But for these talented athletes - Laura Woolley, 18, Meshaila Cox, 14, and sisters Sarah, 15, and Matisse Appleby, 14 - clay target shooting is one of their favourite sports.

The skilful quartet recently played starring roles at the National Trap Championships in Wagga Wagga, competing against Australia’s best shooters.

It was the first time the four shooters had competed at the national titles.

By her own admission Woolley said she wasn’t performing well at the beginning of the event, but quickly turned it around to ensure it was a championship she would remember forever.

Woolley won the women's champion of champions and came first in the 100 target point score.

She was also second in the 100 target single barrel event.

But her crowning glory came when she was the first qualifier for the woman's Mackintosh team, an honour which defied her own expectations.

“The Mackintosh team is the combined scores of the double barrel, single barrel and points score,” she said.  

“The top five in the ladies go through to a final event.

“It is another 100 target point score and in that event I only pulled two seconds out of the 100 targets, which is a pretty good score.

“I ended up getting the International Mackintosh Team Women’s High Gun which is the highest award I can get.”

Woolley, who has only been shooting clay targets for about 15 months, said she was proud of what she was able to achieve.

“I was blown away,” she said.

“At the start of the event I could barely hit 25 targets straight and then I was able to rediscover some form and by the end of the competition I was shooting the best I have ever had.”

Woolley said clay target shooting had now become her preferred discipline. 

Matisse Appleby also came second in the C-grade champion of champions category and was second overall in the C-grade.

“I was surprised and happy,” the Catholic College Bendigo student said.

Her sister Sarah, who has only been involved with the sport for about five months, also came home with a medal.

She was third in the B-grade champion of champions category and was second overall in the B-grade.

"I got into the sport after the school shoot we had and I have been involved ever since," Sarah said. 

"I practice all the time."

Cox didn’t win any medals, but said the national titles was a great learning experience for her.

"It was my first nationals," she said. 

"I am improving all the time and will be aiming to go to nationals again next year."

Woolley, Matisse, Cox and Myrtleford’s Hayden Smith, who also competed in Wagga Wagga, are all members of the Bendigo Bank Academy of Sport’s inaugural Clay Target Shooting program.

The young guns train under Steve Aitken. 

The Academy of Sport is hopeful the new program would continue to grow over the next few years.