/11 series shotguns in Sporting, FITASC and Mens Olympic Trap, winning numerous medals in each.  Seems like quite a coup for Caesar Guerini to land a shooter of this caliber.  From his Facebook.

"Are delighted to announce that with immediate effect, we have a fantastic NEW gun sponsor… CAESAR GUERINI…

We are very excited to be working with CAESAR GUERINI and very much looking forward to the year ahead, competing at all the major sporting and Fitasc shoots worldwide!!"

Look out for Faulds and his wife Tanya, who’s not a bad shot either, competing in championships around the globe.  Faulds is next expected to compete in the U.S. at the World English Sporting Championship in San Antonio.  Keep an eye on this blog for more!

Guerini USA

Guerini UK

Entries for the 2013 World FITASC Sporting Championship are now open on the FITASC website.  The Championship is to be held in Spain at Castillejo de Rebledo Soria, site of last years European Championship, from July 8-14.  For more information see the 35th World Championship Website and download the Official Program (.pdf).

2013 Official Invitation (.pdf)

2013 Official Firearms Form (.pdf)

About taking firearms into spain from the Championship Website:

TAKING FIREARMS TO SPAIN

For athletes from the European Community.

    You must carry your invitation to the Championship and your European firearms pass.

For athletes from the rest of the world.

    You must carry your invitation to the Championship.

    You must carry authorisation from the Spanish consulate in your country of residence. This authorisation must be stamped by the     ambassador or the consul. When you go to the consulate to apply for this document, you will be asked to submit your invitation to the Championship.

    On arrival at the airport, go to the firearms office, “Intervención de Armas”. There they will make out a temporary permit for you (There is a fee for this permit) and give you your firearm.
 

Also for more information on how to enter championships on the FITASC website CLICK HERE.

Winchester has announced a new sporting clay target AA Traacker load that features a wad that moves WITH the shot column all the way to the target.  The wad is a visible orange or black color.  The theory being that by seeing where the wad goes you can tell where you missed the target.  The wad is different from a traditional one in that when fired, some of the lead shot is trapped inside channels molded into the wad thus giving it the mass to follow along with the shot column and not veer off in some different direction.  For more information check out the link to Winchester AA Traacker Shotshells.

This time last year we published three great how to shooting videos with Champion shooter Zach Kienbaum.  The videos have been some of the most watched and enjoyed that we’ve done.  In thanks I thought I would publish a section of video we didn’t use originally because it wasn’t the best we had.  I hope you can get a few tips from Zach trying to show me how to best shoot a chondel target.  I wasn’t performing well that day but Zach’s instruction has stuck with me and made me a confident shot on long chondel targets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqI6k-YOUMI

The ICTSF (International Clay Target Shooting Federation) World English Sporting Championships returns this year with the venue set for Galt Sportsmen’s Club in Canada.  The event will take place July 30th – August 4th and consist of a Prelim, 5-Stand, PCH and a 200 target Main Event.  Targets will be set by Dave Peckham.  See the official flyer below (Download .PDF) for more info and register at WINSCOREONLINE.COM.

Gebben Miles is releasing a brand new shooting instruction video at http://quietdustshooting.com.  Right now there is pre-order sale going on until August 1st and items will ship on August 3rd.  You can order the video on DVD, Blu-Ray or via digital download.  Check out the trailer below and see the site http://quietdustshooting.com for more information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ38hwpCoiw

Wanted to pass along this updated information and program for the North American FITASC Grand Prix.  Please disregard the previous post.  From the CNSCA:

IMPORTANT NOTICE: WE REGRET TO INFORM ALL REGISTERED SHOOTERS THAT DUE TO UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES THE NORTH AMERICAN GRAND PRIX SCHEDULED TO BE HELD AT SILVER WILLOW SHOOTING GROUNDS IN CARSTAIRS ALBERTA CANADA JULY 5TH,6TH,7TH,AND 8TH 2012 HAS BEEN CANCELLED AND HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE MINNESOTA HORSE & HUNT CLUB TO BE HELD JUNE 15-17, 2012. WE DEEPLY REGRET ANY AND ALL INCONVENIENCE THAT THIS SITUATION HAS CAUSED.

May 14, 2012

The venue for the North American FITASC Grand Prix has been changed. The Canadian National Sporting Clays Association, the NSCA and F.I.T.A.S.C. in Paris announced this venue change today.

Originally scheduled for Silver Willow Sporting Clays near Calgary, Alberta, this World Cup event will now be held at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club, in Prior Lake, Minnesota.

The North American FITASC Grand Prix will be held on June 15th – 17th, 2012.

Sanctioned by F.I.T.A.S.C. in Paris, the North American FITASC Grand Prix is a World Cup event, and will also be the finale of the Americas Cup. (The other event in the Americas Cup will be held earlier at Flint Oak in Kansas). Competition in these events allows competitors the opportunity to vie for the coveted Americas Cup (specifically for North America) and for the World Cup, which is awarded annually to the top competitor in each FITASC concurrent at the World Championships.

The North American FITASC Grand Prix will be held in conjunction with the Players Championship at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club. The competition will be held over eight old style parcours (200 FITASC targets), attempted over three days of competition. Shooters will attempt 75 targets on Friday, June 15th, an additional 75 targets on Saturday, June 16th, and the final 50 targets on Sunday, June 17th. The award ceremony will follow, with awards for the North American FITASC Grand Prix, and the Americas Cup. Additionally, awards for NSCA Class and Concurrent winners will be given.

In conjunction with the Grand Prix FITASC, the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club is hosting the Players Championship Sporting Clays event. This 200 target Sporting Clays Championship will consist of 200 targets, attempted 100 on Saturday and the second 100 on Sunday. Scheels Sports has donated $200 certificates for the winners of each NSCA Class and Concurrent for this event.

Blaser is the title sponsor of the event, and has donated a Blaser F3 Sporting Clays gun. Awarded by random drawing, one lucky winner will receive this extraordinary shotgun! Shooters get one entry for the FITASC event, and another entry for the Sporting Clays event – two chances to win!

And, we are hosting the Gun Makers Showdown! Open to all shooters!

If you shoot a Beretta, Blaser, Browning, Perazzi or Krieghoff, you are eligible to compete for the $10,000 cash purse.

These Gun Makers recognize that it is of critical importance to the advancement of our sport – and to make our athletes more visible, and thereby more marketable to mainstream corporate decision makers around the world – that we closely identify our athletes and the guns they use for competition. To that end, the Gun Makers Showdown has been created. It is our intention to create a broad interest in our sport, and make these opportunities so our athletes may make shooting their career, not just their hobby.

When registering, mark the brand of gun you shoot to enter the Gun Makers Showdown and compete in both the FITASC and Sporting Clays events. No extra charge! The four shooters from the gun maker with the top combined score will divide the $10,000 cash purse! You MUST shoot the same brand of gun in BOTH events to qualify.

The Gun Makers Showdown in 2011 was won by Team Blaser. The top four scores competing with Blaser shotguns were posted by Bill McGuire, Diego Duarte, Cory Kruse and Mike Wilgus. They split the $10,000 cash purse – lots of big smiles! Register on www.winscoreonline.com today. Just look for the North American FITASC Grand Prix and Players Championship event. For those shooters that had previously registered on iClays for the event in Calgary – you need to register on winscoreonline for the event to be held at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club.

The North American FITASC Grand Prix scheduled to be held in Alberta, Canada on July 6-8 has been moved to Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club in Prior Lake Minnesota on June 15-17. The event will be a 200 target World Cup over 8 old style parcours shot 75 Friday, 75 Saturday & 50 on Sunday.  The existing FITASC event at The Players Championship will become a Grand Prix World Cup event.

EDIT:  Shooters will need to register for the event through WinscoreOnline.com. If you were registered through iClays for the event you need to register again at Winscore.  For more information call or email Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club at phone: 952.447.2272 fax: 952.447.2278 info@horseandhunt.com

More to follow…

Attention:  Always contact the event manager, host club or association directly to find out the event status and any changes in the program.  While I strive to keep this list up to date I do not guarantee any information to be completely accurate.