Clay Cutters shooting group in second year

A group of seven students has been competing the past two years in the realm of clay target shooting sports. Known as the Thermopolis Clay Cutters Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), these students have attended five SCTP shoots this year with the Wyoming State Shoot in Cody left to go, sometime in August. There have been two shoots in Cody and three in Billings, Mont.

Outside of the SCTP shoots, they also shot at a Junior Olympics qualifier.

The SCTP level is the beginning level for USA Shooting, which includes Junior Olympics leading into Olympics. SCTP is a nationally recognized program.

The Cutters include: Audrey Axtell, Spencer Axtell, Hunter Bartholomew, Jeffry Clark, Will Clark, Owen McCumber and Remington Ferree. Assistant Coach Kari Ferree said about three years ago at the 4-H State Shoot they met up with SCTP State Advisor Marty Romero, who got them interested in forming a team.

At the shoots, the students compete in skeet, sporting clays, trap and, occasionally, wobble trap. The difference between the two trap shoots is in the standard the target moves only horizontally, whereas in wobble it also moves vertically.

Sporting clays they described as "golf with a shotgun," as they move along a course that has different presentations of target. In skeet, they also move to eight stations with the same target presentation, and a high house and low house.

Compared to last year, Ferree said everyone on the team has improved, and that improvement has come frombeing able to practice more. They've been able to practice not only at the Bob Milek Memorial Range for trap but also the Worland Shooting Complex for skeet and five-stand, which is similar to sporting clays. She pointed out the Thermopolis Gun Club and the shooting complex have been very supportive.

Additional support is provided through a Midway Shooting endowment. Ferree explained for every shoot the students go to they earn some money, which is put into an endowment from which they can draw five percent annually. People can contribute to the account through the Midway Foundation website, midwayusafoundation.org The NRA Foundation has also been supportive, Ferree said, providing funds for three traps and two pallets of targets.

Those who would like more information on the Cutters can call 921-1229.

Cutters' results from shoots this year include:

Cody Prep Shoot

Sporting Clays (100 targets): Intermediate - Remington Ferree third 74, Will Clark 59, Owen McCumber 47; Senior - Jeffry Clark 66

Skeet (50 targets): Intermediate - Remington Ferree first 46, Will Clark fourth 41, Owen McCumber 25; Senior - Jeffry Clark 37

Trap (100 targets): Intermediate - Remington Ferree second 90, Will Clark 72, Owen McCumber 57; Senior - Jeffry Clark 86.

Blue Creek Fun Shoot

Sporting Clays (100 targets): IE - Owen McCumber fourth 43; IA - Remington Ferree fourth 75, Will Clark 10th 54; JV - Spencer Axtell second 71, Audrey Axtell fifth 52, Hunter Bartholomew sixth 51, Jeffry Clark seventh 50; All Ladies - Audrey first 52; JV Squad - Jeffry, Bartholomew and Spencer first 172.

Skeet (50 targets): IE - Owen McCumber 27; IA - Remington Ferree 40, Will Clark 30; JV - Hunter Barthlomew 33, Spencer Axtell 33, Jeffry Clark 30, Audrey Axtell 25; All Ladies Skeet - Audrey second 25; JV Skeet Squad - Jeffry, Spencer and Audrey second 88.

Trap (50 targets): IE - Owen McCumber fifth 24; IA - Remington Ferree first 48, Will Clark sixth 36; JV - Spencer Axtell fourth 44, Jeffry Clark 39, Audrey Axtell, 29, Hunter Bartholomew 28; High Overall Trap Boy - Ferree; High Overall Ladies Trap - Audrey first 29; High Overall Girl - Audrey first 106 total score.

The group placed third with a total score of 665.

Eastern Montana

Sporting Clays (100 targets): IA - Remington Ferree second 77.

Skeet (100 targets): IA - Remington Ferree 77.

Trap (100 targets): Remington Ferree 88.

Montana State Shoot

Sporting Clays (100 targets): IE - Owen McCumber 48; IA - Remington Ferree 80, Will Clark 61; JV - Jeffry Clark 70

Skeet (100 targets): IE - Owen McCumber 66, IA - Remington Ferree

83, Will Clark 74; JV - Jeffry Clark 82

Trap (100 targets): IE - Owen McCumber 50, IA - Remington Ferree 86, Will Clark 79; JV - Jeffry Clark 91.

Cody Round Up

Sporting Clays (100 targets): IE - Owen McCumber fourth 52, IA - Remington Ferree first 84, Will Clark eighth 76; Girls JV - Audrey Axtell second 49; JV - Jeffry Clark second 73, Spencer Axtell fifth 67, Hunter Bartholomew eighth 58.

Open Squad - Ferree, Bartholomew and Jeffry first 215.

Skeet (100 targets): IE - Owen McCumber sixth 56; IA - Remington Ferree seventh 87, Will Clark 15th 69; JV - Audrey Axtell second 60, Jeffry Clark third 80, Spencer Axtell sixth 65, Hunter Bartholomew seventh 64 Open Squad - Spencer, Ferree and Bartholomew third 216

Trap (100 targets): IE - Owen McCumber eighth 54, IA - Remington fourth 89, Will Clark 14th 68; Girls JV - Audrey Axtell first 70; JV - Jeffry Clark third 87, Spencer Axtell 11th 69, Hunter Bartholomew 13th 65