Dukes Claybusters brings home honors

Duke’s Claybusters, the Bonners Ferry High School trapshooting team, again brought home to Bonners Ferry another great recognition to the school and to North Idaho on Saturday, July 11, at Libby, Mont.

This was Libby’s first Amateur Trap Association registered shoot, and a few of the teams’ first experience at a registered shoot with 100 16-yard targets and 100 handicap targets. The scores are recorded in the ATA national record and also with the Academic Integrity of Marksmanship youth organization.

“What an honor for me to coach such a group of great, respectful and very good trap shooters,” Lonny Jelenik wrote in an email report for The Bonners Ferry Herald.

The Libby club did not have a team high school event, but Jelenik said after looking at the scores, the Dukes Claybusters would have won again.

“The weather was good, calm, but very hot at 89 degrees compared to 70-something degrees the day before,” he said. “I’m sure that’s why most of the Claybusters outscored the coach. LOL”

The play of the day went to Seth Rice in the handicap event at 20 yards. He broke 97x100 and won champion over all other contestants, adults included, Jelenik said. His brother, Wade Rice, won ATA new shooter honors in the 16-yard event with 95x100 and runner-up (second place) in handicap after a shootout with 92x100.

The Rice brothers won trophies plus option prize money as well as Wyatt McDonald, who also won option money.

It was a “great ending to a wonderful but long day of shooting fun,” Jelenik said, adding that Bonners Ferry entered 14 shooters — 10 Claybusters and four adults — almost three full squads out of nine.

The regular Wednesday and Sunday shooting days are going well with small attendances due to it being farming season. “Haying between rainstorms is tough to figure out this year,” Jelenik said. “Good luck to all you farmers and, if it works out, come on out and try shooting trap.”