Is clay shooting a 'sport'

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My standard is such that I consider clay shooting to be a pastime for me, only shoot at local club....... :hunter:

 
If archery counts as a sport, as do rifle and pistol shooting, then so should clay shooting - similar mental discipline, similar exertion, though not so sure about some of the rifle shooting. By that argument, however, and some of the above about exertion and physicality, tactical shotgun should also count as a sport - that would bring in the TV viewers!!

No doubt you mean prone rifle shooting!  I think you would be surprised at the physical fitness training regimes of our Olympic shooters.  You have to be anaerobically fit to be able to take advantage of a low heart rate, the best circulation to get oxygenated blood to the brain and eyes.  Shooters have to train for what is a marathon type discipline!
I did mean prone, and I know what you mean about aerobic rates, etc. It was more an observation in line with the idea of "sport" being physical, than a direct criticism.
 
I suppose Trap shooting is a bit like Chess.............................You make your your move and then wait around until it is your turn again    :spiteful:

 
If archery counts as a sport, as do rifle and pistol shooting, then so should clay shooting - similar mental discipline, similar exertion, though not so sure about some of the rifle shooting. By that argument, however, and some of the above about exertion and physicality, tactical shotgun should also count as a sport - that would bring in the TV viewers!!
I beg to differ on the no exertion in Archery.

Have a go at shooting 150 arrows with a tournament weight Bow.

 
Paul120, I apologise for any confusion, but I didn't say "no exertion involved with archery", I said archery and clay shooting had similar exertion and needed similar mental discipline.

I used to be a competitive archer (inter-uni level in the UK, regional tournaments in Spain, albeit many moons ago), target and field disciplines, so I know what you mean and wasn't trying to denigrate archery.

 
Tinker bell said:
I beg to differ on the no exertion in Archery.

Have a go at shooting 150 arrows with a tournament weight Bow.

Yes. Pulling back a compound bow is a hell of a job until it click at the end of the draw.
Goes to show how long ago it was that I used to use a compound bow, but if that clicked at the end of the draw it meant trouble (mine was silent, just got easier). Clickers were/are for recurves.
 
You're spot on, it's just that my compound bow didn't go "click" when the pulleys kicked in to ease off the draw weight.

Some recurves that I've seen and used have a small device that makes a click when the arrow gets pulled all the way back, indicating ready to release.

Anecdote (and sorry for hijacking and derailing the topic): first day of archery practice, on a ground in Madrid, my coach set up a metal radiator (flat type, not the tube style ones) at 30m and fired a .38 revolver at it (standard round). The round dented the rad substantially, but it didn't go through. He then fired an arrow with a hunting tip (broadhead) at the rad and it went straight through and continued a good distance behind it. Best and only "don't step over the firing line until told" and "don't point that thing anywhere but down-range" lesson I ever needed.

 
Archers....................Now that brings back memories................an every day story about Country Folk, I seem to recall ?

 
Tinker bell said:
Robin Hood....Robin Hood ...riding through the Glen.....

MY GOD, MAN !!!  Talk about a blast from the past!  AND, here's the really fun part;  That series is on again here on a channel that is nothing but oldold TV series and vintage movies.  Just Like TV In The Fifties !!  The best part of course is that it is not all that's on hahaha

 
:crazy:  When I was young (long time ago) All boys played pocket billiards!  TRUE! :crazy:   

 
I think it is fair to call clay shooting a sport, but by no stretch of the imagination should the participants be called athletes.  I would put golf in the same category.

Darts and snooker are very borderline for me, I think of them more as parlour games.  Chess is not and never will be a sport.

Computer gaming never ever ever should be considered a sport and I would go so far as to say it shouldn't even be considered as a legitimate pastime for anybody over the age of 18.

All of this based on my own completely arbitrary classification system.

 
Could those who think it not a sport tell us what we should call it ?

 
Tinker bell said:
If it has World, European Championships, if it has Grand Prix or World Cup qualifiers for a World Cup or European Cup...........it is a sport

No matter what people's personal opinions are.....true story

.....just saying..
Poker has a world cup and such like, is that a sport?

 
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