The 2026 Tennessee State Clay Shooting Championship bringing hundreds of participants and spectators to the Crossville Shooting Sports Park this weekend for a premier statewide shooting tournament.
Tennessee Sporting Clays Association Vice President Don Padgett said the event features nearly 300 participants and a total of roughly 600 people when including staff and spectators. Padgett said the tournament is expected to provide a significant economic boost to the local area through hotel stays and restaurant visits.
“It’s extremely important for the club itself. It gives them notoriety and the capability of actually holding something like this,” Padgett said, “And then you also have the kindness of the people and the customer service that you have from the hotels, the restaurants and everything else.”
Padgett said the 125-acre facility is one of the few venues in the state capable of hosting an event of this magnitude without overlapping different competitions. The layout includes four FITASC Parcours, two 15-station courses, and dedicated areas for Five Stand and sub-gauge events.
Padgett said the proximity of the Albert Fry Road facility to local infrastructure makes it a preferred destination for out-of-state shooters. He said many other facilities in Tennessee require a 30 to 45-minute drive to reach the nearest lodging or dining options.
“You have hotels, you have campgrounds, you have tons of restaurants, where a lot of the other facilities within Tennessee, it’s 30 to 45 minutes just to be able to get to a hotel or a restaurant,” Padgett said.
Padgett said the tournament is open to the public and serves as an opportunity for residents to learn about the safety and growth of shooting sports. He said the sport is among the safest activities for youth and noted that many colleges now offer scholarships for participants.
“You’re not going to find another sport that’s that you shoot with as an individual score, but you shoot as a team,” Padgett said. “Everybody around you are your fellow men, you encourage everybody on, it’s just a fantastic sport and everybody tries to help everybody. It’s just camaraderie.”
The main event begins Saturday and consists of 200 total targets split across two days of competition. Other remaining events include super sporting, true pair, and various sub-gauge competitions.
The tournament concludes September 20.
