Rachel Hopkins of Pattons- burg has been selected to the 2008 Women’s All-American Trapshooting Team, according to Neil Winston, president of the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA), which determines the teams.
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This is the first time the 15-year-old has been named an All-American.
The ATA hosts both the Grand American (the 13-day world tournament which in August drew almost 5,500 contestants to the World Shooting & Recreational Complex, near Sparta, Ill.) and a series of “satellite” Grands (smaller, regional tournaments providing Grand American-style trophies and competition). The association also sponsors five zone shoots.
At the Grand American, Hopkins captured the women’s title in the Parliament Coach Handicap with 96. She placed sixth among ladies in the all-around and fifth in the Grand Week high-over-all.
In handicap, participants are assigned a yardage from 19 to 27 yards (according to averages and known ability). The all-around includes the combined totals of the main singles, doubles and handicap events, usually 400 targets, while the high-over-all is the sum of all scores shot.
Hopkins’ numerous trophies at her Missouri state shoot included the handicap title over all resident competitors with 99. In addition, she claimed the women’s singles crown with 197×200 plus top category honors in the all-around and high-over-all.
She earned additional points toward All-American team selection for her trophies and scores while competing at the Minnesota state tournament.
To be considered for the All-American team, Hopkins had to meet a minimum target requirement, and she had to have competed in at least three states. Selection was made based on points the shooter accumulated while winning trophies and posting high scores at tournaments throughout the country.
Established in 1923, the ATA promotes and governs the sport of trapshooting, primarily in the United States and Canada. In the 2007 target year, 34,387 members participated in the sport, competing in one or more of the 7,091 sanctioned tournaments (shoots registered by the ATA organization) on the local, regional, state, zone and world championship levels.
Trapshooters fire at clay targets (approximately 4-1/4 inches in diameter and 1-1/8 inch in height) launched at varying angles. In singles events, all entrants stand at the 16-yard line and fire at one target at a time; in handicap, participants are assigned a yardage from 19 to 27 yards (according to averages and known ability) and fire at one target at a time; in doubles, two targets are released at the same time and each contestant, standing at the 16-yard line, is allowed one shot for each.
Trapshooting celebrities have included Annie Oakley, John Philip Sousa and Roy Rogers. If you are interested in trying trapshooting, call the ATA at 937-898-4638 or visit the association’s website at www.shootata.com to find a local club near you.