Submitted Photo

Quinten Smith shoots at the 2012 Junior World Skeet Championship. His score of 397 out of 400 won the gold.

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BOB STRICKLEY

PDT Sports Editor

MINFORD — While some of the top shooters in the world are in London for the 2012 Olympics, a rising star in the sport of skeet shooting just returned home after winning the 2012 Junior World Skeet Championship.

Quinten Smith, a 16-year-old from Minford, traveled to Stockton, Calif., last month for the tournament and returned to Scioto County a champion after recording a score of 397 out of 400.

According to Quinten Smith’s father, Trent Smith, Quinten first began competing in the sport when he was 12 years old. Shooting was a family hobby but for Quinten, his talent made it a competitive pursuit.

“We have always shot but when we were on vacation in Virginia Beach, John Daubenschmidt told us he should shoot competitively,” Trent Smith said.

Daubenschmidt, a former Navy Skeet Team member and a retired master chief intelligence specialist was not wrong.

Joining more than 100 of the top shooters in the country at the Stockton Trap and Skeet Club, Quinten Smith shot 99 out of 100 in the 12-gauge, 20-gauge and 28-gauge events.

Additionally, he shot a 100 out of 100 in the .410-gauge event after being one bird down from the overall leader and tied with many of the other competitors.

Locally, Quinten shoots with the Ashland Gun Club in Ashland, Ky. The club’s treasurer and operator Sam Burton said he was honored to see one of the club’s members perform so well on such a large stage.

“Quinten has shot in some major tournaments and this was quite an accomplishment,” Burton said. “He was out here shooting (Yesterday) and he has worked really hard to get to where he is at. It’s quite an honor for a member of our club to do so well at the competition.”

Trent Smith said Quinten’s grandfather, Paul Daniels, his uncle, Troy Smith as well as Daubenschmidt and his shooting mentor Dave Starrett all played a hand in Quinten’s development as a shooter.

Bob Strickley may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 203, or bstrickley@heartlandpublications.com.