Article courtesy of Shooting Sports USA - www.ssusa.org
LENEXA, KANSAS
Led by scattergun expert David Miller, Team CZ-USA made history on Saturday, October 12 after setting a new Guinness World Record for a five-person team shooting the most sporting clay targets over a 12-hour period. The team was comprised of Miller and five special youth shooters, including Weston Zolck from Iowa Western, that were selected via a two-part process. Once assembled, the five-person team proceeded to break a mind-boggling total of 14,176 clay birds—shattering the previous team record of 4,602 targets. The new record was set at the Powder Creek Shooting Park in Lenexa, KS.
To handle the punishing conditions, shooters were equipped with CZ's 1012 semi-automatic that uses a gasless inertia system. The four younger Team CZ-USA shooters will get to keep their guns as a memento.
Applicants for the team had to shoot qualifying events at two major youth competitive shotgun events, the SCTP nationals, and the ATA's AIM championships. Additionally, there was a requirement for a written essay that comprised 50 percent of the selection score. Eligible shooters could shoot for qualification as many times as they wanted.
In addition to Miller, the other four team members were:
- Weston Zolck (Herman, NE)
- Levi Henrichs (Sibley, IA)
- Makayla Scott (White Sulphur Springs, WV)
- Jessica Strasser (Waterford, WI)
Weston Zolck (far left) helped shoot more than 14,000 clays in a 12-hour period
"This new world record took a great deal of practice, commitment and concentration," said Miller. "And, these young shooters never faltered! I'm very proud of these young people and their stellar work ethic. [The world record] could not have been set without their dedication to excellence."
To encourage the team over the long duration of the event, the large crowd cheered them on.
"We had an enthusiastic crowd on hand, and they really cheered us on," Miller added. "Thank you to everyone who came out to support us and to our sponsors. You made a huge difference!"
Regular Shooting Sports USA readers will remember in 2015 when Miller the Guinness World Record for the most solo clay targets shot over the span of an hour—3,653. He chronicled the feat with a tattoo on his arm.
