Craig Simpson and Aliana McMaster took home the top prizes at the Jackson bay Hunting and Fishing Club Sporting Clay tournament.

McMaster returned to successfully defend her Ladies title while consistent performer Simpson engaged Shaun Barnes and Chad Ziadie in a three-way shoot-off to cop the highest overall winner's trophy in some conditions that proved challenging for the 155 shooters that competed. 

Simpson was very happy for the win after battling the challenging conditions on the day.

“Always an amazing feeling to win. Challenging conditions. The scores were very respectable. I thought ninety-one was the score to shoot but Shaun and Chad are two very credible competitors and I am pleased to come out on top,” he said.

He did so after picking off seven of the eight targets in the shoot-off. 

Barnes picked off five targets to finish as runner-up. He also shot ninety-one at the end of the regulation shoot.

The shooters were treated to a picturesque shoot-off as the stations were positioned in such a way that the targets were released with the shooters looking towards the sea. 

Ziadie bagged four targets to become the A Class winner ahead of Nicholas Chen (89) and Jamaica Skeet Club president Ian Banks (87). 

McMaster shot 86 to win the Ladies section but got stiff competition from her mother Wendy McMaster (83) while Lori-Ann Harris (79) was third. 

“Today was definitely challenging in terms of the environment but I thought that the course was really well set especially for the type of shoot that this is so I really enjoyed the course” said McMaster. 

She was also happy with her second consecutive win.

“It feels good. It feels really good to come back and be able to defend what I already have won before and to prove myself that even though all of this happened in a year, I am still growing, I am still doing better,” she said.

“My scores are still improving and I honestly think that a lot of people in the gun club like to see that somebody that’s so young especially a female doing so well in the sport,” she added. 

The other classes winners were:  B Class: Brandon Laing 83, C Class: Brian Kong 83; D Class: Max Williams 81; E Class: Ted Palmer 75; Hunters or Beginners: Liam McConnell 79; Juniors: Aliana McMaster 86; and Sub Juniors: Craig Powel Jr 65. 

Club president Sean Clacken was pleased with the support for the tournament.

“(It was) very, very successful. I think we had a hundred and fifty shooters. I believe the number was a hundred and fifty-five. Last year we ended with about a hundred and thirty-seven so that’s a big increase and probably one of the largest shoots for the year so we are very, very excited,” he said.

According to Clacken, the club listened to the shooters and modified the course to make it a shorter walking course but with more challenging targets. The result was very good scores from the shooters across the board. 

Part proceeds went the Portland Cottage Primary School in the sum $350,000 to purchase a photocopy machine which was badly needed. 

Clacken credited the First Rock Group, Century 21, Ultra Financier and Optimum Distributors along with numerous other sponsors who came on board to make the event a success and allowed the club to assist the Portland Cottage Primary School.