Natalie on target

NATALIE FOSS (19) of Aria only began clay target shooting four years ago, but already she has become one of our top shooting sports people,recently representing New Zealand at the 2024 International Shooting Sports Federation Junior World Championships in Peru.

Natalie says the sport has taught her invaluable life skills including discipline, focus and perseverance. “It is a sport that demands precision and mental resilience, skills that have shaped my approach to both my athletic career and everyday life.”

To qualify for the international event, she was required to shoot two Minimum Qualifying Scores (MQS) plus an additional score at zone, island or national championships. Natalie competed in seven qualifying events throughout the country, including all three championship events, shooting four MQS.

The ISSF Junior World Championships comprised rifle, pistol and shotgun events, with Natalie selected for the Junior Women’s Trap event and the Mixed Pair Junior Team. She placed 32nd equal in the Junior Women’s and 16th in the Mixed Pair Trap. She says representing New Zealand on the world stage was an honour. “It was a wonderful experience and very cool to see how other countries approach the same competition.

The range was amazing and overall, the competition as a whole was very beneficial to my shooting going forward.
Birdtalk Magazine December 2024 & January 2025