The world in his sights

HEADING out into the bush on regular hunting trips with his dad growing up, Nate Palubiski has always had a fascination with target shooting. Hailing from Rutherglen, the 16 year-old would watch and learn from his dad Simon where he would be wrapped in the exhilarating nature of the sport. As soon as Nate was old enough, he obtained his firearms licence when he was 12 and started shooting for himself, enhancing his skills and his passion for shooting over COVID. Having dabbled in the clay target shooting world himself, Simon introduced Nate to the competition side of the sport two years ago in Shepparton at the highly regarded Oceania Championships. “I didn’t really have much success there but it was more to see what it was like, if I wanted to do it,” he said. “I loved it and I’ve been pursuing it ever since then.” The Wangaratta Clay Target Club member has taken his love for shooting to the next level over the past two years, where he has excelled from the grassroots all the way to his first international event at the 45th FITASC World Championships in Hungary this year. Nate will be representing Victoria in the Sporting Clay Australia nationals next weekend at Gunnedah, central NSW, across three days from September 23-25. A repeat of his win in the sub-junior category last year at the nationals will hold Nate in good stead as he looks to represent the country at the world championships once again next year. Placing 20th in the junior category in Hungary across the three day event in July, Nate said the experience was unforgettable and has inspired him even further to pursue the sport and achieve his ultimate goal of becoming a junior world champion. “I stayed with the US team and I saw how they did it, they’re extremely professional, shooting is like their life,” he said. “If you want to get to that level it has got to be your main focus, it has got to be your goal every day. “I’ve starting doing more practice and not mucking around when I’m practicing, it’s full focus, game on. “I’ve seen what they do and that’s what I want to reach.” Since the World Championships Nate has been in hot form, winning the Victorian and NSW junior state titles, even coming third in the overall category in NSW to fellow Wangaratta Clay Target Club member Adam Shale. Two weeks ago at the Australian Clay Target Association sporting clay nationals, Nate took out the sport trap junior and A grade Commonwealth 5 stand titles, the National 5 stand title and overall junior champion for the weekend. Nate said preparations for the SCA nationals have been going well, trusting his routine and bounty of experience in competitions for his age. “The big thing when you’re actually at the comp is to not think about shooting when you’re away from it, when you go back to bed at night it’s doing something else, watching a movie or anything else,” he said. “If you stay too focused when you’re outside the shoot, you won’t mentally be prepared when you’re at the shot.” Nate trains at the Wangaratta club on Wednesdays and then at home at least twice a week, spending most of his weekend in competitions at clubs all over the eastern side of the country. The 16-year-old said he enjoyed the social element of being a part of the target club at Wangaratta and has received invaluable support since visiting on a regular basis. “When I wanted to get into practising harder I thought I’d come and try practice here one night, I tried it, enjoyed it and I’ve been coming back ever since,” he said. “Everyone’s here for everyone else, they’re here to support others, help them when they’re struggling and just practice and shoot.” Outside of shooting Nate is going through year 10 at Rutherglen, and he hopes to start a career in carpenting when he graduates. When he has time in his busy schedule he also loves fishing, catching Murray Cod, Trout and redfin along local waterways and is excited to test the waters in the Northern Territory when he visits next year.

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