THE KIMBERLEY Clay Target Club, a stronghold of sporting heritage and one of the nation’s oldest clay target clubs, teeters on the brink of closure even as it prepares to host the Northern Cape Standard Competition this weekend.

This prestigious event, encompassing the Standard discipline and featuring ATA Trap, ATA Double Trap, DTL (Down The Line), Skeet, Skeet Doubles, and UT (Universal Trench), promises an awe-inspiring showcase of unparalleled marksmanship.

This weekend’s Standard discipline competition will feature the skills of world-class shooter Luca Peacock. For those who don’t know Peacock, the marksman hails from the Western Province, and was recently crowned World Champion in the Universal Trench discipline in Spain, while the SA team was also crowned champions in the same discipline.

Luca Peacock, who hails from the Western Province, was recently crowned World Champion in the Universal Trench discipline that took place in Spain recently. Picture: Supplied

Peacock delivered an impressive performance, scoring 198 out of 200. However, there was an intense five-hour wait as Spanish contender Jose Javier Azpeitia Beristain took to the stage. Miraculously, Beristain managed to match Peacock’s score, setting the scene for an exhilarating shoot-off.

The ensuing shoot-off played out as both contenders sought to break the tie. Each participant took aim at a full set of 25 targets, and remarkably, both managed to hit 24 out of 25 attempts. The intensity heightened as they proceeded to shoot at individual targets until the deadlock was ultimately broken.

In the end, the Spaniard’s luck ran out, and Luca secured the victory for South Africa. Luca’s remarkable feat in the Universal Trench category not only signifies his seven-year journey in shooting but also highlights his transition from a junior to a senior shooter this year.

Luca's remarkable achievement in the Universal Trench event bodes well for the future of Olympic Trap shooting in South Africa, providing an inspiring model for upcoming athletes.

Renowned for its rich history and contributions to the sport of clay target shooting, the Kimberley Clay Target Club has been a cherished institution for generations.

However, the shadow cast by the ongoing menace of artisanal miners, known as ‘Zama Zamas’, threatens to turn this weekend’s celebration into the club’s swan song.

The club’s chairman, Peter Bergh, spoke to the DFA recently and expressed both his fervent hope for a successful event and the heartbreaking reality of the club’s predicament. Bergh told the DFA, “It’s with a heavy heart that I say this might be the last time we gather on these hallowed grounds for a competition. Our beloved club, which has stood as a testament to dedication and sportsmanship, is under siege.”

Within the club’s once-sanctified premises, the encroachment of Zama Zama artisanal miners has resulted in chaos and destruction. The club, grappling with financial limitations, has found itself outmatched against the destructive force of these lawless vandals.

Bergh lamented the litany of damage inflicted upon the club’s facilities. “Water pipes, vital to our operations for gardening, toilets, and daily operations, have been dug up, cut with grinders, and pilfered for scrap metal,” he said.

The ablution facilities at the Kimberley Clay Target Club were mercilessly vandalised to get to the copper pipes under the basins. Picture: Danie van der Lith

“The fencing surrounding the grounds has vanished, and cables are frequently cut and stolen for the copper they hold. This means that we now have to convert all our machines to batteries just to be able to release the targets. Even our lighting has been rendered inoperative, allowing these marauders to carry out their corrupt deeds under cover of darkness,” the chairman added in frustration.

Cables are frequently cut and stolen for the copper they hold. Picture: Danie van der Lith

Bergh pointed out that those who buy these stolen copper and steel pipes from the people are enabling the constant theft and destruction being caused, not just at the club but in Kimberley in general.

The scale of the devastation is staggering: storage containers were pillaged, valuable equipment was stolen, and even the ablution facilities were vandalised to get to the copper pipes under the basins. As Bergh pointed out, “Our meagre resources are no match for the astronomical costs of repairs required to ensure the upcoming competition can proceed.”

The ablution facilities at the Kimberley Clay Target Club were mercilessly vandalised to get to the copper pipes under the basins. Picture: Danie van der Lith

In the face of this crisis, the Kimberley Clay Target Club has been pleading for assistance, yet despite their appeals, local authorities and law enforcement have remained seemingly impotent or unwilling to confront the Zama Zama threat, turning a blind eye for reasons not known.

Bergh’s frustration is palpable, as he asserted, “It’s as if the artisanal miners hold dominion over this land, and our pleas for help fall on deaf ears. When we ask for assistance, shoulders are raised as if to say, ‘What must we do?’ ”

Bergh told the DFA that when they go to speak to the artisanal miners to reason with them or get the police involved, all hell breaks loose, saying that the veld surrounding the club is set alight, and the infrastructure is damaged to a point where it will cost a fortune to repair.

Yet, despite the heavy cloud hanging over the club, Bergh sent out an invitation to all of Kimberley’s residents, saying that everybody is welcome to come and enjoy a day out with the family to witness world-class shooting on Saturday (((((tomorrow))))). On Saturday ((((tomorrow)))) gates open from 8.30am until 1pm and on Sunday from 8.30am until 12 noon. Food and drink will be available at the cash bar and canteen for visitors’ convenience.

As this storied club teeters on the precipice of closure, the imminent loss is twofold. Not only does it symbolise the end of a cherished sporting institution, but it also signifies the vanishing of a piece of history woven into the fabric of Kimberley’s once proud legacy.

The upcoming Standard competition this weekend, possibly marking the club's last significant event, highlights the pressing nature of the current situation. If the course of events remains unchanged, the Kimberley Clay Target Club could become a part of history, creating a void that cannot be filled by any means of repairs or reconstruction.

#clay-pigeon-shooting

The End of an Era: Rampant theft ends Kimberley Clay Target Club legacy

Historic Clay Target Club under siege