Altass centre hosts crack shots at team selection clay shooting weekend
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The Highland Shooting Centre (HSC), situated at Burnside Croft, Altass near Lairg, hosted a “Grand Prix” weekend of sporting clay shooting on June 4-5.
The weekend was used as an international team selection shoot by the SCTA (Scottish Clay Target Association) for the national team competing in the disciplines of Sporting FITASC (Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse) and National Sporting clay targets.
The event was the fourth of its type to be hosted by HSC and has become an annual pilgrimage for the finest sporting clay shooters in the country, who come to gain scores and enjoy the testing Highland targets that are set out to challenge their skills.
The weekend was also used to award the SCTA North Area Champion for both disciplines.
FITASC is sometimes referred to as the formula one of sporting clay shooting and requires a shooter to have an amazing repertoire of shooting skills.
This discipline is set out over four layouts with three stands on each layout and is shot from a hoop on the ground with the gun dismounted until the target becomes visible, which makes it a really highly skilled form of international clay shooting.
Due to a change of the wind direction overnight, the course set was particularly tough this year.
It is was won after a shoot-off between Tom Young and last year’s winner Colin Will who tied on 82/100. Mr Young eventually came out ahead after a further 25 targets, winning by one.
National Sporting which involves shooting five pairs of targets over ten layouts, is a very popular discipline and some good shooting came through including from several Highland competitors.
The highest scoring local was Stewart Mackay from Ross-shire with an 88/100.
Overall winner was Tom Young with an excellent 93/100
The kindly donated prestigious “MJ Baird” grand prix trophy for the two day aggregate over 200 targets was won this year by Tom Young with some excellent shooting over some very tough targets especially on the Saturday FITASC event.
The event this year was generously supported by Highland Leisure Sports; Glenmorangie House; Western Commercials – Toyota and Maxis; Anta Fearn; Zeiss; Promatic; and CCI.
Sporting clay shooting is a fast growing national sport and the Highland area is historically steeped in a tradition of producing crack shots.
The Munro family who run the Highland Shooting Centre are delighted to be able to bring such events back to the area would like to thank all the people whom gave their personal time and efforts each year to allow this event to happen.
They are very grateful also for the local community support.
Marcus Munro said: “The facilities at HSC are set to a very high standard and we are looking to encourage and promote shooting sports in the Highland area for both novice and professional shooters.”
For further information, contact Marcus or Jennifer Munro at www.highlandshootingcentre.com.
