Targets weren't the only thing shattered at this year's ADF Clay Target Championships, held in Wagga Wagga from September 13 to 21.
History was made when Flight Lieutenant Chris Whyte became the first Air Force member to claim the Overall High Gun title.
The eight-time Air Force champion said it was an amazing feeling to win after years of top-five finishes.
"The last two years I was in the top three, so I knew I was close. I was always on the mark, so to come out as the first Air Force ADF Champion was a big achievement. I'm pretty stoked," Flight Lieutenant Whyte said.
There were more than 50 competitors in 12 events across trap, skeet and sporting clay disciplines.
Each competitor fired at 925 targets across multiple events, making it the largest clay target competition in the southern hemisphere.
Three interservice shields were hotly contested, with Air Force winning trap, Navy winning skeet and Army winning sporting clays.
'No one can concentrate that long. Your pre-shot routine is critical and that's when you start your focus.'
Navy High Gun Champion Lieutenant Commander Dennis Walsh said tips from Olympic gold medal shooter Russel Mark helped him maintain focus for the long competition.
"No one can concentrate that long. Your pre-shot routine is critical and that's when you start your focus," he said.
"Before the person calls 'pull' next to you, that's when you really need to start concentrating. Just focus on your shot before you call 'pull' and hopefully smoke the target."
The competition also serves as selection for the ADF representative teams, taken from each discipline's top five competitors, with the best B-grade shooter selected as the sixth member.
They will represent the ADF at national competitions later this year and next year.
Army High Gun was won by Lieutenant Colonel John Anderson, who was also selected for ADF skeet, trap and sporting clays representative teams.
A series of 'come-and-try' days will be offered in various Defence locations in late 2025 and early 2026 as an opportunity for newcomers to try their hand leading up to the next championships.
