NRAblog.com took a minute after the SHOT Show to catch up with Haley Dunn, who is a world-renowned shotgun competitor. Dunn sits on the Shotgun Committee of the National Rifle Association and was kind enough to answer our questions:
What got you interested in shooting?
My dad is an avid hunter and shooter, and he got me involved at a young age. I learned early how to respect firearms as well as the outdoors. Shooting and hunting is something my entire family did, and still does, together. What really keeps me going now, in shooting, is competition. I love the rush I get while shooting. Not to mention I get to travel all over the world for competitions.
When did you start shooting?
My dad started me off with a BB gun, and then a .22 when I was 6. By the time I was 10 he had built a shooting range at my home in Eddyville, IA where I was shooting sporting clays with a 20ga. It didn’t take me long to decide I needed a bigger gun, and by 12 I was shooting a 12 ga. I went to my first state sporting clays championships at 14, and was the youngest woman to ever win the Ladies’ State Championships. After that, I was hooked! I started shooting International Skeet for the US Team at 15, and won the Junior World championships at 16 in Cairo, Egypt. I have now been on the team for nine years, and won everything there is to win except an Olympic Medal. You can bet I will be there in 2012 at the London games!
Do you have a loyalty to any particular brand or product?
I have a loyalty to Beretta Shotguns, Winchester Ammunition and Bass Pro’s Redhead gear. They have all played a key role in my success as a shooter and hunter. Whether I’m in competition or in the field, it helps to have confidence in my equipment that I can depend on at all times.
What is your proudest competitive shooting accomplishment?
I would have to say that my proudest moment as a competitive shooter was when I won World Cup Finals in Dubai, UAE. That may seem odd to some people that know the sport, because I have several other accomplishments that may seem bigger. For me, though, this was the first overseas competition that I had gone to and said to myself that I was going to win. I could really feel that I was going to win! To feel that, and actually keep everything together and win, to me, is huge. Since then, I have had the feeling more often, and I recognize it. Trust me – it is nice!
Did you see anything neat at SHOT Show 2009 that you’ll look into purchasing?
Actually, there is one product that stands out in my mind, and it has nothing to do with shooting or hunting. I just recently had foot surgery, so I was feeling a little pain as I was walking the aisles of the show. I just happened to walk by the Medi-Rub Corporation booth. They make these amazing foot massagers that literally made me feel like I was floating when I walked after using it. This may seem odd that this product stuck with me, but at the time, it was a lifesaver!