TRAP SHOOTING COMPETITION BEGINS TODAY IN BILOXI

TODAY IN BILOXI, THE MISSISSIPPI TRAP SHOOT CHAMPIONSHIP BEGAN. A FOUR DAY EVENT FEATURING SOME OF THE BEST MARKSMAN IN THE SOUTH.
NEWS 25’S JAYLON MORRIS WENT DOWN TO THE COAST RIFLE AND PISTOL CLUB TO CHECK OUT THIS YEAR’S COMPETITION.

FOR THE 104TH YEAR, ITS TIME TO RELOAD THE MISSISSIPPI TRAP SHOOT CHAMPIONSHIP. THE SPORT DATES BACK TO THE LATE 1700S IN ENGLAND.
President of the Mississippi Trapshooting Association John Oren says, “We’ve got resident and non resident shooters. Collectively between the two, we’ve got about 140 shooters.”
THE COMPETITION IS SPLIT UP INTO THREE CATEGORIES. SINGLES IS WHERE YOU HAVE JUST ONE TARGET. DOUBLES IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO SHOOT TWO TARGETS. HANDICAP IS THE DISTANCE OF HOW FAR A SHOOTER CAN HIT THE TARGET FROM.
Oren says, “The main thing you have to do in this game is focus on the fundamentals because it never changes. The bird flies, you shoot it and either you hit it or you miss!”
“The objective of the game is quite simple. You load the gun, you pull the bird, you shoot the gun, and you hit the target.”
“You have to shoot at one hundred targets and have to break as many as possible. Trapshooting Competitor Jim Porter, “Its a game of perfection. You have to learn the balance. Its like any good sport. I equate it a lot to baseball. It has some of the same balance points of throwing and catching,” says Oren.
NOW, I JUST HAD BEGINNERS LUCK. BUT FOR PROFESSIONALS, THERE’S NO RECOIL IN THEIR GAME BECAUSE MANY HAVE MASTERED THE SKILL AT A YOUNG AGE.
“Most of us started trap shooting very young in life. you grow up with it. You develop with it. And as you do, you develop a new sport.
Trapshooting Competitor Jim Porter says, “if you can walk out here, hold the gun up, can see and compete safely, all ages are welcomed. We can do this as old men.”
THE WINNERS OF EACH CATEGORY WILL RECEIVE THEIR TROPHIES AT THE END OF THE COMPETITION ON SUNDAY.