Tammy Jo Tierce
(written by her husband, Mem Tierce)

August of 1996 Tammy Jo Tierce of Fort Walton Beach, Florida had never picked up a shotgun in all 30 years of her life. She is an avid SCUBA diver, snow skier and general outdoors person. She and I (her husband, Mem Tierce) have made several hundred dives over the last few years. Hurricane Opal (1995) had destroyed many of our dive spots and we were looking for a new outdoors activity/hobby.

I had read about Sporting Clays, but she had not picked up a gun in 20 years. As a young girl Tammy had shot her brother's BB gun and his 22 rifle a few times, but never a shotgun! Someone told us of a range in Crestview, FL, about 30 miles away. One afternoon we drove up so I could shoot a few rounds. Naturally, the guys were glad to see new shooters, especially a female and they had her trying a 20 gauge on a stand similar to a trap shot. Amazingly, she broke several clays!

Soon, she had her own Beretta 390 12 ga.and a few weeks later Tammy attended her first tournament, a Ducks Unlimited shoot at Joel Fike's Ol' Place Clays and placed 1st in her division. By now, she was hooked "hook, line and sinker." Her biggest problem at Shoal River Sporting Clays, her home range, was that all the guys wanted to "help." Yet, she was out-shooting the majority of them. Soon they realized this and quit offering unneeded advice. About this time, she out-shot me and got angry because she thought I "let her win." Of course, I said, "yeah, I did let you win."

By now, the weather had cooled off, SCUBA diving was over and Tammy was shooting a hundred or so rounds per week. She tried "Trap House" clays at Adams Farm and did fair. On a trip to New Orleans she shot with Don Vallee at High Point Shooting Grounds and won Ladies' Division in a small local shoot. Don was surprised that she had only been shooting a few months and said if she lived nearby he'd become her sponsor.

Soon was Raymond McClendon's Rockfence Winter Open, her first big tournament. The tournament jitters slowed her up and she only did fair. Tammy joined the Women's Shooting Sport Foundation, NSCA, SCA and Shoal River Gun Club. She shot at Llewellins Point Gun Club & Sporting Clays and was given some pointers by Floyd Clements.

1997 started off with a new D rating due to her scores at High Point and Rockfence Station and plans to attend a big shoot, The Triple Crown. However, Tammy's first tournament of the year was at Okefenokee Sporting Clays. The day before the tournament Marty Fischer came down from Savannah and gave her some lessons which helped her a lot during the tournament. She couldn't overcome the tournament jitters, but still shot well, placing third in Ladies' Division. We followed this with the Couples Shoot at White Oak Plantation. Here Tammy and I stood side by side and shot doubles. The score was kept as one. Of course she didn't carry her weight, I sure out-shot her bad! We finished second in "C" division.

By spring Tammy was occasionally breaking 80's at her home range. Last week she and some of the guys went to a ten-station range at Andalusia and Tammy shot 83, smoking the guys. Just yesterday she broke 85 at Shoal River.

Yes, I'm still letting her beat me by 5 to 10 clays, but I've (she's) gotten used to it.

Her loving husband, Mem

P.S. If she really gets dedicated and overcomes the tournament jitters everyone says she could be a real champion. Only she and time will tell.