homepage section 1

The November issue of Clay Target Nation is packed full of coverage from the World Skeet Championships — but don’t worry, it’s also got plenty of tips and pieces of helpful advice for all shooters.

In our Training Tips columns, Paul Giambrone III has some solutions for shooters who struggle when swapping between rifles or pistols and shotguns. Meanwhile, Anthony Matarese reminds sporting clays shooters that breaking targets isn’t the same thing as being successful.

The 2026 World Skeet Championships concluded in early October, and this issue is full of coverage of Connor Thigpen’s big HOA wins at the World and the Mini World, as well as details on the Hall of Fame banquet and the grand reopening of the newly remodeled and expanded Hal duPont NSSA-NSCA Museum and Hall of Fame. There’s also a photo gallery where you can see lots of action shots and behind-the-scenes photos.

On the sporting clays side, some big events get coverage in this issue, including the South Central Regional and the first-ever World Super Sporting Championship, held at Northbrook Sports Club.

There are plenty of helpful articles in this issue, too, including a spotlight on the new NSCA Champions Coaching Circle and its elite members. Dr. Richard Colo takes an unflinching look at flinching, while Marty Fischer shares some insights for sporting clays shooters who struggle to break the second target of a pair. Haylyn Hanks offers 10 tips for youth shooters, and finally, John Shima chimes in to remind shooters that their purpose for shooting might change over the years — and that’s OK.

Advertisers in the November issue are:

Clay Target Nation is available monthly to all members in digital and/or print form. Not a member? You can receive the next issue when you join at http://nssa-nsca.org/join-nssa-nsca/.

2021 World Skeet Championships HOA winners, left to right: Steven Wood, third; Houston Deshotels, champion; and Taylor Nicosia, runner-up

The NSSA congratulates Houston Deshotels, who won both HOA and HAA at the 2021 World Skeet Championships, held October 4-8 at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio.

Deshotels was perfect going into Friday’s .410 bore event, where he dropped only one target to finish the World Skeet Championships with a score of 449. Taylor Nicosia, who had dropped a target earlier in the week in the 28-gauge event, shot 100 straight in the .410 to tie Deshotels at 449 for HOA. Deshotels was the victor in the shoot-off, giving him his first HOA World Skeet Championship. He was also Triple-Sub Champion. Nicosia finished as HOA runner-up and Lady Champion. She also won Lady Champion in the Wayne Mayes Championship event, Lady runner-up in the 20-gauge and the .410, and Lady third in the 28-gauge and doubles.

Steven Wood, Cooper Oliver and Dessislav Ivanov battled it out in a shoot-off of 447s for the third spot on the HOA podium; Ivanov went out first and finished AAA1. Oliver went out next, finishing AA1, which left Wood as HOA third. Other class winners were Katie Hunt, A1; Tim Robinson, B1; Katie Lackey, C1; Michael Rykaczewski Sr., D1; and Steve Scales, E1. Katherine Adams was Lady runner-up, and Lauren Burge was Lady third.

With a score of 549, Deshotels was also HAA Champion, with Nicosia runner-up (547) and Ivanov third (546).

Also winning World Championships were Josh Poole, doubles and .410 bore; Robert Hicklin, 12-gauge; Michael Schmidt, 20-gauge; and Ryan Smithart, 28-gauge.

The previous weekend, at the Mini World, HOA winners included Alessandro Vitale, champion; Mike Woolard, runner-up; and Riley Chaddock, third. Vitale was also HAA Champion. Taylor Nicosia won doubles, Edward Smith won the 12-gauge, Michael Rykaczewski Jr. won the 20-gauge, and Josh Poole won the .410 bore. Wayne Mayes Championship winners were Ivanov, champion; Paul Newman, runner-up; and Nicosia, third.

This Month In Clay Target Nation

Houston Deshotels Wins HOA at 2021 World Skeet Championships

Target Talk

Skeet

Sporting Clays

National Shooting
Complex

Museum &
Hall of Fame

About