Sporting clays competition opens convention
By Paul Vang
Montana Tavern Times
The 2009 MTA Convention kicks off with a bang–literally, for people who prefer to swing a shotgun at a clay pigeon, rather than chase golf balls
This year's shooting event will take place at Big Sky Sporting Clays at Van Voast's Farm, just outside Polson.
According to Terri Leopold, who was keeping the store open while Rick Van Voast was harvesting wheat, the sporting clays is definitely part of the Van Voast family's farming operation.
“It's located on a hilly part of the farm property,” she said, “not suitable for either growing crops or grazing cattle. So Rick developed the sporting clays course as a sideline to the farming operation.”
The shooting facility has been in operation since 1992, and it includes two sporting clays courses, plus one trap field, one skeet field, and one five-stand sporting clays field, though the MTA event will take place on just one of the sporting clays courses.
The shooting facility annually holds several sporting clays tournaments. In addition, they have hosted the Montana State Shoot several times, the Zone 7 National Sporting Clays Association tournament, and the U. S. Open sporting clays tournament. In short, it's a championship caliber shooting facility.
While the clays course is top class, Terri said that people who don't often shoot sporting clays shouldn't feel intimidated. “We cater to the recreational shooter,” she emphasizes, noting that while they may tweak things a bit for tournaments, they don't want to scare away casual shooters.
The shooting clays course is laid out along hilly terrain, and during a tour of the course, shooters will walk about one mile on a groomed gravel trail that goes up and down the hills' contours. There are benches available at frequent intervals, along with water.
A luncheon will be served at the facility's clubhouse, which is included in the $60 registration fee. Shotgun shells are available for sale, though Terri suggests that shooters bring their own, as their supplies are limited.
Haven't shot sporting clays before? Terri says they always make sure that any neophyte to sporting clays will be accompanied by an experienced shooter. She also emphasizes that safety is paramount and nobody is allowed on the course until they're familiar with the safety rules.
Bus transportation from the MTA Convention site, the Hilton Garden Inn, to and from Polson is provided, but note that the bus will leave the hotel at 9:30 a.m.
The $60 sporting clays registration fee includes the 19th Hole Party at the Missoula Country Club, so it's an all-day outing.