19 June 2025
When Sergeant Michael Hackett took up clay shooting two years ago, winning the B-grade competition at the NSW State Skeet Carnival in Wagga Wagga wasn't on his radar.
But Sergeant Hackett hit 306 out of 350 targets at the American skeet event, including sub-gauge and doubles, to beat 13 other competitors at the carnival, from May 23-25.
The biggest challenge was the changing weather conditions and the pressure of going into the last day being only a few targets ahead.
He also had to deal with swapping from smaller to larger gauges during events, meaning Sergeant Hackett had to manage differences in recoil and shot power.
The difference in gauges impacts the amount of shot a shell can hold, resulting in fewer or more pellets per shot.
“[For smaller ones] you've got hearing protection on and there's next to no recoil in your shoulder so you’re not sure if it's actually gone off after pulling the trigger,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Deans won the handicap event 109/115.
'Mental management and the ability to compete under pressure is a common deficiency in a lot of sports training.'
The handicapping system gives competitors a certain number of lives based on their skill grade, where a missed target results in losing a life.
This creates an endurance-style competition where the goal is to last as long as possible with your allotted lives.
“It’s the most contested event because competitors are against everybody, not just their grade, making it definitely the most challenging,” Lieutenant Colonel Deans said.
He said it was a sport that demanded significant mental fortitude.
“The critical role of mental management and the ability to compete under pressure is a common deficiency in a lot of sports training,” he said.
For him the carnival highlight was being able to represent the ADF and compete with some of Australia’s best shooters.
“It’s a phenomenal sport and anyone out there interested should definitely reach out to the ADF Clay Target Association secretary,” Lieutenant Colonel Deans said.
