Simpson, McMaster to defend Jackson Bay Sporting Clay titles

Defending champions Craig Simpson and Aliana McMaster are set to defend their Jackson Bay Hunting & Fishing Club Sporting Clay titles today at the club’s base in Portland Cottage, Clarendon. The previous event was held in 2024. The 2025 staging was postponed due to the passing of Hurricane Melissa.

One hundred and twenty-eight gunners are registered for the first sporting clay tournament on the Jamaica Skeet Club calendar for 2026. They will be spread out on the 17-station course at least 15 minutes ahead of the 10:00 a.m. shotgun start.

If the conditions from the last tournament are repeated today, then the competitors can expect to compete in extreme heat, wind and some rain. Winning under those conditions or showing improvement over previous events can be very satisfying for the shooters. There are to be overall winners and class winners.

In 2024 Simpson shot 91 and then had to take on Shaun Barnes and Chad Ziadie in an exciting three-way shoot-off before being declared the highest overall winner.

McMaster, on the other hand, shot 86 to take the overall Ladies’ section. She is the two-time defending champion having topped the Ladies section for all of the Jackson Bay Sporting Clay tournaments.

The top contenders for this year’s tournament include former national shotgun champions Ian Banks, Barnes and Ziadie plus other top gunners such as Roman Tavares-Finson, Bruce DeQuesnay and Ray McMaster.

Among the women, McMaster will have to contend with her mother and many-time national female shotgun champion Wendy McMaster, as well as several other ladies who have been shooting well, such as former national female shotgun champion Marguerite Harris and Tatrecia Mitchell.

Club president Sean Clacken looks forward to the tournament for the development of the club as well as to gain much-needed funds to assist the Portland Cottage Primary School.

Clacken credits the support of many sponsors, who have come on board for the shoot this year including title sponsors MailPac and Proforma Mega Marketing, as well as platinum sponsors Levy Cheeks S&G Road Surfacing, RELMAC, Murrays Fish and Jerk, and the Jamaica Skeet Club, among others.