Object of the sport is to break more clay targets than your opponents. Tapanga Turner has that down pat for a relatively new trapshooter.
Turner, who turned 16 in January, is in her third year of competitive trapshooting. She picked up where she left off in 2011.
In January, Turner competed in the 13th Annual Dixie Grand American in Odessa, Fla. The week-long event was held by the Silver Dollar Shooters Club and sanctioned the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA).
This year Turner stepped up into the ladies division after shooting two years at sub-juniors level. She won five trophies and seven ATA All-America point pins during the competition.
“The ladies division is a lot harder because it is open to any age of female shooters. I’m in Ladies I which is 55-years-old and younger,” Turner said. “But I’m loving it still.”
In the singles, doubles and handicap competition at the Dixie Grand, Turner broke 1,249 out of 1,400 targets. That’s an 89 average as in each of 14 events that offer 100 targets. In a 200-target singles match, Turner broke 177 targets.
“I was pretty nervous going to the Dixie because its is a big shoot and a lot of high caliber shooters compete. I was matched up with Debbie Ohye and was really scared but she didn’t come out to shoot for some reason,” Turner said.
Debbie Ohye is from New Jersey and like Turner’s idol, the late Betty Wrestler of Elsmore, Ohye is in the ATA Hall of Fame.
The ATA All-America point pins were for points to go for nationwide honors.
Turner began the sport in 2009 in a free youth shoot held at the Lone Tree Gun Club, owned by Ron and Betty Wrestler. She said Richard Diehl organized the youth shoot and encouraged her and other youngsters to try the sport.
“I knew during the shoot that this was the sport for me and I love it. Trapshooting can get me to college as a sport and that’s what I want to do,” Turner said.
That’s why she’s aiming for the 2012 Grand American — 113th Annual World Trapshooting Championship — Aug. 8-18 in Sparta, Ill. Turner said this year at the Grand is a $50,000 Ladies Challenge.
“There’s a lot of prize money overall but this is new and it would be great to be able to win it for my college fund,” Turner said.
Turner competed at the Grand American in 2010 and 2011.
She said she tries to practice at the Lone Tree Gun Club at least twice a week. Sometimes that is hard for the Marmaton Valley High sophomore who plays volleyball and softball along with involvement in other school activities.
