Last week, the fourth annual How the West Was Won Charity Trap Shoot was held at the Newhall Pass in support of Carousel Ranch. The event, filled with 18 teams of 4, raised $21,000.
“We were only budged to raise $15,000, but we raised $21.000,” Carousel Ranch’s Denise Tomey exclaimed. “We were really excited at the turnout. This is a unique event and we are so happy to have sold out this year. The weather is perfect, today, too.”
Carousel Ranch is an organization that works to provide therapeutic and recreational riding lessons to disabled children. The non-profit currently helps over one hundred children and teens.
The Charity Trap Shoot is an annual shooting event that attracts benefactors and donations through outdoor, team-focused activities. All event participants are provided with massages, opportunities to shoot shotguns (often for the first time), shoot buckshot at bowling pins and shoot from the back of a fake horse.
“We try to keep everyone entertained and busy so we have a lot of other activities to participate in between the rounds of shooting,” explained Eric Stroh, chairman of the event.
Six of the eighteen competing teams had never held, let alone shot, guns before the event, Stroh said.
“This is a great charity and a great cause. How can you now support Carousel Ranch,” said Jeffrey Hacker, one of the inexperienced participants.
Stroh also thanked Benelli, the gun manufacturer, explaining that the charitable event would never be able to take place without the company’s help.
“Benelli sends us thousands of dollars of material each year, including all the hats and shooting prizes we rely on in order to complete the event. We couldn’t raise the money we do without their help. We are very grateful for their assistance,” he said.