2024 World Sporting Clays Championship Recap

The 2024 World Sporting Clays Championship was held from May 14th - 19th at M&M Hunting Preserve and Sporting Clays in Pennsville, New Jersey. M&M is no stranger to big blasts in the United States and many shooters will argue that it is the premier ground on U.S. soil from top to bottom. From top tear management and hospitality, target setting, food, and grounds, there is a clear reason the Matarese Family and their crew are known and respected by many as the most elite team in the industry. This highly anticipated event had a remarkable attendance with over 1,600 competitors from across the planet. The grounds were fully occupied at nearly maximum capacity with an array of vendors, sponsors, tournament attendees, staff, food caterers, spectators, and more. This big tournament surely lived up to the expectations. Anthony Matarese Jr. and Joe Scull were responsible for the Main Event target setting and it was nothing short of three phenomenal layouts. There were three courses that amounted to 200 total targets. The 694 and SL2 Courses consisted of 67 targets and the DT11 was an even 66. The DT11 and SL2 Courses were set by Anthony while Joe set the 694. All three courses challenged the shooters with tough combinations of speed, angle, target line, some distance, but everything was visible and fair. They were certainly world championship level targets and the birds did not disappoint. It is also important to mention the lively banquets on Friday and Saturday night with great atmospheres and spirit with delicious foods and drinks of all sorts. As many already know, at the World Sporting Clays Championship (previously known as the World English) there is a 25 target Super Final shoot off for the top 6 shooters in the Main Event at the end of the tournament. The shoot off scores are added onto each competitor’s final Main Event total to crown the champion. This format allows shooters to either jump up a couple spots at the end or fall down some spots on the leaderboard. Brandon Powell was sitting in first entering the Super Final with a score of 183/200 with Turner Parcell just a few targets behind him with a 181/200 in the second place spot entering the shoot off. David Radulovich, Wyatt Hargrove, Jasper Copelan, and Christopher Keller were the other shooters in the Super Final shoot off. After the three stands and twenty five birds were shot, Brandon Powell strong armed the rest of the field with a perfect 9/9 on the last stand and won in a commanding fashion with a very entertaining finish. Brandon shot a 22/25 in the Super Final which gave him a final total score of 205/225 which was an entire 10 targets in front of the next closest shooter. David Radulovich took advantage of the Super Final and shot a 19/25 jumping a few spots and tying Turner Parcell for Runner-Up after being 5 targets behind Turner upon entering the Super Final. After their Runner-Up shoot off David was victorious securing the silver medal and Turner placed Third bringing home the bronze. Madison Sharpe won the Ladies Title with a 165/200, Savanna Barks was Runner-Up with a 164/200, and Desirae Edmunds was Third with a 163/200, it was a close race for the ladies with their scores bunched up at the top with just one clay separating one another. In the FITASC Event, Austin Kiemsteadt of Texas won High Overall with a tremendous 97/100, Eric Harvey was Runner-Up with a 96/100, and David Radulovich was Third with a 95/100. In the Ladies, Karen Miles won the FITASC with an 88/100, Grace Callahan was Runner-Up with an 87/100, and Grace Corselli was Third with an 86/100. The 2025 World Sporting Clays Championship will be held at E.J. Churchill Shooting Ground in England.