Brandon Laing and Aliana McMaster emerged victorious in their respective categories at the thrilling PWD Winter Open Sporting Clays Tournament held last Sunday at the picturesque True-Juice Estates in St. Catherine. The tournament, which featured over 130 shooters, was set up by renowned 19-time world shotgun champion Ben Hustwaithe from the United Kingdom, adding an extra layer of prestige to the competition.

For Laing, his victory marked a significant milestone—his first win in over a decade. Despite a strong start in which he hit five of his first six targets and cleaned up 10 of the 16 stations, he was momentarily derailed at station five, hitting just one of four targets. However, he held his nerve in the Super-Six shoot-off, tying with Geoffrey Ziadie after three rounds, which led to a decisive extra round. Laing prevailed in commanding fashion.

"It feels absolutely amazing. It's something I didn't expect but I can just say I feel great. It feels like a great accomplishment, something I've been back shooting for about ten years now, so this is the first time I've won HOA and I'm very excited about it," Laing expressed after his hard-fought triumph.

The Super-Six showdown featured Laing (89), Ziadie (89), Craig Hendrickson (89), Robert Yap (88), Nicholas Chen (88), and wildcard entrant McMaster (87).

McMaster, meanwhile, successfully defended her title, showcasing incredible accuracy throughout the tournament. She impressively cleared all six targets on nine of the 17 stations and managed two out of four on the notoriously difficult station five that troubled many competitors.

“I just came out today to enjoy myself and enjoy the sport for what it is and all of the benefits I gain from it. The outcome was honestly just a result of the hard work that I put in behind the scenes, and I don't ever think about going into a tournament as defending something. To be honest, that would mean I already assume the prize is mine, but it isn’t. I still have to work just as hard each time to regain what I earned before,” McMaster stated.

Course setter Ben Hustwaithe reflected on the tournament, acknowledging the unique challenges posed by the conditions. "It was an international course, so the scores are always going to be different, but what we try to do is make shooters feel like they had a chance at every target. The wind always blows in Jamaica, we know that, but do I think the course was exactly what I wanted? Absolutely."

The event was hailed as a tremendous success, with Justin Samuda, the driving force behind the PWD Hunting & Sporting Club, commending the high turnout and generous support from sponsors. "This is tremendous. It's a huge step forward. The sponsorship came out in full force, including Scotia Investments, CRISS Marine, Desmond Meyer and Associates, Toyota’s ARB accessory line, and station sponsors like Tile City and Fontana. The clubbers turned up, and I’m so grateful for the effort from them all."

The competition also carried a charitable element, as Samuda revealed that funds from the event would benefit the club’s supported school in Portland Cottage. "This event is critical for our charity efforts, and one of our station sponsors, Fontana Pharmacy, took up the Perfect Pair Initiative (PPI). For every pair of targets shot on their station, they will be donating a pair of baskets to the basic school we support."

With a combination of high-level competition, community impact, and thrilling performances, the PWD Sporting Clays Tournament once again reinforced its place as a premier event in Jamaica’s shooting calendar.