NEVADA CHAMPIONS: Taking their best shot

Silver State Clay Breakers move on to national contest

It's an impressive feat for youngsters just to be able to handle a 12-gauge shotgun, but a group of kids from Southern Nevada recently did more than that, capturing a state title at the 2004 Nevada Scholastic Clay Target Program State Trapshooting Championships at the Sage Hill Gun Club in Reno.

Competing in the rookie division, for fifth-graders and younger, a team from Las Vegas, the Silver State Clay Breakers, captured the crown to advance to the Grand American Trapshooting Tournament in Vandalia, Ohio, in August.

The top three teams in each division -- seniors (grades 9-12), juniors (grades 6-8) and rookies -- advanced to the national event.

"They're very excited. For some of them, it was their first win, because they're new to the sport," said Linda Hand, state program director for the scholastic shooting group. "It's quite an accomplishment for (the rookies) even to handle a 12-gauge (shotgun)."

Joey Hornbeck led the rookies squad at the 200-target team event, where competitors shot from the 16-yard line, breaking 133 of 200 targets (64 of 100, 69 of 100).

Ian Schaeffer broke 124 targets (57-67), Sam Mayo shattered 112 (47-65), Christen Mayfield broke 107 (59-48) and Loralee Price broke 103 (46-57).

Shelby Clark, the youngest competitor at 9 years old, broke 91 targets (51-40) as an alternate.

"It's a lot of fun and you get to meet other kids from different places," he said.

Clark, who just started shooting this year, was introduced to the sport by his father, Kenny Clark, a coach and competitor.

"Since he was a little boy, he's always had a fondness for firearms, but we brought him up with safety as a focal point," he said. "The more kids learn about firearms, the more they learn to respect them.

"I bought him a 12-gauge shotgun. It's a little big for him, but he handles it pretty well. He's breaking targets. One of these days, he'll break them as well as I do. We do it together as a family and it's fun."

Shelby said he feels comfortable with the shotgun.

"It fits pretty well," he said. "When I put it to my shoulder, I feel I'm going to break (the target)."

Hand, who was recently inducted into the Nevada State Trapshooting Hall of Fame, started the year-round scholastic program, along with her husband, in 2002, with 15 kids, and it has grown to 45 participants.

The group practices at the Las Vegas Gun Club and Hand said the sport teaches valuable life lessons.

"It teaches them discipline, how to set goals and attain goals, and, most of all, gun safety," she said. "They're taught gun safety, responsiblity, good sportsmanship and they must maintain a good grade-point average."

More than 70 participants, including ones from Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, competed in the recent event.

Las Vegas placed third in the senior experienced division, behind Elko and Mason Valley, and was led by Wade Shoemaker, who broke 186 of 200 targets (92-94).

"Wade has probably won more titles over the years than any of our other seniors," Hand said.

Shoemaker, who plans to attend New Mexico State University next year and has trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Col., won four titles overall at the state meet, including Championship Doubles, where he was the High Junior, breaking 92 of 100 targets.

He tied for the state Handicap Championship, breaking 97 of 100 targets, but lost in a shoot-off, 24-22.

Other shooters on the Las Vegas senior experienced squad were Weston Shoemaker, who broke 165 targets (82-83), Ethan Mayo, who broke 158 (76-82), Mitchel McGuire, who broke 156 (79-77), and Patrick Mayo, who broke 152 (74-78) and will attend UNLV next year and also help coach the Clay Breakers. Kody Edgel was an alternate and broke 160 (77-83).

The Las Vegas junior experienced team took second place in the state, behind Mason Valley, and was led by Cory Schenker, who broke 167 targets (81-86). Chase Ebert broke 157 targets (81-76), K.C. Edgel broke 150 (78-72), Dylan Mitchel broke 149 (74-75), and Natalie Hornbeck broke 136 (68-68).

The junior novice team from Las Vegas placed third, behind Reno and Elko. Colton Price broke 142 targets (71-71), Brennan Mayfield broke 138 (68-70), Dimitrios Kenourgios broke 135 (66-69), Dean Pinkham broke 131 (64-67) and Shelby Walker broke 40 (26-14).

Local coaches who won awards at the Nevada State Shoot adult meet were Brian Fisher, Russ Shoemaker, Tony Del Fante, Mike Reese, Clark and Hand.

Clark said the sport can help kids build character.

"You learn trials and tribulations and it teaches humility, you're not going to go out and break every target," he said.

Hand, who has been shooting for more than 40 years, won six awards at this year's meet to add to an impressive collection. She is a six-time Nevada State Ladies Singles Champion and five-time Nevada State Ladies Doubles Champion, among myriad other honors, including her recent Hall of Fame induction.

"It's a privilege and it's an honor," she said. "It's not just based on your shooting skill, but on your contributions to the sport and the (scholastic) program. It's very rewarding. All the kids are like my family."

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