Craig Simpson defeated defending champion Christian Sasso via long run to win the David East Memorial Sporting Clays on Sunday. Meanwhile, Aliana McMaster dethroned her mother, Wendy, to take the women’s title.
Simpson said dethroning Sasso came down to his will to win.
"It always feels good to win. We all want to win, most of us want to win. It’s in my DNA to come out to shoot and be competitive all the time and especially on these big occasions, these big tier, big top competitions,” he said after shooting a 96, the same score as Sasso.
He lamented how much the pandemic has affected the sport.
“We all are hungry for this type of win, however, it’s not all about winning. We also come out to see our friends and to chat and to have a drink and to talk about the birds that we didn't shoot. However, in these times with Covid in the mix we have had to set that aside and shoot and leave,” he said.
“It takes away from the camaraderie and the fun of it but it’s the sacrifice that we have to make until these times are behind us. We still are very appreciative to just come out and be able to participate and compete."
Thirteen-year-old Aliana shot 77 to unseat her mom and four-time national champion Wendy McMaster, who shot 76 on the 17-station course. Marguerite Harris (73) took third.
"It’s a big achievement for me and it took a lot of hard work and focus,” Aliana said. “It just shows how far I have come.”
Beating her mom, she said, was a big deal. “It’s a big accomplishment for me because I have always held her at a high standard so now that I have done it twice it proves to me what I am really capable of," she said.
Below are the top three in the various classes.
A Class - Danzell Knight 95, Nicholas Benjamin 93 (L/R), Ray McMaster 93.
B Class - Zachary Harris 90, Craig Davis 89, Jeffrey Panton.
C Class - Zaniel Knight 89, Ricky Du quesnay 88, Brandon Laing 87
D Class - Justin Samuda 83, Gordon Bucknor 82, Anthony Desnoes 80.
E Class - Bradley Wright 79, Richard Rerrie 74, Stephen McConnell 70
Hunters of beginners - Aliana McMaster 77, Noah Vaughn 76, Bobby Vaughn 74
Juniors - Danzell Knight 95, his brother Zaniel Knight 89 and JJ Ralston 87.