Georgia’s Boris Gorinshteyn Crowned Southern Zone Handicap Champion in Dramatic Shootoff

By John Rossiter

Berea, Kentucky — Trapshooters from across the Southern Zone gathered over the weekend of July 17–19 for the 2026 ATA Southern Zone Telephonic Trapshoot, contested primarily at the Central Kentucky Gun Club in Berea, Kentucky, and the Silver Dollar Shooters Club in Odessa, Florida. The event featured six main registered events — Class Singles, Dixie Handicap, Class Doubles, Singles Championship, Doubles Championship, and Handicap Championship — allowing individuals to compete for zone-wide honors while shooting at one of the two host venues.

Conditions were generally favorable for precision shooting. Mild summer temperatures, light winds, and mostly clear skies provided good visibility across the trap fields, though occasional clouds and typical afternoon variables tested shooters’ focus and adaptability. The telephonic format united competitors from multiple states without requiring everyone to travel to a single location, creating a regional showcase of individual skill in a sport where each shooter stands alone on the firing line.

A group of Georgia shooters traveled to the Berea and Odessa sites to compete as individuals, turning in solid performances that highlighted the strength of trapshooting in the Peach State. While the majority of major trophies stayed with strong local contingents from Kentucky and Florida, several Georgians earned hardware and posted competitive scores.

Boris Gorinshteyn delivered the most dramatic Georgia victory of the weekend — and a remarkable personal milestone. He won the Handicap Championship (Event 6) with a score of 99, prevailing in a two-round shootoff with a clutch 23-23 performance. Just over five years earlier, on May 30, 2021, Gorinshteyn broke his first 25 straight. On July 19, 2026, he stood atop the Southern Zone as Handicap Champion, a testament to his rapid progress and dedication to the sport.

John N. Davis excelled in the Singles Championship (Event 4), shooting 198 out of 200 to claim the Veteran Champion title. His near-perfect performance over 200 targets underscored consistent accuracy across multiple rounds.

Shirley Duong added to Georgia’s success by winning the Lady 1 Champion title in the Dixie Handicap (Event 2) with a score of 90. She also posted strong scores in other events, including a 96 in Class Singles and 91 in Class Doubles.

George B. Dobney earned the D Class Champion honor in the Singles Championship with 192, rounding out the notable Georgia trophy winners.

Fourteen Georgia participants in total competed across the program, posting respectable scores that reflected dedication to the demanding sport of trapshooting. Many recorded totals in the mid-to-high 90s in singles and doubles events, contributing to personal season records even if they fell just short of additional podium spots.

Trapshooting is a demanding pursuit, where success depends on focus, technique, and mental resilience for the individual. The Southern Zone event provided Georgia shooters an opportunity to measure themselves against regional talent, with several using the competition as preparation for the upcoming Grand American tournament which begins in a couple of weeks.

Complete results and full scoreboards are available through the ATA Southern Zone website (https://shootatazone.com/southern/menu.cfm). 

The performances by Georgia’s shooters this weekend — capped by Gorinshteyn’s inspiring rise to Zone Champion — add another chapter to the state’s growing reputation in the sport.