Sporting Clays

Sporting clays is the most varied and challenging of the clay target disciplines. Often compared to golf, each course is unique — athletes walk through a series of 10-15 stations set across natural terrain, encountering different target presentations at each stop.

Targets simulate the flight paths of game birds: incoming, outgoing, crossing, quartering, dropping, and rising. Targets vary in size (standard, midi, mini, battue, rabbit) and speed, creating an endlessly varied challenge.

A typical round consists of 50 or 100 targets. Because no two courses are alike, sporting clays rewards adaptability and the ability to read targets quickly. The NSCA is the primary governing body, maintaining national rankings and sanctioning registered competitions. The discipline has seen explosive growth in youth shooting programs through SCTP.