Illinois Welcomes the ATA Grand American Trapshooting Championships
Thousands of competitors and spectators expected for world’s largest trapshooting event
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) welcomes the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) Grand American World Trapshooting Championships to the World Shooting and Recreational Complex (WSRC) in Sparta, Illinois.
The Grand American is scheduled for August 7-17 at the 1,600-acre WSRC, home to the event since 2006.
More than 17,500 shooters are expected to participate in 24 competitive events during the 11 days of ‘The Grand’ in southwestern Illinois.
“We are thrilled to again welcome the Grand American, the premier world-class shooting sports event, to the Land of Lincoln,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller. “The World Shooting and Recreational Complex is the perfect place for the Grand, and shooters, spectators and other visitors can expect a warm welcome from citizens, businesses, and local officials in Sparta and throughout the region.”
From August 3-6, the WSRC will also host the AIM Grand National Youth Trapshooting Championships. AIM stands for Academics, Integrity, and Marksmanship and includes shooters age 23 and younger. AIM shooters compete in the trap shooting disciplines of singles, doubles, and handicap and some competitors will receive collegiate scholarships during the event.
The WSRC features 120 trap fields spanning three-and-a-half miles; 1,000 campsites; ample parking; a full-service events center and vendor mall; and, on-site food service from Joe Boccardi’s. In addition to the trap shooting facilities, the WSRC is home to skeet, sporting clays, archery, and cowboy action shooting facilities, with events and open shooting opportunities year round.
“The WSRC is a destination for outstanding shooting sports events throughout the year, highlighted by the Grand each August,” Miller added. “Youth events are also among the highlights, including the recent Scholastic Clay Target Program National Championships, where more than 1,600 young athletes from throughout the country competed right here in Sparta on July 14-20. They are the future of sport shooting.”
The Grand American is one of the nation’s oldest sporting events, begun in 1893. The first Grand American using clay targets was held in 1900. For complete details on the ATA Grand American, go to the ATA website at www.shootata.com.
For more information on the World Shooting and Recreational Complex, check the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.
