The second annual Gamaliel Cup sporting clays event was held on April 20th-233rd, at the beautiful Tennessee Clay Target Complex in Nashville, Tennessee. Sporting clays is a shotgun shooting game in which clay pigeons are thrown in ways that mirror the flight pattern of game birds, or occasionally rabbits, in their natural habitats. The shooting grounds are laid out in stations, with each station representing one type of bird or combination of game. (www.sportingclays.net) A total of 338 shooters participated in this event, traveling from various parts of the United States and as far away as Canada all ready and eagerly awaiting the challenging sporting clays courses.

Shooters had the opportunity to participate in small gauge events, as well as a five-stand competition, a preliminary sporting clays event, and FITASC, which is a French version of sporting clays, and perhaps the most challenging. Of course shooters also could participate in the main event sporting clays competition, with a guaranteed purse of over $15,000 to be given to the winners.

What makes the Gamaliel Cup special is the fact that it has local ties. The event is hosted by Gamaliel Shooting Supply, and Geoff Pare, the company president is one of the founders and co-chairmen of the event - an event that is becoming nationally known. Add to the fact that several individuals from our area participated in the event, and you will see why the Gamaliel Cup is deemed so special.

For the second year in a row, Red Boiling Springs resident Wendell Cherry took top honors winning HOA (High Overall) in the Sporting Clays main event competition, breaking an outstanding 192 out of 200 targets. This year, he also added HOA in the FITASC competition to his list of accomplishments.

Other local winners were Jason Moore of Hartsville, TN, who won first place in his class during the Preliminary event, and placed second in his class in the main event. Anthony Hale, also of Hartsville, placed second in his class in the 5-Stand competition, and Danny Billingsley of Summer Shade, KY, won first in his class in the Preliminary event. Sammy Moore, Marty Blankenship, and Roger Long, all of Lafayette, Justin Prock of Westmoreland, and Paul Smith of Castalian Springs were all participants in the 2006 Gamaliel Cup.

The weather didn't cooperate on the beginning - lots of rain, even some hail and lightning, but as most shooters know, it takes more than rain to stop a shoot. The skies cleared on Saturday and Sunday, and what had gotten off to a wet and muddy start, ended brightly in more ways that one. In an event where people traveled many miles to participate, it's great to see so many local people taking part. If you missed this year's Gamaliel Cup, you missed a great shoot, and a great time. Shooters weathered a storm in the beginning, but warm weather and sunshine prevailed, as did some awesome shooting. For more information about the Gamaliel Cup or to see a complete list of results and photos from the event, visit www.gamalielcup.com.