Minnesota Trapshooting Association
MTA Hall Of Fame
MINNESOTA TRAPSHOOTING ASSOCIATION
Minnesota Trapshooting Hall of Fame
Ralph Weber
White Bear Township, MN
Elected: 2003
Supporting Member
Ralph Weber was born in 1930 and raised in Paynesville, Minnesota but currently resides in White Bear Township, Minnesota. He served in the armed forces during the Korean War in 1950 and 1951.When he came home and married his present wife of 47 years, Mary.They raised two daughters Brenda and Sandra and are now a grandfather of three.
Ralph was always a hunter, but found this type of activity of the once a year event to slow. So he started going to some local gun clubs to watch other shooters shoot trap. In 1970 he took the step; he joined the Amateur Trapshooting Association (A.T.A.) and shot his first registered targets at the St. Anthony Gun Club in Anoka, Minnesota. Several weeks later he shot his 1st 100 straight at the same club.
Through the years Ralph has won many “Class” trophies at the Minnesota State Trapshooting Championships. In 1985, Ralph was perfect, 200×200,
in the 16 yard Championship event and shot another 125×125 shoot targets to capture the Minnesota State Singles Championship title. Ralph has shot his way on to seven state teams in the Veterans and Sr. Veterans category and he was captain five times. When the Golden West Grand was being conducted at the Old Harold’s Club in Reno, Nevada, Ralph had attended these shoots several times and took home many class trophies.
On August 25, 1990, Ralph broke 500 targets in a 500 bird marathon, thus becoming the 13th shooter in the AT A to accomplish this feat. He was also the first Minnesota shooter to accomplish this feat having actually shot it in Minnesota. He was now hooked as a marathon shooter. Ralph has also shot the most 16yd targets in the Amateur Trap Shooting Association for four consecutive years, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. During these four years, Ralph shot a total of 193,200 targets and maintained an average of 97.285%. He has over 475,000 registered 16yd targets to date. As you can see he loves shooting marathon
shoots wherever he can’ find one.
Ralph served on the Minnesota Trapshooting Association Board of Directors during the years of 1978, 1979 and 1980. In 1981 he was elected Vice-President and while serving in this capacity President Roger Bohm appointed Ralph and Loren Hentges to establish a Youth Program in Minnesota. Ralph worked with the Youth Program until 1993. He served as the Minnesota Trap Shooters Association President in 1982, Vice President in 1984 and again the President in 1985.
When the Waseca Sportsmen’s Club decided to enlarge its shooting facility Ralph worked with them. He laid out a four trap club with new concrete trap houses with 16 to 27yd stations, and new automatic traps and voice activators were installed. With his carpentry knowledge he then helped build the new club house. Still not done Ralph also built a shelter on the Rifle Range. He continues to add many luxury items, such as benches and picnic tables, to add to the clubs growing use.
Several years ago Ralph circulated a petition throughout the state and some adjoining states asking the ATA to reduce the required 5 shooters per squad. Many times in the past those required shooters could not be obtained, thus the club hosting the shoot, The State Association and the ATA were the losers. The petition was then turned over to the state delegate who brought it before the full body of delegates and lobbied it through to a very favorable conclusion by all in the trap shooting fraternity. This has been a very successful rule change for all the shooters and clubs in the ATA.
Ralph was also a great teacher in trap shooting. Besides yelling at his daughter for pointing the gun at her feet (by accident – safety first) she was on one of the first College Level Youth Program shoots, in which the team won. His wife also shot registered targets for several years with Ralph. She continues to enjoy watching her husband at the many different shoots they attend.
