The National Skeet Shooting Association’s 46th World International Skeet Championships was held August 27-30 at the Tulsa Gun Club.  This was also the site of the NSSA’s 4th World Shoot in 1938.  Remember that International Skeet targets are a lower profile target and are thrown 20 yards further than a standard skeet target.  In addition, the target is released on a variable -3 second delay and the gun cannot be shouldered and must remain at the hip until the target emerges.  The shooting sequence does away with the ‘optional’ shot, and includes Doubles at Stations 3-4-5.  If that isn’t challenge enough, the standard 12 gauge load is 24 grams, almost 7/8 ounce.

 

Fifty plus shooters participated in both the 100 target Preliminary Match and the 200 target Main Event.

 

While this was the NSSA’s Championships, the shoot received the full support of USA Shooting.  National Shotgun Coach Mark Weeks and 30 plus shooters from the US National teams joined us in for the annual clay target celebration.

 

In the Preliminary Match a lady shooter won the match title.   Caitlin Connor also established a new NSSA World Record by smashing 100 straight, besting the previous World record set in 1970 by Nuria Ortiz.  Also Ohio’s David Kirkman medaled in Class in the event.

 

The Main Event consisted of 125 targets on Saturday and 75 targets plus a final 25 for the top 6 finishers on Sunday.  Seventeen year old Jon Michael McGrath led the pack after Saturday’s shooting with a perfect 125x125!

 

The final targets were shot on Sunday with McGrath posting an almost perfect 74x75 to finish with a 199x200.  At International shoots, the top six shooters advance to a final round of 25 targets to determine the winner.  Our finals consisted of young McGrath with his 199, Shawn Dulohery with a 199, Haley Dunn with a 198, Vincent Hancock and Hunter Wise with 197’s, and Robbie Arabach with a 194.  Jon McGrath ran a perfect 25 to take the World Open Title, nudging Army shooter Shawn Dulohery by a single target while  Haley Dunn took 3rd place.      

 

Ohio's International Skeet State Shoot is scheduled for October 16-18th at the Clinton County Sportsmen's Association in Wilmington, Ohio.  Programs are available upon request--and new International shooters are WELCOME!