A yearly shooting event that helps support the Natchez Trace Council of the Boy Scouts of America has become an important opportunity for fun and fellowship, and for business networking as well.
The Boy Scout Clay Classic, Elite Eagle and Corporate Team events, presented by Winchester Ammunition, punctuate the divide between summer and fall for wingshooting enthusiasts across Northeast Mississippi. The events are fun and are meant for the widest array of shooters possible, from the greatly competitive to the most casual to be found.
“It’s very heartwarming to see the shooters who enjoy this event and who support Scouting,” said Rick Wise, assistant district Scout executive. “We have committee members who put this together still around since the very beginning who are still very involved, both because they love the fun of the event and because they believe so strongly in what Scouting offers. Their dedication is just huge. Their belief in what we do is exceptional, and it’s exemplified by the fact they’ve been so committed to supporting it over the years.”
This is the event’s 31st year. The shoot will be held Aug. 15 and 16 on the grounds of Camp Yocona, located south of Highway 278 between Pontotoc and Oxford, at 878 Boy Scout Road in Randolph. Shooters may learn more and sign up at the Boy Scouts of America office at 505 Air Park Rd., in Tupelo, or by calling 662-842-2871.
“We also have people who’ve participated in this shoot consistently many years,” Wise said. “It’s a joy to see them having a good time and supporting an organization they believe in.”
More than three decades ago, the first Clay Classic drew two dozen shooters and raised $1,500. In recent years, the event has regularly drawn more than 200 shooters and raised nearly $40,000.
As participation has increased, its demographics have broadened, and competitive categories have been expanded to reflect and welcome the growth. This year’s event will include a category for female shooters and recognize the top female shooter overall.
All of the money goes directly to the Natchez Trace Council, a Boy Scouts of America zone that works with more than 1,250 Scouts in 22 counties across Northeast Mississippi.
The event is a key part of the local scouting year, both from a financial standpoint, and from the connection it creates and strengthens between Scouting and those who support its ideals.
“Scouting shapes boys and helps them become fine young men,” Robert Magers, of Tupelo, says. He is this year’s event chairman. “Important qualities are taught and leadership opportunities are offered in a wholesome environment through Scouting, and at Camp Yocona in particular, that I don’t think you can find anywhere else.”
“People just keep coming to the table and the Classic just keeps growing,” said Greg Burks, of Tupelo, one of the event’s original organizers. “It’s really been the sort of thing that people come out and see once as participants or sponsors and just really fall in love with.”
The sporting clay competition is actually three separate events in one. The Elite Eagle is a 60-target, two-shooter competition that comes with ammunition supplied and a steak dinner afterward. As in the past, the Elite Eagle event will be held on Friday afternoon, which this year is Aug. 15, commencing at 1:30 p.m. Elite Eagle entry fees are $350 per team.
The Clay Classic welcomes individual shooters or four-shooter teams, who use their own ammunition in an 80-target match. There, the entry fee is $125 per individual shooter or $700 per corporate team. In the past, the Clay Classic was spread across two flights on the Saturday of the event. Now, corporate teams may choose to shoot on Friday morning or Saturday morning, Aug. 16. On both days, shooting starts at 8 a.m.
“As we’ve grown the event, we’ve tried to make sure we were always providing a top quality experience,” Magers said, “from the challenges and rewards of the course to the camaraderie of the event itself. Many times, we found the Saturday event conflicted with other events, particularly those involving kids and family, and the last thing we wanted to do was interfere with that. Plus, the opportunity for businesses to send employees or bring customers on a weekday offered a lot of appeal, so we moved the traditional Saturday afternoon flight to Friday morning. Clay Classic participants can choose the day they want to shoot.”
A wide variety of corporate sponsorship packages are available, offering marketing opportunities as well as entries for teams.
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