Trapshooting was first introduced in the United States in the early 19th century. The game has evolved into today’s American Trap with standardized clay targets and automatic traps (target throwing machines).
The Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA), traps governing body, currently sanctions three trapshooting events, singles, doubles and handicap. Singles places the competitor sixteen yards behind the trap (target thrower). As the trap oscillates, clay targets are thrown away from the competitor at various angles. One shot is allowed to allowed to break the clay target. In doubles, two targets are thrown at fixed angles. The competitor stands sixteen yards behind the trap and is allowed one shot per target. Handicap moves the competitor further back from the trap, up to a distance of twenty seven yards. Handicap targets are thrown at various angles and one shot per target is allowed.
Singles is the only event in the CYSSA Trap Program. A squad of five competitors position themselves on an arc sixteen yards behind the trap. In turn, each signals for a target, and attempts to break it. When five targets have been thrown for each competitor, they change positions moving one post to the right. (Post five goes to post one). This continues until each has attempted to break twenty five targets
OLYMPIC (BUNKER) TRAP
Trapshooting became part of the Olympics in 1900, with the current version of the game introduced in
1950. The Olympic trench or “bunker” contains fifteen fixed-angle target throwing machines (traps). Each competitor will receive a different mix of target angle difficulty. A computer is used to insure each competitor receives five straight-away, ten left and ten right targets in a random sequence. Target speed is 76 mph versus 40 mph for American Trap.
Shooting Procedure:
Each round consists of 25 targets, shot in squads of six. Numbers 1-5 stand on the shooting points with number 6 behind post number 1. Shooters move along the line after each shot, so that each post is always occupied, with the sixth member of the squad in transit from 5 to 1. The shooter whose turn it is to fire must do so within ten seconds of the previous shot.
Competitions in international events are held over 125 targets (75 for Ladies) with the top six going forward to a 25 target final.
You’ll find more information about Olympic trap and the Junior Olympics visit the USA shooting website (www.usashooting.com).
