West Virginia Amateur Trapshooting Association

Donald LaFollette, Handicap Champion; Todd Sauble, Singles Champion; Chuck Jackson, Doubles Champion; Steve Sprout, HAA Champion and Mark Isner, HOA Champion.

The 99^th WV State Shoot was held at Winchester Gun Club, in Winchester, Virginia from July 10 – 14, 2019. Our friends at Winchester, provided their outstanding facility and assistance in hosting our shoot and the WVATA is very appreciative for their hospitality. Next year, the 100^th WV State Shoot, will be held in Winchester July 8 – 12, 2020. Planning has already begun for our 100^th Anniversary Celebration and it promises to be a “blast”.

The big news, the WV State Shoot was a Five Day Event this year thanks to the generosity of Raymond Childers, Jr. Owner, of Ray’s Guns of Inwood, WV’s who sponsored the additional day. The trophies Ray provided were Kent Shot Shells for Hi Gun, Class and Category winners. Ray’s Guns had an onsite tent with guns and shells for purchase. Saturday’s Singles Championship was sponsored by Dave Weddle, owner of Weddle Tool Company. All American Team Member, Cameron Bailey, Owner of Precision Steel, provided trophies for the Champions Day on Thursday made by Mike McKinney, Owner of West Virginia Wood Arts. The laser engraved trophies had outlines of WV with either the State Seal or WV Mountaineer with trophy bases made of walnut from Hampshire County West Virginia.  We very much appreciate the generosity of each of our sponsors.

Every WV Championship was won outright, save one, the WV High All Around. Three knotted at 378, Alec Sauble, Darrell Dowler and Steve Sprout. After one round, Sprout was the WV HAA Champion for 2019.  Donald LaFollette broke 96 from the 22.5 yard line for the Handicap Championship and Chuck Jackson broke 95 birds for his first Doubles Championship. Mark Isner broke a 940 to lead all WV Shooters by five targets for the HOA Championship.

The weather, which seems to always be a story during the State Shoot, was not much of a factor this year. Rain on Thursday, caused attendance to drop over the three events affecting doubles the last event of the day.

Shoot attendance on Wednesday, was up one hundred percent as announced by WV Treasurer, Steve Sprout during the Board of Directors Meeting. The WV State Shoot has always been a four day event, so technically he’s correct. A total of 222 entries started the week off on a positive note.

John Domas broke the only 100 straight on opening day securing Hi Gun honors. Steven Sprout was the AA winner. Dan Biggs won a lengthy carryover with Rance Boyd that lasted through Fridays Singles Class Championship for Class A; Class B was also decided by a carryover with Jeremy Keplinger over James Hughes; Class C, James Platske and Class D, Walter Asbury.

Event II, Ray’s Gun Handicap, all trophies were decided by the shoot results with no ensuing shoot offs. 2019 WV Hall of Fame inductee, Todd Sauble, broke an event high, 96 to lead all shooters for Hi Gun; Fritz Carlsten broke 95 for 26 to 27 yard honors; Rance Boyd claimed the 24 to 25 yardage group breaking just two less; 22 to 23 yard group was Darrell Dowler; 19 to 21, Jeremey Keplinger.

Event III, Ray’s Guns Doubles, Sheldon Hosetter’s 97 was the event high score to claim Hi Gun and eight boxes of Kent shells. Fritz Carlsten and Michael Kemp broke just one less to tie for Class AA with Carlsten winning in the carryover. John DiFabio won Class A with a 94; Class B had to be decided by carryover with Scott Petitto over Jennifer Everett who tied with 88; Class C was won by Robert Chocinsky breaking 92 and Class D laurels went to Francis Klein also turning in a 92. Category champions were Noah Gouge in Junior Gold; Shane Biser, Junior; Sub. Jr, Walter Asbury; Lady I Cassie Hammond; Lady II Sandra Spencer; Sub Vet, Bob Harden, in a carryover with James Platske and William Wempe; Veteran, Darrel Murray, and Sr. Veteran, Morgan Lough,  broke a 95 claiming an almost “out of body experience” that is really just putting it all together.

Day two, the weather looked like rain but held off until the last event, when the early squads shooting doubles took their positions. The rain which was enough to dampen the day’s attendance turnout.

The spirits of the shooters in the Fred Dague Singles were not dampened when six broke prefect century’s to tie for event Champion.  Fritz Carlsten after the carryover, was Class AA winner, Shane Biser, Todd Sauble and Wilbur Ruhl continued their straight streaks through the next singles event. Biser clenched the win after breaking them all in the Championship Singles. Todd Sauble missed one singles bird in the Championship and second of the shoot falling back to Sub Vet. Ruhl not shooting the Singles Championship, fell back to Sr. Vet., Noah Gouge and Brian Kellner fell back to their respective categories.

During the Scott Ross Handicap, three knotted for the top spot. 21.5 yarder Donald LaFollette, 26.5 yarder Bob Harden and 27 yarder Dan Biggs all broke 96’s to shoot off for Champion. LaFollette appeared to be a little nervous before the shoot off but it didn’t affect his performance as he vanquished Biggs and Harden in one round becoming the Scott Ross Handicap Champion. Leaving Biggs 26-27 yard winner and Harden, Sub Vet winner; Randy Jones won 19-21 yard honors over Carroll Braden and Samuel Woncheck after a flip when none answered the call for the shootoff. Michael Benlock won 22-23 yard laurels after a three way tie and shootoff with Gerald Conway and Kevin Wolfe. Scott Petitto claimed 24-25 yard prize with a 93.

The rain soaked doubles Event VI, Alec Sauble Doubles, saw Junior Shane Biser and Lady I, Bethany Breighner break 98’s to tie for top honors with Biser winning the carryover the next day and Breighner falling back to category. All American Men’s Team Shooter, Cameron Bailey,won Class AA; New WVATA President, Lillard Russell, won Class A.

Day three brought the heatwave, but no rain, for the remainder of the Shoot. Event VII, the WV Singles Class Championship, was decided except for two trophies, Open AA where Mark Hebert and Michael Kemp both broke 100’s and Open Sr. Vets. Thomas Muddiman and Wilbur Ruhl of the four only Kemp shot the Singles Championship and a flip decided the other with Ruhl getting the toss. WV Resident, Anthony “Sam” Sellaro, who broke his first 100 straight, is a world record holder in Muzzleloaded trap, an International style Trap, shot with a cylinder bore Muzzleloaded period shotgun. Sam and his two sons, Antonio and Dominic, joined the ATA in 2018, shooting only one hundred targets before this target year has gained 2.5 yards, Class AA Singles and Class B Doubles average on his last thousand targets. Sellaro was also the winner of the Newt Jones Memorial Trophy.

Preliminary Handicap Event VIII saw Ron Smith and Michael Kemp break the top score of 97, Ron claiming the title in a shootoff, Michael 2^nd, Fritz Carlsten 3^rd, Michael Benlock 4^th, Jeremey Keplinger 5^th; and Allan Armacost 6^th.

Event IX WV Doubles Class Championship.  WV Residents Alec Sauble and Russell Lillard tied at 91 for Class AA a carryover to the Championship doubles event Alec won. Open AA, Michael Kemp.

Saturday’s Championship Singles, sponsored by Weddle Tool Company, saw two time Singles Champion Todd Sauble only miss one target to garner his third Singles title in six years. In fact, it was one of just two singles targets he’d missed the entire shoot. Cameron Bailey was Runner-up. WV Parent Child; Todd and Alec Sauble, Open Parent Child: Darrell & JW Dowler; WV Husband & Wife, Lonnie & Sandy Spencer; Open Husband & Wife David & Janice Feaga. Dague’s Farm Raised Beef & Eggs owners Mary Ellen & Fred Dague covered target fees for 20 Junior and Sub Junior shooters in today’s 200 Bird WV Singles Championship, we appreciate their generosity in supporting youth trapshooting.

In the Open Singles Championship, five shooters knotted at 199, after the shoot offs, New shooter Garry Welch was Open Champion.

Day 5 Sunday Championship Doubles saw Chuck Jackson win the WV Doubles Championship with a 95, his first WV Championship. Nick Harden was Runner-up with a 94.

The WV Handicap Championship, Donald LaFollette, broke another 96 to win the title outright. Edsel Kittle broke one less for Sr. Vet. The ensuing shoot off set the rest of the six places Runner-up, Darrell Dowler; Third, Steven Sprout; not having to shoot off was Fourth place, Roger Taylor; Fifth, Thomas J Parker and Sixth, Alec Sauble.

This year’s shoot ran even smoother than the year before, as a result of a group of dedicated people.  Brandy and Matt Hayes, operators of Tyler Rod and Gun Club, manned the Classification Desk under the watchful eye of veteran classifier, Jim Schad. They did an excellent job, Brandy also assisted by running errands for Sprout and Harden as well as bringing morning pastries for the office, thank you, Brandy and Matt. Bill King manned the Squadding window along with Toot Riggle both showing up early each day with fruit and breakfast bars. Steve Sprout, Russ Lillard and Alec Sauble manned the Cashier window each day and Debbie Harden who did it all when we were out shooting in addition to entering scores and printing scoresheets and reports. Todd and Leslie Sauble handled trophies and took winners photos (I won't say she did it with one hand tied behind her back... maybe with one leg tied up though!) , Alec, studying for the Bar, was able to shoot two of Friday’s events and the weekend. Darrel Murray and Cameron Bailey enlisted Noah Gouge’s help and along with “Yardbird” did their usual great job of handling the target setting.

Chuck Farmer’s 4-H group from Fredrick, Maryland did a great job scoring and keeping the traps loaded, his daughter Morgan beautifully sang the national anthem each morning. A personal thanks to Morgan for volunteering to score a makeup during the rain before the Doubles Event Thursday. The Virginia 4-H ran the kitchen providing delicious food and drink from morning to evening. Eric Bucher did a masterful job of Squad Hustling, starting on time and keeping the line moving.  

Special thanks to Greg and Glen Funkhouser and Steve Sprout for working out the details for this years’ shoot.

A moment of silence was observed in honor of three West Virginia shooters who recently passed away; Frank Wolfe of Moundsville, Jack Gandee of Mineral Wells and Danny Nagle of Friendly.

 A card was distributed to send well wishes to Terry Groves of Oakhill, WV who has been battling cancer and was unable to attend this years’ shoot.  Terry’s address is 1201 Country Club Rd. Oakhill, WV 25901

During the annual meeting newly elected WVATA president Russell Lillard presented embroidered jackets donated by Superior Industrial Laundries to the WV State Team members. Scott Ross was installed as Vice President, Brandy Hayes Secretary, Steve Sprout Treasurer, ATA Delegate Nicholas Harden, ATA Alt Delegate Robert Harden, 1^st Alt delegate Darrell Dowler, 2^nd

Again we want to thank all our sponsors for their support this year:

Superior Industrial Laundries- Russell Lillard owner. Dague’s Farm Raised Beef & Eggs Fred and Mary Ellen Dague owners, Weddle Tool Company Dave Weddle owner, Precision Steel Cameron Bailey owner and Ray’s Guns Raymond Childers owners

Complete results below.

2019 WV State Shoot Winners