THE Guyana Sport Shooting Federation (GSSF), in its quest to promote the various disciplines and art of sport shooting, embarked on yet another journey when the first Clay was launched in a regulated manner at the GDF Range at Yarrowkabra.Member of the GSSF and renowned shotgun enthusiast, Gerard Mekdeci, was invited to fire the first shot at a clay target to mark this ceremonious occasion.
He held true to the task, hitting the biodegradable clay target with his first shot, causing it to shatter in several pieces thus launching the sport of Trapshooting locally.
The GSSF at the end of 2014 secured affiliation to the Amateur Trapshooting Association.
Since then, it formed an internal Trapshooting Committee tasked with pioneering this sporting discipline in Guyana which ultimately resulted in last Saturday’s Official Launch of the sport of ATA Trap.
President of the Federation, Vidushi Persaud, in her remarks at the launch expressed thanks on behalf of the GSSF to the following persons who equally contributed in order to purchase the ATLAS Automatic Trap Machine.
These included Dr Soumi SenGupta, Nicholas Deygoo, Vidyanand Persaud and Dia Persaud as well as Richard Van Slytman of C&V Shipping who assisted in shipping the machine and clays to Guyana.
She also acknowledged the kind gesture from a well-wisher of the Federation, Anthony Mekdeci, who upon learning of our plans to launch this sport, donated two manual trap machines for practice.
She went on to thank the hardworking Board members.
Trapshooting is a specific form of clay-target shooting utilising shotguns. It is a game of movement, action and split-second timing which requires the accuracy and skill to repeatedly aim, fire one shot in an attempt to break the 108mm clay discs which are hurled through the air at speeds surpassing 65kmh.
In registered trapshooting, the rules specify that targets must be thrown no more than 52 yards and should reach a height of between 8 and 12 feet at 10 yards from the trap house. Shooters stand a minimum of 16 yards from the trap houses and take turns at calling ‘Pull’ for the targets to be launched when they are ready.
Usually there are about 4 types of shotguns which can be used for trapshooting. They are over and under, single barrel, semi-automatic and pump action. Regulations stipulate they must be no larger than 12-gauge.