Underneath the blazing Caribbean solar and sweltering humidity of Lavatory Stroll, St. Catherine, greater than 130 sharpshooters gathered on the Tru-Juice complicated for the extremely anticipated Rangers Gun Membership Sporting Clays Traditional on Sunday.
However amid the ocean of centered eyes and flying clay targets, one household emerged because the plain stars of the day: Ray McMaster and his daughter Aliana.
Firing on all cylinders, the McMasters etched their names into the competitors’s lore by claiming high honors of their respective classes. Their victories weren’t simply particular person triumphs—they had been shared milestones of precision, perseverance, and deep familial satisfaction.
Ray McMaster hits the mark
From the opening station, it was clear that Ray McMaster had come locked and loaded. He cleanly shattered all six targets on Station One and maintained momentum by the grueling course, lacking solely 5 birds out of a potential 100. His last rating—a staggering 95—positioned him atop the leaderboard, although he remained humble till the official affirmation.
“I’m elated. Superb. It felt superb,” McMaster stated, nonetheless catching his breath from the day’s warmth and depth. “I do know I used to be taking pictures effectively and I knew I’d put up an excellent rating, so I used to be assured to say the least—and it simply occurred. It simply occurred at the moment.”
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The second turned much more particular when he discovered that his daughter, Aliana, had additionally claimed victory within the Women class. “I’ll inform you one thing, sharing that second along with her is particular to me,” he beamed. “Many occasions, it’s a norm for her to be the feminine champion, however she usually shares it with one other male champion. Simply with the ability to ship a strong efficiency and to be topped champion—and to share that along with her—is simply particular to me.”
Aliana’s grace underneath strain
Like her father, Aliana began robust, blasting all six targets on her opening station. However the street to victory wasn’t easy. She stumbled barely on Stations 4 and 5, lacking 5 out of 10, however rallied with fierce willpower to wash 5 consecutive stations with out a miss. Her last rating of 90 secured her second straight Women and Junior titles.
Unfazed by exterior pressures, Aliana credited her success to a private mindset rooted in pleasure and focus. “Actually, I kinda depart the statistics for everyone else to maintain up with,” she shared. “I actually simply set my very own private objectives and simply attempt to obtain them myself. Even after I come out to compete, I actually sort of ignore all people else. What actually issues most is having enjoyable—not even profitable. Profitable won’t ever trump simply having enjoyable.”
Nonetheless, she was glowing with satisfaction for her father. “I wasn’t squadding with him at the moment, which is uncommon for us. However actually, phrases actually can’t describe how particular these moments are. They don’t come round typically sufficient, and I can actually recognize the second that we are able to simply rejoice collectively—and each of our wins.”
Shoot-offs, standouts, and surprises
Whereas the McMasters celebrated their double win, the drama wasn’t over. A heated shoot-off ensued for the runner-up spot, with Gregg Chong edging out rivals Todd Lazarus and Ian Banks—every of whom posted spectacular scores of 93.
The Hunters (Freshmen) class additionally noticed intense motion. After three nail-biting rounds of shoot-offs, Krishna Phillipps emerged victorious over Ammon Lalwani, each initially tied at 75.
Station 4, dubbed the “Bonus Station,” examined even probably the most skilled marksmen. Solely two rivals—Christian Sasso and Todd Lazarus—managed an ideal 4 out of 4. Lazarus finally gained the tiebreaker and walked away with a Barbecue grill, cooler, and knapsack, his pleasure unmistakable.
Rising stars and sophistication champions
The competitors additionally elevated a number of shooters to new class rankings. Among the many standout class winners had been:
- B Class – Robin Rickhi (83)
- C Class – Zachary Chong (86)
- D Class – Max Williams (89)
- E Class & Sub-Junior – Rheis McMaster (81)
Notably, Rheis McMaster—one other rising star from the identical family—continued the household’s legacy of excellence.
Greater than a contest
Whereas the Sporting Clays Traditional was fiercely aggressive, it additionally served a larger trigger. A portion of the proceeds went to assist Meals For the Poor, reaffirming the occasion’s dedication to group upliftment.
The day’s success was made potential by beneficiant sponsorships. Sterling Asset Administration led the best way because the title sponsor, with Worthy Park Rum, Stewarts Auto Gross sales, and STL Photo voltaic as gold-tier backers. Hydration was plentiful because of Wisynco’s provision of Tru-Juice and WATA.