Club secretary Phil Baker explained that sporting clays is the fastest growing sport in the US and UK, especially in schools, often times a school shooting team is larger than its football and basketball teams.

“It is becoming so popular that old golf courses are being converted into sporting clays courses which has led to the sport being referred to as "golf with guns," he said.

 The Taree Wingham course was set by renowned lporting shooter and club member Craig Dargan, who ensured the it was simple enough for novices, yet had a few difficult targets to test the seasoned shooters. A strong contingent of shooters from the Central Coast, Upper Hunter and Port Macquarie mixed it with locals to be crowed the club’s first sporting clays champion.

Adam Orford from the Central Coast posted the first round highest score of 22 out of 25 targets with Frank Searles of Newcastle one target behind on 21. David Frost one further back on 20 targets to be the leading local.

During the second round it Frost posted the highest individual score of the day, missing just a single hard curling target which landed on the grass unbroken. Frost went into the lunch break two targets clear of the pack. Following the break the final rounds started with Searles clawing back three vital targets and take the overall lead, a gap both Frost and Orford failed to close in the final round despite their best efforts. Searles was declared champion with 87 out of 100 targets hit with Orford having to settle for second place and Frost third outright.

The next sporting clays event is scheduled for 10am on Sunday October 15 at the Cedar Party Reserve range.