Great shot
Trey Dyck shot his way into the history books in Calgary last month.
Dyck, from Cypress County, took part in the Alberta Provincial Trapshooting Association championships July 23-26, finishing with 383 out of 400 targets hit to earn the 1910 AC Rutherford Cup for the high all around champion at the shoot. At the age of 15, Dyck is the youngest to accomplish this feat.
“You can’t really explain the feeling,” said Dyck, who also took home the sub junior singles trophy at the shoot. “Just thinking you’re one of the best trapshooters in Alberta this year just puts a smile on your face and gives you a good feeling.”
Dyck says his first exposure to trapshooting came three years ago during a firearms safety course. He says he enjoyed it, but didn’t pick it up as a serious sport until a year later.
“I’ve always just had a love for guns and firearms and hunting and all of that stuff, and I just kind of got hooked on it,” he said.
Dyck has also had help improving his shooting from Neil Burbidge, an accomplished local trapshooter in his own right. Burbidge has been shooting for almost 30 years, has won national championships, is a member of the APTA Hall of Fame, and was high all around champion 13 times.
Burbidge says Dyck has a lot of natural ability for his age, pays attention when you tell him something and is a quick learner. He also adds Trey has the right firearm for him, a Browning combo gun.
“What I do see all over North America is I see kids shooting, but their gun doesn’t fit, and they’re handicapped right out of the gate,” he said. “The gun’s too big and they’re too small for the size of the gun, that sort of thing. With Trey, we got him fitted up right away so he can handle the gun properly and he’s done very well.”
Burbidge says he was proud to see how his pupil fared at the championship.
“They’ve been keeping records in Alberta for more than 100 years, the sport goes back that far,” he said. “He’s the youngest person to ever win that. It’s a very prestigious trophy... that’s something to be proud of.”
Dyck’s scores qualified him for the Grand American World Trapshooting Championship, but was unable to attend, but he says he will attend next year.
This year was Dyck’s second try at provincials. Last year, he won the singles handicap in the sub junior division and was runner up in the singles and doubles category.