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Clay Target Centre hoping renovations lead to increased interest in trapshooting

Apr 4, 2019 | 2:01 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Competitive shooting has been a relatively niche sport in Medicine Hat, usually relegated to a group of avid enthusiasts.

But, a hidden jewel of Medicine Hat’s short shooting community is looking to extend its reach to the community.

The Medicine Hat Clay Target Centre has opened for the season, led by president and former Canadian champion Neil Burbidge.

He said the sport allows those interested in trapshooting to practice or compete in an atmosphere that focuses on safety.

“They can come out and try out a shotgun or practice whatever they’d like in a safe, controlled environment rather than shooting beer bottles on someone’s private land,” said Burbidge.

It’s a new era for the club, as they’re coming off a $100,000 renovation project over the last three years which includes a three-tiered elevated platform and the introduction of sporting clay shooting stations.

Burbidge said it’s been a major investment that’s provided the club more options in what they offer to local shooters.

“It’s becoming a full-service club with the introduction of sporting clays, 14 stations involves about 30 different trap machines,” he said.

However, the biggest group they’re looking to tap into is those who are complete rookies to the sport of clay shooting.

Harold Schwandt, a local shooter with four decades of experience with the Clay Target Centre, said the sporting clay stations are especially good for first-timers.

“You hang out with a group, you shoot,” said Schwandt. “If someone misses you can joke, you can laugh at them and say, ‘Gee, you missed that by a mile.’”

On Saturday, the club kicked off their 2019 season with their ‘Frigid Pigeon’ shoot which saw just under 50 people get their first shots of the season under their belts.

One of those shooters was Gavin Roen, who travelled to Medicine Hat from Bassano along with his nine-year-old son Corbin.

Gavin said it was Corbin’s first time attending a competitive shoot, which he said was a proud moment as a father.

“He’s going to start shooting this summer and I can’t wait to shoot alongside with him,” said Roen. “We could shoot together for the rest of our lives, you know?”

Schwandt added there’s a large group of people locally who don’t even know the club just north of the city exists and is hoping to change that narrative to introduce more to trapshooting.

“This facility has been a very, very well kept secret in Medicine Hat,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know it’s here and we’re just this year really starting to market it.”