The 14th Annual Big Tex® Clay Shoot Classic event raised a record-breaking $302,200, with all proceeds going directly to Texas youth participating in the State Fair’s Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Program.
One hundred percent of the money raised at this event goes to support the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Big Tex Scholarship Program. The scholarship program supports graduating high school seniors around the state of Texas who have participated in competitive youth livestock events held at the State Fair, along with graduating seniors from six Dallas ISD high schools in the Fair Park area, and seasonal employees of the State Fair of Texas or their dependents. Scholarship recipients attend Texas colleges, universities, and trade schools.
The event was held Friday, April 28, at the Dallas Gun Club in Lewisville, Texas. More than 397 shooters, representing 82 teams, competed at the event. This year, the annual Big Tex® Clay Shoot Classic offered a morning flight and afternoon flight, allowing more shooters and teams to take part in the competition. First-place and second-place teams from each flight on the green, blue, and orange courses were recognized.
Earning first-place honors for the MORNING FLIGHT, respectively: The Watkins Construction team (394), Master Construction team (347), and Lone Star Ag Credit team (403). First-place honors went to the Taurus Construction team (359), Clay Shooters Supply team (421), and Elements of Architecture (408) for the AFTERNOON FLIGHT. Earning second-place MORNING FLIGHT honors, respectively: Dr. Dick Shepherd’s team (384), Eastern Plumbing team (336), and the Beck Group team (352). For the AFTERNOON FLIGHT, second-place honors went to Jenkins & Watkins team (351), Barry Pickett team (417), and Primera Companies team (385). Each member of the winning teams received a trophy and enjoyed recognition amongst their peers.
The top individual MORNING FLIGHT shooter on the Green Course was Andy Stahl (86 of 90 targets hit), Scott Holcomb on the Blue Course (84 of 90 targets hit), and Aaron Smith on the Orange Course (87 of 90 targets hit), taking honors after a scorecard playoff with Shea Self (87 of 90 targets hit). The top individual AFTERNOON FLIGHT shooter on the Green Course was Michael McBee (86 of 90 targets hit), Brandon Burgert on the Blue Course (89 of 90 targets hit), and Jamie Rommell (89 of 90 targets hit). Each individual winner received a custom State Fair of Texas belt buckle created by Gist. Additionally, the Helice Shoot Off daylong battle was won by Barry Pickett and Nolan Marcus. The Pickett/Nolan team earned the event’s donated $1000 cash prize.
A special thanks to the following organizations and individuals:
- 2023 Presenting Sponsor: United Mechanical
- 2023 Title Sponsor: Axcent Networks
- 2023 Benefactors: 13624 Floyd Circle, 3 Queens Land & Cattle and Sharp Insulation Company
- Shooter Gear Sponsor: Park Cities Quail Coalition
- Shooter Hat Sponsor: Texas Building Controls
- Shooter Shirt Sponsor: Heritage Land Bank
- Helice game sponsor: Clay Shooters Supply
- Pavilion Sponsor: Watkins Construction Company
- Breakfast Sponsor: Bobcat Contracting
- Lunch Sponsor: Beck Group
- Raffle Sponsor: Matchbox Studio
- Social Hour & Live Auction Sponsor: Northwest Insurance Agency
- Team Photo Sponsor: Champion Energy
- Beverage Sponsor: Ben E. Keith
- Course sponsors:
- Green Course: Hargrove Electric, Frost Bank, Marsh & McLennan Agency, Winston Water Cooler.
- Blue Course: Complete Land Management Services, Madden Electric, Rudick Construction Group, Texas Farm Credit.
- Orange Course: Jeff Gatlin, Holleman Construction, Morley-Moss, Scheels, Winston Water Cooler.
- More than 50 valued volunteers.
Shooting station sponsors included Aon, Assured Comfort Services, Michael Brigance, Capital Commercial Investments, Dalrock Plumbing Company, Eastern Plumbing Supply, Elements of Architecture, Frost Bank, Hargrove Electric, Higgins Branchini Shooting Foundation, Housley Communications, Housley Group, HP Envirovision, Lockton, Lone Star Ag Credit, Mechanical Partners, MIINC Mechanical Contractors, Moore Supply Co., New York Life, Northwest Insurance Agency, Quail Coalition, Reece-Hopper Sales, Rudick Construction Group, Scheels, Sewell Buick GMC, State Fair of Texas Chairman’s Task Force, Sterling Resources, Kirsten & Peter Swanson, Texas Air Systems, UnitedHealthcare, and XCaliber Container.
Teams participating in the shoot included Antler Creek Ranch, Bank of Texas, Barry Pickett, David Byrd, Harold Byrd, Davis Crane Companies, Direct Retail Partners, Eastern Plumbing Supply Emergency Ice, Ferguson, Joshua Furrh, John de la Garza, Al Gonzalez, Hill & Wilkinson, HKS Architects, Housley Group, Katten Muchin Rosenman, Lone Star Ag Credit, Madden Electric, Jason McBride, Miller Copeland LLC, North Texas Ductworks, Quail Forever, PKJ Investments, The ProHunters, Reliable Chevrolet, Rockport Construction Group, Dr. Dick Shepherd, Talley Riggins Construction Group, United Mechanical, and United Rentals.
Our generous, in-kind event donors included Ben E. Keith, Emergency Ice, Grapevine Golf Cars, Keurig Dr Pepper, United Mechanical, and United Rentals. Our live auction and raffle donors included Las Palmas Hacienda, Tenison Highlands and Glen Golf Courses, Tim McCreary, Dick McCallum, Pete Richardson, United Mechanical, Mariano’s Restaurant, Ferguson, Milwaukee Tool, Scheels, Shea Self, Cutco Knives, Mariano’s, Northwest Insurance Agency, Ray’s Hardware & Sporting Goods, Team Golf, and Wylie’s Gun Shop.
For more information on the Big Tex Clay Shoot Classic, please visit BigTex.com/Clayshoot.