Pomeroy Gun Club

By Larry Bunch

Special to the East Washingtonian

POMEROY–The Pomeroy Gun Club completed their Winter League for 2024 with their annual barbeque potluck, awards day, and annual meeting on Sunday April 7. The twelve weeks starting in January include the ten-week competition against the other 23 teams in the Camas Prairie Association and the Camas Prairie shoot at Walla Walla Gun Club that was reported in last week's paper, along with this past week's final get together which included fun and games.

The Junior shooters played games on one Trap while the adult shooters shot 50/16-yard. Targets on the other Trap and competed for an award of Ammunition by four classes of shooters based on average. Don Perrigin of Dayton was the "D" Class Winner, "C" Class was won by Sean Beale with a score of 46X50, Jeff Hannas bested the "B" Class shooters with a 48, and Larry Bunch was the top "A" Class shooter also posting a 48.

Annual 10-week trophies were given out and Tyler Taylor received the New Shooter award in the Junior Division. In the 12-year-old and under classification, Josh Hastings was the trophy winner in the 16-yard, and Brooklyn Pounds won the Hardware for the Girls. The 12-year-old and under Handicap Champion was Carter Barron. Rowdy Cole captured the younger kids of High Overall honors with an outstanding year.

Sub Junior Champion in 16-yard. competition was Hagen Taylor and Josephine Watson topped the Girls in that group. Sub Jr. Division Handicap Champion was Byron Collier, and Heather Hastings was the Girls Handicap winner. Luke Collier had a good year and was the High Overall Sub Jr. Champion.

In the older Junior Group for 2024 Mason Garcia was the 16-yard. winner. Gunner Magill captured Handicap Honors and Ollie Severs completed the year with the High Overall Honors. Ollie also won a shoot off at the Walla Walla Camas Prairie completion against four other area shooters to win a spot on the Camas Prairie Junior All Star Team.

Adult winners in the 16-yard division included "D" class Matt Fitzgerald, "C" class Ray Endicott, "B" Class Mitch Ruchert, and in "A" class Jim Adams topped the Adult Field after posting three perfect 25s on the year. Holly Ledgerwood was the Ladies Champion for 2024. Mitch Ruchert and Wayne Tetrick each posted two perfect 25s during the season.

Glenn Barber returned to competition at the Club after a few years of not competing and was this year's Handicap Champion. Tracy Hanger won the trophy for Ladies Champion and Larry Bunch garnered Veteran honors.

Clark Capwell was the top shooter in the always fun Continental competition and Travis Ledgerwood Captured the Doubles Trophy for the year.

Brian Bingman was the High All Around Champion which is a combination of 16-yard. and Handicap average. Buck Geiger repeated as High Overall Champion which is a combination of 16-yard., Handicap, Continentals, and Doubles averages. Robert Koller was honored with the Clubs Life Time Achievement Award for this year. Robert is the one member of the Club that can remember the very first Sausage Shoot put on by the Club that has become one of the more popular shoots in our region. The first few years of the Shoot the Sausage was made in Robert's Garage.

Acknowledgement and appreciation went out to all those who helped, especially with the Junior program. Most notably Tracy Hanger, Kenny Bott, and Terry John who are there every Saturday to promote safety and responsible gun handling, The parents who commit to getting their kids involved in the sport, for getting them there every week, and for chipping in with scoring and shooting instruction. The Shepherd foundation for their support of the Junior program, which costs $200+ a year per kid to put on. Pheasants Forever for their yearly donation that Don Perrigin of Dayton solicits each year. Steve and Holly Ledgerwood who put together the Trophy package and provide Silent Auction items to various shoots around the Region. Those people who donate to the annual hog raffle and buy tickets and the Junior Program Kids who sell the raffle tickets. Vista Outdoor, CCI/Speer that donates shells most years.

It takes a village to put on a Junior Shoot Program and in our case, it is two villages, Pomeroy, and Dayton along with a few people from the Waitsburg area.

The ten weeks shoot always starts the second weekend of January and the Club looks forward to 2025.

Current Officers were retained for next year with Travis Ledgerwood President; Terry John Vice President; Tracy Hanger Secretary; Larry Bunch Treasurer and Reporter; Luke Ledgerwood, Wayne Tetrick, Steve Ledgerwood, and Ben Feider Directors; and Justin Dixon past President Director.