Big showdown looms in national title shoot-out

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Some of the island's top shooters will vie for the title of national title, when they take aim in the final stage of the National Shotgun Championship, to be staged over two days at Worthy Park Estate.

The championship, which runs for six months, commenced in January and will culminate this weekend. The battle for the title is expected to go down to Sunday's final day, as a mere two points separate the top three shooters.

With the winner being determined based on who has accumulated the least points, Shaun Barnes is ahead with 19. Barnes has won two of the four stages - FITASC and Olympic Trap. Reigning champion Bobby Chung, who topped the Skeet round, lies second on 20 points, while Brett Thwaites, who is president of the Jamaica Skeet Club, occupies third on 21 points.

Coach of Jamaica's Skeet Club, Khaleel Azan, is expecting a gripping contest over the two days, which will see the competitors taking aim at 200 sporting clay targets. The top six participants will then match skills over an additional 25 targets, in keeping with what is done at the World Championships.

"On Sunday when the scores are declared, there really still would not be a winner for the sports clay section, which is the main event," Azan pointed out, while speaking at the press conference to launch the championships at the Courtleigh Hotel yesterday.

"The top six will go into a shoot-off with an additional 25 targets, and that is where I have seen people collapse under pressure," he added.

The number of participants expected in this year's final stage is over 75, up from 55 last year. Title sponsors Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) have increased their contribution from $300,000 to $650,000, to match the influx of participants.

"We have doubled it (sponsorship money) this year because there are many more entrants and we want to put more into the two-day event," SSL executive chairman, Hugh Croskery, shared while explaining why they came on board in the first place.

"We at SSL wanted to join a sport that we considered prestigious and that a certain level of Jamaicans, regardless of rank, could become a part of and we also wanted to promote our business."

Thwaites took the opportunity to implore persons to come out and enjoy two days of shooting, which has been made possible by SSL in collaboration with secondary sponsor Best Dressed Chicken, along with Tru-Juice and Rum-Bar Rum.

"We will be on a 9,000 acres sugar estate, so spectators can come along, join up with the quad and stand in the background and watch their favourite shooters go to work, to see how well they can shoot moving targets."

The awards ceremony for the championship will be held on July 20 at Jade Gardens Restaurant, commencing at 7 p.m. The national champion will be awarded the Hugh Croskery Sr Memorial Trophy.