Shaun Barnes successfully defended his National Sporting Clays Championship crown for the sixth time after topping the field in the 200-bird finale on at the Tru-Juice Estate in St Catherine on Sunday.

Barnes, who entered the 25-bird ‘Super Six’ shoot-off across three different stations with a score of 166, picked off 10 birds to Christian Sasso’s 12 to top the two-day tournament with an overall score of 176.

Sasso, the 2015 champion, who earlier entered the shoot-off with a score of 161, ended three birds behind on the winner on 173, while nine-time champion Ian Banks added 11 from the shoot-off to his 160 to finish third with 171.

Following the victory, Barnes noted that the win was really tough, while expressing pleasure that he has now bagged a sixth national championship.

“It’s a remarkable feeling, I can’t explain how challenging this course was and how good it feels to be able to conquer a course like this — it was one of a kind.

“In the Super Six the birds were really challenging, they were outside of the zone that we are comfortable shooting. The course setters Robert Reid and Ray McMaster really tested us and I had a lot of luck in that one, but it was really good though,” Barnes declared.

The Ladies category went to Wendy McMaster, ahead of experienced shooter Renee Rickhi, in a pulsating contest. After both ladies ended the tournament on 110 each, it took a tension-filled shoot-off to separate them.

Initially they shot eight birds each, but were still tied on points, which resulted in another eight-bird shoot-off — this time ‘true pairs’ (birds release at the same time), where McMaster prevailed on the last pair.

Last year’s winner, Jolie Chin, was third with 103 hits.

“It feels really good to be the Ladies champion this year, I work hard on anything that I put my head to and I am happy that this is the second year in shooting and I am on top already,” said McMaster.

Meanwhile, Banks’ 160 had earlier won him A Class honours ahead of Bobby Chung (154) and John Chin (153), while Jordan Thwaites (156) topped the B Class ahead of Robert Subaran (137) and Jamaica Skeet Club President Evan Thwaites (134).

Jordan Samuda (141) finished tops in the C Class ahead of Craig Davis (140) and Peter Mahfood (135), with Brandon King (124) taking D Class honours followed by Cameron Pang Sang (122) and JP Dipchand (120).

John Chin (136) took the E Class ahead of Mark Benjamin (129) and Renee Rickhi (110). Chin also won the sub-junior class ahead of Jonah Subaran (129) and Mark Desnoes (115).

The juniors’ category went to Danzell Knight (135) ahead Zach Lazarus (131) and Pang Sang (122).