Thread: Poor targets at the skeet nationals

I heard the targets thrown ranged from pretty ordinary to downright poor, resulting in some low scores. Largely due to ill-maintained traps apparently. @Skeetshooter, were you competing?

I wasn't shooting but I was there each day in the afternoon, every day was windy, hard to throw good targets in very windy conditions,

one could argue that would make it more challenging for shooters...and being level playing field no advantage or disadvantage to anyone... I havent shot many clays but on a sporting clays day I was on a trap machine and had great delight in making clays go every way except that which was expected..the shooters loved it. it was a double thrower mounted on bench I sat on..by leaning it over sideways the clays would all but spiral out sideways...shikes its 35 years ago and I can still remember it clear as if it was yesterday lol.

It wasn't the throwing or setting of the targets. It was the inconsistency in the equipment used. Traps that supposedly hadn't been used since the previous nationals held there and it showed. Far too many breakdowns and delays than acceptable at a national championship. I feel for the trap mechanics who must've been shattered by the end of the week. They did their best. I would've thought it would be a good idea for the Canterbury voice release and Canterbury trap guys to have been onsite for the week given it was in their hometown.......

A lot of annoyed travellers who spent good money to get there only to be let down. I wouldn't be surprised if some reconsider their future travel plans given the ever increasing cost of the sport. No one likes to pay a premium and not get a quality product.

I spoke to one competitor who said one of her rounds was delayed for 3.5 hours due to trap failure, and another round delayed for 5.5 hours. FIVE AND A HALF HOURS! Some disappointed competitors wrote of their concerns to NZCTA but these were apparently dismissed as unimportant, and the most important consideration of the skeet sub-committee was the length of time that competitors took taking their single shots!
https://www.nzclaytarget.org.nz/file...e-article.docx

Between visits to the field was quite a wait but then it was for most, as we shot our first 50 about 10.30am & our second 50 was about 3.30-4ish on the 12gauge day. Swirling winds made it very "Sporting like" with big changes in wind direction within the round. I did referee a round in still conditions just after we shot & it was stacked with possibles & 1 downs unlike the hammering we took. Springtime in Canterbury can be a tricky time for shooting ..... a bit like Autumn for the DTL Nationals & the Worlds ..... 4 Seasons in 1 week could be possible. Gotta be there to truly experience it.