A 13-year-old redhead who has been clay target shooting for only three months stunned a big crowd at Roma on Sunday, defeating some of the biggest names in the sport to win herself a car.
Chloe Evans from Colleambally, NSW, a C grade shooter, held her nerve to outlast the other 39 finalists in the Roman Chariot shoot, a two-day event held prior to the 2019 Australian Clay Target Club trap nationals.
She was one of the youngest of 340 entrants from all over Australia who nominated for the shoot and probably the only one who wasn't trying to win the Mitsubishi Triton dual cab from Roma's Armstrong Auto group.
"I didn't really care about the car - at the start all I wanted was a 50-break badge," a stunned Chloe said after it was all over. "I was really nervous. I pulled one second barrel and a couple of chippies."
She shot a 58-break in the handicap event, after earlier winning the C grade single barrel event to qualify for one of the richest prizes in Australian clay target shooting.
Shooting off 15m, she outlasted Victorian Travis Horsburgh, on 21m, and world champion down the line shooter Matt Schilling, from Young in NSW, on 25m.
Chloe travelled 1300km with her father and brother, Glen and Andrew Evans, both AA grade shooters, to compete at her first national competition.
Her excited father, Glen Evans said they thought it would be a good opportunity for her to have a go.
"It's unbelievable. We knew she'd shoot well, we didn't think she shoot this well," he said.
"She kept herself together and come through.
"I've been to 10 or 15 nationals, but I've done nothing like this.
"She just wants to beat Andrew and I and as you can tell, she's getting there."
The young sharpshooter is in year 7 at school and not even eligible for a drivers licence for a few more years.
Chloe thinks she might sell her prize and put the money away for when she's older and can buy a car of her choice.
She said that going to events with her father and brother had made her keen to try the sport of clay target shooting for herself.
"It's really fun and it gets you motivated," she said.
Roma Clay Target Club secretary Patrick Magee said the prize had been a great drawcard for the weekend.
From Monday through to next Sunday, the Roma club is hosting the national trap championships, which over 500 shooters from around Australia have nominated for.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
