Shooting Nationals Come To Tulsa

By Jeffrey Smith, News On 6

TULSA, OK -- It's called the Super Bowl of Shooting. The Shooting Association's National Championship is under way in North Tulsa.  It will draw more than 400 shooters to Tulsa's Shooting Academy over the next week.

The News On 6 spoke to competitors from all over the world Sunday morning. They say there's no thrill like holding a loaded gun and hearing: ready, aim, fire.

It's one gun, two hands and 18 bullet-filled courses.

"This would be the super bowl of shooting in the United States," said Course Official Ray Abernathy.

U.S. Shooting Association events draw hundreds of sport shooters from around the world. And for this year's National Championships, they all have their sights set on Tulsa.

"This is top notch, this is world class," said Canadian Competitor Doni Spencer.

Lance Jensen is a policeman from Claremore. He's new to shooting, but says it's a sport loaded with opportunities.

"I just wanted to come here and basically see how I stack up against everybody else throughout the nation," said Jensen.

For the pros, this competition is as big as it gets and it's a sport all about technique, and concentration.

"If you have the technique, you can be a champion, no matter who you are," said Jensen.

The nationals are a big deal to Tulsa's Shooting Academy. The facility's been up and running for less than two years.

"It has the space. It has the props, it has the nightlife, it has everything that could handle, that could easily handle, a world shoot," said Spencer.

"A Class. Highest you can possibly get. Yes, apart from maybe rolling out the red carpet for you on each stage," said Jamaican shooter Ronald Brown.

No red carpet, just white steel hitting the floor. For the Tulsa Shooting Academy, it's a sure-fire way to move onto the prime-time stage.

Championship events will go on every day for the next week. Participants are shooting for more than $150,000 in prizes.

Sport shooting's a very cerebral sport, speed on the course versus accuracy on the course, but at its core, it's a barrel of fun.