127th ATA Grand American World Trapshooting Championship 2026
An Intimate View of a Very Large Event
Judy Babiasz, Range Contributor
“SPARTA, Ill. — Observe, if you will, the migration. It happens every summer. Pickup trucks pulling fifth-wheels roll in from every corner of the continent, gravel-crunching their way toward a stretch of southern Illinois prairie where 121 trap fields run for three and a half miles along a single firing line. The shooters arrive a few at a time, then by the hundreds, then by the thousands. They have come for the Grand.“ – NRA Shooting Sports Journal
The Grand features more than 20 events with over 5,000 competitors and spectators annually. It is the sport’s premier international championship. Participants come from a wide range of countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and other regions.
The World Shooting and Recreational Complex offers 120 trap houses stretching 3.5 miles, two sporting clays courses, 24 combination trap and skeet fields, and rifle-pistol shooting. It also features more than 1,000 camping sites!
The hub for all of this activity is located in the Events Center. This location provides competitors with a sophisticated entry system, which incorporates computerized classification, handicapping, entry processing/cashiering and score reporting. A closed-circuit television network conveys event leaders, event results, squads on deck and messages to better inform individuals during their stay on the grounds. There is also an amazing American Eagle sculpture!
My sister Kathy Babiasz-Sarauer and brother-in-law Rick (Uncle Rick) Sarauer attended the event. Kathy was amazed by this:
“They play the national anthem every morning. Almost all shooters will even stop and get out of their trucks if driving! All stand and look at the flag.”
Competing at The Grand
“Corn Sweat” is a Real Thing! Corn sweat season refers to the peak summer period when corn plants release large amounts of water vapor into the air, increasing local humidity and heat. When you compete at The Grand it adds another layer of strategy in this Illinois corn country! It’s typically hot and always very humid.
This year included a lot of rain. Gear maintenance was constant. At the end of the day, you either drive sometimes almost an hour back to your hotel with a few local bars along the way to stop for a burger or even some Mexican food. Or else you went back to the small city of mobile homes.
The Camaraderie Is Remarkable
Rick had been shooting with some Brazilians the last few days. There were 118 participants from Brazil this year. This group, a Father who knew no English plus daughter and another friend. Rick said they are so slow but they liked shooting with Rick, thanking him for advice and patience.
After their last shoot together, they took a pic of him and gave him this pin. Brazilian flag with American flag in a heart. Very nice. Then the old man comes over later and shows Rick a picture of him back in Brazil with his black Ford 150 truck—Just like ricks he has.
The Grand is a brutal competition to win that pits shooters from all over the world. But the heartwarming part of this story illustrates a common denominator that goes international. I’m not sure how to articulate it. Other than to say the shooting community shares a common bond that goes far beyond the confines of the sport.
