GRAVETTE — Gravette trapshooter Gary Phipps was recently inducted into the Arkansas State Trapshooter Federation Hall of Fame.

The announcement and presentation of a plaque were made at the ASTF meeting held in Lonoke on June 17.

Phipps registered his first Amateur Trap Shooter targets in 1975 at the N.W. Arkansas Gun Club in Fayetteville. He has registered more than 132,000 official targets over the years and registered his 30-year attendance pin at the Grand American in 2010.

He has shot in at least a dozen southern and western states, winning many trophies. He won the 1993 Southwestern Zone Singles Class Championship and is a past Arkansas ATA champion.

A life member of ATA, ASTF and the Bella Vista Sportsman’s Club, he has held the North Zone vice presidency of ASTF.

After losing the sight inhis right eye in 2000, Gary changed from right-handed to left-handed shooting and, as the plaque records, “was soon pickingup trophies again.”

The plaque also notes his support of youth trap shooting, working with youth shooters individually and through Graco Corp., which he cofounded and in which he has remained active since 1986.

Sports, Pages 9 on 07/25/2012