Sporting clays enthusiasts from across Canada descended on the Hanley Sporting Grounds earlier this month for their annual shooting competition.

The around 70 participants who took part in the Canadian National Sporting Clays Association (CNSCA) 2014 National Championships Aug. 1 to 3 at the Hanley Sporting Grounds each put on a display of their shotgun shooting skills in a 5-stand competition on the first day followed by FITASC (Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse) and the main event of English Sporting on the next two days.

Graham Perry, owner of Hanley Sporting Grounds, said the annual CNSCA national competition moves from shooting range to shooting range across Canada each year and is open to shooters of any ability as long as they are CNSCA members. He said there are CNSCA affiliated ranges across the country and it just so happened his range, which is located seven kilometres east of Hanley, was picked by executives from the organization to host nationals this summer.

“We are pretty proud of that to have it out here in Saskatchewan,” said Perry. “We’re fairly central, so we draw people from all around, but to hold an event of that sort is pretty special.”

Sporting clays is similar to golf with a shotgun, said Perry, and like golf involves courses where no two are completely alike. The Hanley Sporting Grounds, which opened its doors in 2009 and is Saskatchewan’s only fully automated sporting clays range, features multiple stations over its about kilometre-wide course that each give a participant an opportunity to experience near-life hunting situations.

To read more please see the Aug. 18 edition of The Davidson Leader.