Having grown up on a stock farm in the Karoo, hunting and anything gun related became an absolute passion since I can remember. My mom still fondly tells people how I would use my collection of toy guns to help with good old cowboy gunfights on the television, while shooting from behind the couch.
Shotguns were something rarely seen in our part of the world. I have a very good friend who farms in the Overberg and was introduced to wing shooting sometime in my 30’s. This was a once-a-year event, which was done with a borrowed shotgun. I knew nothing about gun fit and shot with whatever I had been given. My first bird was shot with a side by side that was barely held together. I was hooked.
The old people say you never borrow a man’s gun or his pipe. As soon as I had a bit of spare cash, I bought a Beretta Silver Pigeon II. The once-a-year hunting was not fulfilling my craving for shotgun shooting and after attending an East Cape Game Management meeting, as an afterthought the speaker mentioned they do clay pigeon shooting once a month in Port Elizabeth. I immediately signed up! After regularly visiting one of the gun shops in Port Elizabeth, the owner said he must take me to the real club, just outside of PE. That was my introduction to the Port Elizabeth Clay Target Club.
I very quickly learned that the Beretta was perhaps not the ideal trap gun and have gone on to own a number of different shotguns. I have tried my hand at all the disciplines and enjoy them equally. I have been privileged to shoot the prestigious Chairmans Cup inter-provincial championship a number of times, representing our province in Trap and Trench.
The sport is under pressure due to the ever-increasing costs and it is my vision to grow our member base by introducing people to this wonderful and challenging sport. I have recently realised that as much as I did not know about our club, it is true that other people are not aware of it.
There still exists many potential Clay Target Shooters who have the resources to enjoy our sport, including many wing shooters who do not know about the opportunities available to them. It is our responsibility to introduce them to the sport.
I trust that in years to come we will be able to send a team to the Olympic Games!
Craig Kilian
