ESTEVAN — The Estevan Oilfield Technical Society's (OTS) third annual Top Gun trap shooting event attracted over 100 participants from all across Saskatchewan, as well as from Manitoba and Alberta on Friday.
Estevan's Chad Froese claimed the individual championship with 80 points out of 100. Last year's champ was Derek Fichter.
Hutt's Trucking, stationed out of Lampman, were the winners in the team event, knocking off the two-year local champions – Certified Energy.
The event's capacity was set at 120, and all spots were taken once again this year, but three teams didn't make it on the day of the event due to weather. Out of the three stations, the first two were 25 single shots, and the last one was 50 doubles, so each of the 105 participants had 100 shots.
Estevan OTS president Tony Sernick said despite the weather challenges, they were satisfied with the event.
"It was good other than that's two years in a row that the weather hasn't really co-operated. But everybody had smiles on their faces. It was a little cold, a little wet, but it was all good. And we crowned a new champion," Sernick said.
Once each team was done, they could come into the Estevan Wildlife Federation's clubhouse, where there was food ready for them, and then they could continue with their day.
"One thing that lots of people commented on was that it doesn't take up your whole day. You have a certain time when you come and shoot. It's almost like a tee time in golf. You do your shooting, you come in, there was a taco bar sponsored by Beatz Eatz, so they came in, got a little taco and lots of guys were going to go back to work or carry on with their day. It was a couple-hour commitment instead of an all-day commitment, so lots of guys commented they liked that part of it," Sernick noted.
He also praised the EWF and the Estevan Trap Club for their help with the event.
"We do the easy side of things, get everybody signed up, but they do all the work all day, like keeping and tallying the score. The trap club and the Estevan Wildlife are amazing to work with."
Sernick said that participants were also happy with the event and said they will be back next year.
The Estevan OTS introduced a trap shooting event to add variety to their offering a few years ago. Next on their oilfield sports networking schedule is the 66th OTS Golf Tournament, slated for June 2-4 at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course. And then the oilfield community will be invited to join the OTS mixed two-person scramble on July 8 at Hidden Valley's Hideout Golf Course, one of the latest additions to the variety that also has been popular ever since it was introduced.
"With the two events that were added, we were just trying to catch everybody in the oilfield. Do something for those who don't curl or golf. And the golfing event at Hidden Valley, although it's golf, it's a two-person scramble, so it's just way more relaxed. We're just trying to give everybody the option of coming out and getting together," Sernick said.
