Clay Target Legends

Clay Target Legends Recalling the history of past and present champions and influencers of the clay target sports.

Repost from •How many s***t ranges had a natural mineral bath as part of its offerings. Enjoying such an activity after...
05/29/2026

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How many s***t ranges had a natural mineral bath as part of its offerings. Enjoying such an activity after a day on the s***t field might be just the ticket for unwinding after a day of shooting. That existed at the Stovall Hot Well S***t Range, South Bend in Cypress, Texas. The site featured a s***t range alongside natural hot sulfuric water wells that drew large groups of shooters.

The facility originally opened as an entertainment destination in the 1925 following the local oil boom. The Stovall family added a s***t shooting range to the property in 1930, soon after s***t was “invented”. The original resort and range ceased operations in the late 20th century, with a fire eventually consuming most of the buildings. While physical traces of the original range and bathhouse have disappeared into the landscape. The photo shown here is of the Stovall family enjoying a day of s***t in 1935. .
******er ******ers re*****on federalammuntion krieghoff krieghoffk80 krieghoffinternationalr perazzi sportingclays sportingclayshooting tsca nssanationals s***tshooting fiocchi fiocchinascita bornaghi cheddite cheddite_italy chedditecartridges abileneclaysports baschieriandpellagri barepeltproteam txclayshooters txclays

Repost from •Some photos just show history like no others. In this photo, the second man from the left designed three o...
05/28/2026

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Some photos just show history like no others. In this photo, the second man from the left designed three of the shotguns shown. That man? John Moses Browning, one of the most significant names in fi****ms design. These four would routinely gather to shoot trap, calling themselves the “4 B’s”. These four were looking over their scoresheets.

The men were, from left: G.L. Becker with his 1887 level action, John Moses Browning with his Wi******er 1897, A.P. Bigelow with his side by side that I cannot identify and Matt Browning (John’s brother) with another Wi******er 1897. Bigelow founded the 4 B’s who became prominent fixtures in the early days of competitive trap shooting.

The team traveled and competed together, and John Browning often utilized the group as a testing squad to evaluate early shotgun prototypes and refine the ergonomics of his famous fi****ms. The photo was taken circa 1900. Special thanks to Oscar Acaron for making me aware of this historic photo!.
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Repost from •Here is 12 year old Shep Levine. Levine dominated the junior and men’s competitive s***t shooting circuits...
05/26/2026

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Here is 12 year old Shep Levine. Levine dominated the junior and men’s competitive s***t shooting circuits during the late 1960s and 1970s. Shep got his start at 12 years old in competitive s***t shooting as a child in 1967 at the Wateree Gun Club in South Carolina. By the time he was a teenager in 1969, he had become a local club prodigy and one of the most top-ranked junior s***t shooters in the United States.

In 1969, Levine led the entire United States in high average standings for his division, breaking 4,543 out of 4,900 total targets to achieve a staggering .9239 overall shooting percentage. He was selected as the Captain of the Junior Men’s National S***t Shooting Association All-American Team.

While Shep was celebrated in his youth as a junior and advanced-level s***t shooting champion, he later transitioned his sharp analytical eye to a completely different sport. He became highly regarded as the owner and operator of Shep Levine’s Clover Report Basketball Scouting Service. He ran Girls All-Stars Camps, and his player evaluations were deeply trusted by NCAA, NAIA, and Junior College coaches across the country. Levine passed away in July 2011 in Columbia, South Carolina, at 54 years old leaving behind a lasting legacy.

******er ******ers re*****on federalammuntion krieghoff krieghoffk80 krieghoffinternationalr perazzi sportingclays sportingclayshooting tsca nssanationals s***tshooting fiocchi fiocchinascita bornaghi cheddite cheddite_italy chedditecartridges abileneclaysports baschieriandpellagri barepeltproteam txclayshooters txclays

Repost from •Here is a very rare photograph from 1962 showing Clay Target Legends from left: Barney Hartman (1916-2016),...
05/25/2026

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Here is a very rare photograph from 1962 showing Clay Target Legends from left: Barney Hartman (1916-2016), author Jimmy Robinson (1897–1986), Claude Purbaugh (1905-1989), and Harry Willsie (1928-2003). Here, Purbaugh is demonstrating his very first set of sub-gauge tubes that he developed. Sub-gauge tubes revolutionized s***t shooting. His innovative design paved the way for modern competitive target shooting, allowing the use of one gun to be used in 12ga, 20ga, 28ga, and .410.

Claude Purbaugh’s custom tube sets have been out of production for decades. His foundational concepts were later refined and commercialized on a massive scale by modern manufacturers like Briley Manufacturing (who eventually acquired his tooling) and Kolar Arms. Today, vintage Purbaugh tube sets are highly regarded by collectors.

Canadian Barney Hartman was a world champion Canadian s***t shooter. He is widely regarded by his peers as one of the greatest s***t shooters who ever lived. Over a career spanning several decades, he claimed nearly 30 world records, authored one of the best-selling books on s***t, and is an inductee in Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Jimmy Robinson was the longtime Director of Sales and Marketing for Sports Afield Magazine and a prominent figure in North American hunting and conservation. Reed was an internationally recognized hunter, conservationist, and outdoor writer. Known as the “Sportsman of the Century”. He is the only person inducted into five distinct sports Halls of Fame. He famously hosted celebrities like Ernest Hemingway and Clark Gable at his lodge.

Harry Willsie was an elite, dual-discipline Canadian competitive marksman who achieved widespread acclaim in both s***t shooting and trapshooting. Born in Missouri, he moved to Canada in 1953 where he established himself as one of the country’s premier sports shooters, eventually earning induction into both the Trap and S***t Shooting Halls of Fame. Willsie significantly impacted the sport from the administrative side, serving as the National S***t Shooting Association International Chairman and managing the Canadian shotgun squad at the same time.

Repost from •Well this is cool. Fantastic period graphics on this original 1937 Bluegrass Invitational S***t Tournament ...
05/24/2026

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Well this is cool. Fantastic period graphics on this original 1937 Bluegrass Invitational S***t Tournament at the Fayette S***t Club in Lexington, Kentucky. What a great history piece of clay shoot history.

******er ******ers re*****on federalammuntion krieghoff krieghoffk80 krieghoffinternational perazzi sportingclays sportingclayshooting tsca nssanationals s***tshooting fiocchi fiocchinascita bornaghi cheddite cheddite_italy chedditecartridges abileneclaysports baschieriandpellagri barepeltproteam txclayshooters txclays

Repost from •Regular readers of my clay target history know that I have written numerous articles about Pat Laursen. La...
05/23/2026

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Regular readers of my clay target history know that I have written numerous articles about Pat Laursen. Laursen dominated the sport of s***t in the late 1930s. Known both for her incredible with her Cutts (aluminum version) equipped Wi******er Model 12 and her striking looks. LIFE magazine famously called her the “most beautiful athlete in the world during her competitive prime. Laursen won the NSSA National Championship in 1938. She was inducted into the National S***t Shooting Association Hall of Fame in 1972.

Pat grew up in Akron, Ohio, and learned to shoot a .22 rifle at age 8 to spend time hunting with her father. At 16, she transitioned to a 16-gauge shotgun. She trained and practiced at the elite Firestone S***t Club in Akron, Ohio, a premiere shooting park built by tire magnate Harvey Firestone. Unfortunately, the club is now the Firestone Country Club, and the former s***t fields are now part of the golf course. While attending Rollins College in Florida, she won the NSSA National Women’s S***t Shooting Championship three consecutive times (1938, 1939, and 1940). She secured her first title at just 19 years old.

At a major national event, she shot a near-perfect 199 out of 200 targets using her Model 12 pump gun. This extraordinary performance put her in a direct tie with top male shooters going into the final rounds. Unlike many modern s***t shooters, Pat competed during the “low gun” era, with non-modern paper cartridges. Very impressive skills indeed. She successfully defended her crown over the following two years, securing three consecutive national titles. With her success, Laursen became a major sports celebrity of her era. Her athletic success, popularity, and appearance also made her a sought-after commercial icon, famously appearing in 1930s national print advertisements for numerous commercial national products. Laursen passed away in 1976 at the age of 55.

Repost from •In one of the most interesting historical s***t photos ever, Clayton Boardman is shown in Tulsa, Oklahoma i...
05/22/2026

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In one of the most interesting historical s***t photos ever, Clayton Boardman is shown in Tulsa, Oklahoma immediately after winning the National S***t Championships in 1938. Boardman was 11 years old at the time. He nailed 95 out of 100 to take the title. This photo made the news around the world due to Clayton’s crutches, necessary due to Boardman getting out of bed just one day earlier. He had been bedridden for six months due to an extremely serious foot infection.

He competed while using the crutches, a feat that was truly amazing and newsworthy. While he was a famous childhood sub-junior s***t champion in the late 1930s, he grew up to become one of Augusta, Georgia’s most prominent, innovative, and philanthropic business figures. After graduating from the Wharton School of Business, he founded Boardman Petroleum, Inc. and revolutionized the regional retail gasoline industry by creating the Smile Gas convenience store chain, an Augusta institution recognizable by its trademark smiley-face logo.

Boardman started shooting s***t with his father just a couple of years prior to his winning Tulsa in 1938, mostly practicing at the Augusta Gun Club. Clayton Pierce “Red” Boardman Jr. passed away on June 29, 2005, at the age of 78 after a brief illness.

******er ******ers re*****on federalammuntion krieghoff krieghoffk80 krieghoffinternationalr perazzi sportingclays sportingclayshooting tsca nssanationals s***tshooting fiocchi fiocchinascita bornaghi cheddite cheddite_italy chedditecartridges abileneclaysports baschieriandpellagri barepeltproteam txclayshooters txclays

Repost from •June 15, 1937 saw Pasadena, California resident R.D. Wilfong (R), win the All-Bore (12 gauge) in the Califo...
05/19/2026

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June 15, 1937 saw Pasadena, California resident R.D. Wilfong (R), win the All-Bore (12 gauge) in the California State S***t Championship held in Los Angeles. Pointing out his perfect score is E.L. Ilgner (L) of the Re*****on DuPont Company. Robert Wolfing was a noted champion shooter representing the Gilmore Lions team. Wilfong got his start in the mid-1930s by immersing himself in the highly competitive Southern California s***t shooting sport.

He began perfecting his skills at regional facilities like the legendary Angelus Mesa S***t Club. Wilfong’s rapid rise and natural talent caught the attention of corporate sports sponsors. He was recruited to join the California Gilmore Red Lions, a famous five-man sponsor team funded by the Gilmore Oil Company. The Gilmore Oil Company heavily backed the team, supplying them with custom embroidered red-lion jackets (which I have featured on numerous occasions) and funded their travel across the country to compete. By joining the Gilmore team, Wilfong was regularly shooting alongside the pioneers of s***t including Alex Kerr and Hollywood actor Bob Stack. He won a spot on the 1936 All-American Team.

Re*****on DuPont’s E.L. Ilgner was a noted American professional s***t shooter and a top Re*****on Arms representative during the 1930s. As a Re*****on pro, he toured the country and competed against other top shooters. Ilgner was mostly active on the west coast, often promoting and demonstrating early Re*****on clay target and s***t equipment.
******er ******ers re*****on federalammuntion krieghoff krieghoffk80 krieghoffinternationalr perazzi sportingclays sportingclayshooting tsca nssanationals s***tshooting fiocchi fiocchinascita bornaghi cheddite cheddite_italy chedditecartridges abileneclaysports baschieriandpellagri barepeltproteam txclayshooters txclays

Repost from •30 years ago, in the relatively early days of sporting clays in America, the NSCA actually printed and dist...
05/18/2026

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30 years ago, in the relatively early days of sporting clays in America, the NSCA actually printed and distributed “Sporting Clays Champion Trading Cards”! Lily M. Sieu, the 1996 NSCA Ladies Champion was one of those featured on those trading cards. Sieu credited her shooting skills to professional instruction, mainly coaches Gil and Vicki Ash for helping her master the sport and tough competition.

Sieu got her start in serious competition through regional events, soon making the jump from amateur to a professional sporting clays shooter just as the sport gained massive popularity and the NSCA was growing at an astounding rate. Lily retired from being a professional shooter, moving into the corporate world in the early 2000’s.

In addition to her tech career, she is a visual artist and was recognized as one of the Top 25 Artists in the State of Ohio. The back of the trading cards contained the featured shooters stats, as any sports trading cards would have. The trading card program was discontinued just a year or so later, making these extremely rare.

******er ******ers re*****on federalammuntion krieghoff krieghoffk80 krieghoffinternationalr perazzi sportingclays sportingclayshooting tsca nssanationals s***tshooting fiocchi fiocchinascita bornaghi cheddite cheddite_italy chedditecartridges abileneclaysports baschieriandpellagri barepeltproteam txclayshooters txclays

Repost from •Being fashionable on the s***t field in 1969 is Nuria Ortiz Campos, a pioneering sports shooter from Mexico...
05/17/2026

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Being fashionable on the s***t field in 1969 is Nuria Ortiz Campos, a pioneering sports shooter from Mexico. Nuria was the first woman in history to compete in Olympic S***t. Born on April 19, 1945, Nuria was known for breaking gender barriers during an era when women competed directly against men. Over her long career, she won multiple World Championship medals.

Because separate women’s categories did not exist in Olympic clay target shooting until much later, Ortiz competed in open divisions alongside male athletes. She made her Olympic debut in 1968 in Mexico City, breaking ground for female shotgun shooters. Nuria made the Mexico Olympic team during the infamous, terrorist marred Olympic Games in Munich 1972. In 1984, she achieved her highest Olympic placement by finishing 9th overall in mixed s***t.

Nuria won many medals during the 1969, 1970, 1971, 1982, and 1986 Olympics. Nuria began shooting at an incredibly young age, displaying natural talent as a child prodigy in Mexico. By the time she was just 12 years old, she was already competing internationally. Before even reaching her teenage years, she had already secured the title of Junior Champion of Mexico, shocking older competitors with what coaches and reporters at the time described as flawless “championship” techniques.

The Mexican Federation of Shooting and Hunting (FEMETI) honors her as a foundational trailblazer who paved the way for future generations of Mexican women in the sport. Nuria passed away on September 15, 2024.

******er ******ers re*****on federalammuntion krieghoff krieghoffk80 krieghoffinternationalr perazzi sportingclays sportingclayshooting tsca nssanationals s***tshooting fiocchi fiocchinascita bornaghi cheddite cheddite_italy chedditecartridges abileneclaysports baschieriandpellagri barepeltproteam txclayshooters txclays

Repost from •With her Cutts equipped Re*****on 48, Betty Ragland of Dallas, Texas, was a champion American competitive s...
05/16/2026

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With her Cutts equipped Re*****on 48, Betty Ragland of Dallas, Texas, was a champion American competitive s***t shooter who found much succession the 1950’s as one of the top female competitors in the sport. Ragland was inducted into the NSSA Hall of Fame in 1994 for her outstanding contributions and stellar competitive record. Ragland was also named to multiple NSSA All-American teams. She was also inducted into the Texas State S***t Shooters Association Hall of Fame.

The Ragland name carries a historical footprint in Texas. Betty’s father-in-law, Alphonso Ragland Sr., was a pioneer educator who founded the Metropolitan Business College in Dallas around 1900 and served as a deacon at the historic First Baptist Church. Her husband, Alphonso Ragland Jr., was an expert marksman himself. At Betty’s request Alphonso attempted to teach Betty how to shoot s***t, but eventually gave up out of frustration as Betty could not grasp the techniques.

Refusing to quit, Betty took matters into her own hands and sought out a professional shooting instructor. The professional instructor completely transformed her technique. Within five years of stepping away from her husband’s lessons, she went from a struggling beginner to a nationally recognized champion. Being persistent paid off. Once Betty mastered the sport through proper coaching, the couple became a dominant duo. They routinely traveled together to tournaments, winning the prestigious Texas State Husband-and-Wife Championship and competing in high-profile events as far away as Hawaii. Betty passed away in 1979.

******er ******ers re*****on federalammuntion krieghoff krieghoffk80 krieghoffinternationalr perazzi sportingclays sportingclayshooting tsca nssanationals s***tshooting fiocchi fiocchinascita bornaghi cheddite cheddite_italy chedditecartridges abileneclaysports baschieriandpellagri barepeltproteam txclayshooters txclays

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