Chad Ziadie and Wendy McMaster were crowned National Shotgun Champions (NSC) recently at the Grand Port Royal Hotel, formerly the Morgan’s Harbour Hotel. They along with the many shooters who competed in the numerous events that make up the championship were very happy to be officially awarded their championships. The disciplines that make National Shotgun Championship are Super sporting, 5 Stand, Fitasc and 200 Target Sporting Clays.
Ziadie was very happy with his first NSC win, “its a dream come true. I have envisioned myself winning this award from I was at a young age. My grandfather won it, my dad has been pretty close I think he was runner-up one year so it’s just great to keep it in the family. I am the third generation in my family to win this award so it’s just a dream come true.”
Ziadie won the 5 Stand, was runner-up in the 200 Target Sporting Clays after a very competitive Super Six shoot-off among the top six shooters and was second in A Class of the Super sporting Event. He took home the J C Thwaites Crystal. At 26 he is the youngest shooter to be crowned national shotgun champion.
Ray McMaster was the runner-up national shotgun champion and he bagged the Hugh Croskery Cup.
Wendy McMaster topped the ladies for the National Shotgun Ladies Championship and is now the five-time national champion. She won the Super Sporting event, came second to daughter Aliana in 5 Stand, placed second in Fitasc to Lori-Anne Harris and was another second to daughter Aliana in the 200 Target Sporting Clays.
The class champions for the National Shotgun Championships were A Class – Shawn Barnes – Best Dressed Chicken Cup, B Class – Craig Davis – Peter McConnell Cup, C Class – Brandon King – Khaleel Azan Cup, D Class – Richard Todd – Errol Ziadie Cup, E Class – Matthew Grant – Tony Kelly Cup, Hunters or Beginners Class – Lukas Thompson, Juniors – David Wong – Juniors Challenge Trophy, and Sub Juniors – Lori-Anne Harris.
Sub Junior champion Harris at fourteen years was happy for her win at the awards, “I really enjoy the competitiveness of the sport and being part of a team and pushing myself to do things that I have tried to do or can’t do. I have learned to control my emotions like when I don’t hit a shot I am supposed to compose myself and reset.”
Ian Banks, the new president of the Jamaica Skeet Club was pleased with the proceedings. He has won it the most times, nine times having won it in 1997 for the first time. “It was a lovely evening and a chance to congratulate all our winners of the national shotgun championships for 2022.” He was looking to the club’s first shoot of the new year and it’s a shoot that is scheduled for November 27 at the club’s headquarters in Portmore.
Nicholas Benjamin of Beryllium, the event sponsor and himself a shooter gave his endorsement “we believe the opportunity that the Jamaica Skeet Club gives its members and in particular to juniors through its tournaments are very important to their learning, their growth and heir development not just as athletes but as people. Firearms are serious business and it really teaches them about responsibility and it encourages the maturity that is required to participate in a sport like this and we think it’s a great club. It has great membership, great tradition, great history and we were very happy to be a part of it and to help promote it, enhance it and facilitate it as best as we could.”