Fantastic prizes lure the big guns to clay target shoot

Two cars are up for grabs at the Roman Chariot shoot, foreshadowing the major national competition.

PERFECT SCORE: Roma Gun Club's next competition will have two cars as prizes, courtesy of Armstrong Auto Group. Picture: W.H.W. LUCKHOFF

SHOOTING: Excitement in ramping up in Roma, as the countdown begins to the Clay Target Club annual car shoot on March 29-31.

Now in its second year, the Armstrong Auto Roman Chariot Shoot will see hundreds compete in the precision sport for the grand prize: a dual cab ute from the Roma dealer.

A lucky door prize will also be drawn, and the winner will claim a hatchback.

"We came up with the idea two years ago, so this will be the second year of the competition,” club secretary Patrick Magee said.

"It also serves as the pre-national for the Australian Clay Target Association, with nationals in April.

"Our car shoot is sort of the warm-up shoot for the actual national competition,” he said.

The specific style of competition will weed out a group of finalists who will compete for the big prize, Magee said.

"You enter as normal, and the winners from every event in each grade, will go in to a final and shoot off for the car.

"We are hoping to get between 400 and 500 people competing, and that will be narrowed down to a finalist group of 40.

"People will be coming from all over Australia; all of the states will have people coming because it is three days before to the national competition, which is also held at our club,” he said.

The local sponsorship helps draw a crowd to Roma for the competitions, and delighted competitors last year, Magee said.

"We've committed to three years with Armstrong Auto Group, so next year we will be running this shoot again.

"Last year the people who won the cars were really happy with it,” he said.

The pre-national shoot has sponsorship from local businesses, including Bakearoma, Pumps n Solar, Salon 78, Roma Tyre and Battery, and Taylor's Parts Centre.