Sporting Clays Championship comes to Weirton
Trending
WEIRTON -- A local business is hitting its target and bringing clay shooting enthusiasts from more than five states to the region for championship competition.
Coal Ridge Sporting Clays, located on Warwick Road just outside of Weirton, is hosting the 2026 West Virginia State Sporting Clays Championship, with more than 160 shooters spending their weekend in the Upper Ohio Valley.
"This is the first for us," explained Coal Ridge owner Eric Frankovitch.
Preliminary rounds were held Friday, with competitions including 20 Gauge, 28 Gauge, .410, Side-by-Side and more held through Sunday.
Coal Ridge typically is set up with 15 individual shooting stations, as well as a five-stand building and a wobbler station, but Frankovitch explained they set up at least five additional shooting stations for the championship.
Staff spent Thursday readjusting the throwers to make sure all competitors -- even those who may have been to Coal Ridge in the past -- would begin on even ground.
"Nobody can practice ahead of time," Frankovitch said.
Manager Nathan Jones noted competitors have arrived from other areas of West Virginia, as well as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Maryland, with some registrants from Maine, Florida, Texas and Indiana.
"Some people came to town a couple days ago," he said, adding some are multi-generational competitors. "It’s a lot of families."
They range in age from teens to some in their 70s or 80s, with five levels of competition available to match an array of skills.
"There’s something out there for everyone’s level," Jones said.
A pizza social was set for Friday afternoon to provide an opportunity for competitors to relax after the day’s rotation, with a brisket dinner planned for Saturday.
Frankovitch said they have been receiving positive feedback, and the hope is to be able to get the state championship back in the future and, eventually, be able to bid for a regional competition.
The plans for Coal Ridge began in the winter of 2019, with Frankovitch, his wife, Alice, and their four sons developing the layout on a 50-acre portion of the family farm.
The business opened in the fall of 2022, with a course designed by Marty Fischer, a premier sporting clay course architect. Reservations can be made by calling 304-670-8919, with membership rates also available.
The main event sponsor for the weekend is Lincoln Traps, with additional support provided by Keystone Ramblers, Equipment Share, ARC Industries, Ergon West Virginia, National Armory, DXP, Total Equipment Company, Elite Shotguns and Homeland Firearms.