Carbondale Reporter

After a year elsewhere, the Amateur Trapshooting Association brings the Grand American event back to the World Shooting and Recreation Complex in Sparta. 

The event is scheduled for Aug. 4-14, after the 2021 U.S. Open contest in June. Both events were moved from Illinois in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is great news for Southern Illinois! When it was announced that the Sparta Shooting and Recreational Complex would not be the host site for last year's Grand American World Trapshooting Championships, it was devastating for our region,” Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) said in an April 15 Facebook post. “The event is a major economic driver for Southern Illinois, bringing in millions of dollars annually.  But it has been announced that the largest shooting event of its kind is coming home where it belongs!!!”  

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources moved the 2020 events, but have given the 2021 contests the green light, officially authorizing the World Shooting Complex to host both events in Sparta this summer. The Grand American World Trapshooting Championships is the site of more than 20 events. Thousands of sharpshooters and their family members attend each year.

The Amateur Trapshooting Association is urging potential attendees to book a rental early and features lists of local rentals, as well as camping sites in the area on its website. The organization sent the announcement via email and on their website and social media.