Menu
If you are into shooting Skeet, Sporting Clays, Trap (Down the Line), Tower, Olympic-
discipline, or any other clay target shooting, you’ve found the right site. WACTA is here to provide a one-stop reference for every clay target club and shooter in Western Australia.
Clay Target Shooting is a sport that can be enjoyed by the whole family recreationally or at
competition level at a local gun club. There are events ranging from registered club events to
regional, state, national and international events. These include State Titles, National Titles,
World Championships, Commonwealth right through to the Olympic Games.
Clay target shooting has a variety of disciplines to try. Each discipline varies in its approach
and delivery of targets, providing a range or experiences.
The Western Australian Clay Target Association Inc (WACTA) is responsible for
administering, promoting and developing the sport of Clay Target Shooting in Western
Australia.
Search our website to find out what WACTA and our affiliated clubs have to offer, including,
Latest News, WA Shooting Programme, Events, Rules, Governance, Coaching, and more.
Recognized by the Australian Clay Target Association Ltd. (ACTA) as the body representing
all registered shooters and affiliated Clubs in WA.
To foster, promote, encourage and develop the sport of Clay Target Shooting and the
formation of Clay Target Shooting Clubs within WA.
To be recognised as the premier Clay Target Association in Western Australia with International standing for hosting National and International Events.
To increase participation in the sport at all levels of competition.
To provide professional support and information to clubs, members and the general public,
through contemporary information and programmes.
The Western Australian Clay Target Association (WACTA) was formed in or around 1954 with first representation on the Australian Clay Pigeon Target Shooting Association (ACPTSA) Executive in 1955.
At the 19th Annual Meeting of (ACPTSA) it was voted that Western Australia have one (1) representative on the Executive along with South Australia. The others already on the Executive were NSW (4), Victoria (4) and Tasmania (2).
At this 1955 meeting, Mr Colin Fletcher was the WA Representative and duly elected the first State Rules Examiner was Mr Roy Alexander. 1955 also saw the first WA State Representative Trap Team of Col Ferguson, M Hollitt, Neville Beeck, Chris O’Neil, Roy Alexander, Harold Colliver, G Elliott, M Forbes, R Carter and P Humphries.
At this time, there were only a couple of Clubs in WA – Katanning and Peth Gun Club at Clontarf (previously Vivian’s at Maddington) to our maximum of 31 Clubs.
WACTA then initiated splitting the State into Zones as more Clubs came on board, starting with 3 Zones to 2017 increasing to 7 Zones with Clubs coming on board in the Pilbara region. In 2023 we have 27 active Clubs.
WA produced 3 MacIntosh High Guns (1970 – John Harris, 1976 – Darryl Wiese, and 1991 Murray Alexander, OAM); a National Single Barrel Overall Champion (1971 – Ray McDonald); National Trap Handicap Overall Champions (1971 – W Garraway, 1985 – Mark Green and 1991 – Laurie “Banjo” Paterson); National Ladies Handicap Champion (Julie Neves), National Champion of Champion Overall Champion (1984 – Tim Catling); Intermediate Double Barrel Champions (1956 – WG Edwards, 1970 – J Bailey, 1091 – N Featherly and 1972 – JH Griffiths); National Double Barrel Overall Champion (1975 – Jim Ellis), Ladies Double Barrel Champion (2022 – Julie Santostefano); National Skeet
Champion (1975 – KF Flaherty); AUS/NZ Trap Champion (1968 – Tim Catling, 1971 and 1972 – Jim Ellis, 1980 – Darryl Weise and 1981 – B Scotta) and Olympic Trap (1980 – John Harris). There have been other National Champions since 1992 from WA Shane O’Brien featuring in the Skeet (multiple and latest 2022 – 28G Overall).
WA can be proud also in the number of Members who have made International Representative Teams – DTL (Jason Oliveri, Neil McWhirter & W Fren-Lizzi), Skeet (Shane O’Brien and Peter Vosper), ISSF (Trap – John Harris, Phil Melvin and William Freni-Lizzi / Skeet – Robin Bailey, John Mathieson and Clem Bertini) plus WSPS Para Trap (2022 – Nige Young: Gold) plus Olympics (1996 Coach – Murray Alexander OAM and Skeet – Laura Coles) WA has hosted many ACTA Trap Nationals starting in 1971 at Perth Gun Club, Skeet Nationals, UIT (then ISU now ISSF) and ACTA’s newest discipline ACTA “5” Stand. It has also been the home to an ISU World Championship in 1991 and an ISSF World Cup in 2003, both of which were extremely successful.
WA’s representation on the new Australian Clay Target Association (ACTA) replacing the ACPTSA eventually saw My Roy Holtfreter become the National ACTA President in 1984 until 1988. So for a small State in membership number, WACTA has many accomplishments of which its members can be very proud. They can also be proud of the growth and development that has taken place over the last 67 years.
