BILLINGS — Some of the state’s best young trap shooters were on display at this weekend’s Scholastic Clay Target Program state meet in Billings. One team, though, stood out above the rest and is now preparing for a trip to Nationals.
The Blazin’ Barrels were crowned state champions over the weekend as part of the SCTP. But just how did these young shooting stars get involved in the sport?
“My parents were actually thinking about buying a shooting complex,” varsity shooter Kyle Wagner said. “The owners of it actually got us into shooting. Every day at work we’d kind of go mess around. We’d pull for some of the older folks and after that we just kind of started shooting and got involved with the SCTP.”
“I got involved because my brother started shooting,” Cash Carpenter said. “I thought it was really cool because my sister started to do it. And then I’m like, ‘Oh, this might be fun to try.’ So I tried it out and ever since then I’ve loved it.”
Those that competed at the state shoot will head to Marengo, Ohio in a week and a half for the SCTP National Championships, where they’ll embrace the vast array of competition.
“I like shooting with the people from different states,” Lane BeQuette said. “It’s fun to see how they shoot and see how it’s different.”
“Nationals is going to be really fun. There’s about 5,000 shooters, most we’ve had in forever. Just to have a competition and to see new faces every year, it’s pretty fun,” said Wagner.
The SCTP National Championships begin July 13 and run through July 20 at the Ohio Cardinal Center in Marengo, Ohio. Fifteen members of the Blazin’ Barrels will be making the trip.
