The 2024 National Championship was held from October 19th to 27th at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas. The National Shooting Complex, located just twenty miles northwest of downtown San Antonio, is known as the home of clay shooting in the United States. This facility boasts a massive shooting venue. With thousands of competitors from across the country, a plethora of industry companies on vendor row, numerous events, media coverage, and more, the NSCA National Championship is the most highly anticipated clay target tournament of the year in America. Each year, the bar for the National Championship seems to be raised higher and higher.
An Unparalleled Gathering of Clay Target Enthusiasts
For those who have attended NSCA Nationals at least once, the scale of this event is well-known. What might seem like hectic commotion for a week is, in reality, thousands of like-minded people gathering to share their passion for shotgunning and breaking clay targets, all in one place at once. The hundreds of golf carts, dozens of food vendors, and numerous gun, ammo, and apparel companies, along with spectators, crew members, and more, are what make this event special. The NSCA National Championship goes above and beyond with night events like the Hall of Fame Banquet, the Top Gun Shootout, North vs. South, and more, making this week particularly special for clay target enthusiasts.
Perfect Weather and Upgrades at the National Shooting Complex
This week, the National Shooting Complex enjoyed spectacular weather, with blue skies and comfortable temperatures, unlike in some previous years. Those who attended may have noticed the upgraded improvements that the NSCA brought to the grounds. These included a brand-new, state-of-the-art pavilion behind the stadium, a smooth and spacious paved pathway on vendor row, and rock paths on the shooting grounds and other areas, all of which made the property more impressive than in previous years. The paved pathway in front of the stores on vendor row improved maneuvering and cart traffic, while the pavilion provided a great gathering area for shooters to eat between, before, or after their rotations. The rock and gravel paths were also beneficial, helping prevent ATVs and carts from getting stuck on the courses in case of bad weather. These advancements were long-awaited, and the feedback from attendees was positive.
Ladies Main Event: HOA Karen Miles, Runner-Up Grace Corselli, and Third Desirae Edmunds. Photo courtesy of NSCA
The Main Event
As in previous years, the Main Event was shot on four different courses: the Yellow Course, the Red Course, the Orange Course, and the Green Course. The NSCA National Championship is a 300-target Main Event, the only 300-bird clay target competition in the country. Unlike most other major Main Events, competitors have the option to shoot the four courses over two days earlier in the week or in the traditional four-day format. The two-day option can be completed on Saturday and Sunday or Monday and Tuesday, with competitors shooting two courses a day for a total of 150 targets each day. The four-day format, from Thursday through Sunday, involves shooting one 75-target course each day.
The Pro-Class and Super Squad
The NSCA established a “Pro-Class” division for this Main Event to separate high-level shooters from the rest of the pack, making the Master Class more competitive for the majority of competitors. The “Super Squad” was also in full effect, leveling the playing field by having all top shooters who met the NSCA's criteria compete on the same rotations and courses at the same time. This arrangement also increased spectatorship by allowing people to watch all the high-level shooters together on the same course.
Championship Results
Brandon Powell defended his National Championship title from the previous year, becoming only the third person ever to win back-to-back NSCA National Championships. After sprinting to an early lead on the first morning with a near-perfect score of 74/75, Brandon maintained his lead throughout the week and ultimately won by a 5-target margin. His final score of 292/300 was an impressive performance, with only eight targets missed over the four days of the Main Event.
Turner Parcell of South Carolina capped off a great season, finishing as Runner-Up in the Main Event at the National Championship with a score of 287/300. Anthony Matarese took Third Overall after tying with Daylon Mahn at 283/300 and winning in a shoot-off.
In the Ladies’ division, Karen Miles staged a comeback victory on the last day to win her first National Championship Title with a score of 271/300. Grace Corselli finished as Runner-Up with a 267/300 after a week of consistent shooting, and Desirae Edmunds took third with a 266/300.
The grounds at the National Shooting Complex, photo by Lefty Ray, courtesy of NSCA.
Event Highlights
That concludes the 2024 NSCA National Championship in San Antonio. We hope everyone who attended enjoyed the event, and we wish the best of luck to everyone in all their future shooting endeavors.