MONROE - For Monroe's Cathy Wehinger, keeping a secret from her husband about the sport she loves proved to be a challenge.
Wehinger reached the elite level of her sport when she was inducted into the national Amateur Trapshooting Hall of Fame during the Grand American tournament in August in Sparta, Ill., at the World Shooting and Recreation Complex. She's just the 28th woman in the national Trapshooting Hall of Fame and only the third woman from Wisconsin. She joins the likes of some of the world's top marksman including Annie Oakley.
Wehinger was informed in August 2009 that she would be inducted into the national Trapshooting Hall of Fame.
"I had to keep it a secret," Wehinger said. "I couldn't even tell my husband."
She had to wait until her national honor announcement was published in a trapshooting publication.
Wehinger has been a standout trapshooter for three decades. She was nominated by a Wisconsin Amateur Trapshooting Association delegate for the national hall of fame three years ago. She received a plaque and silver medallion for her achievement. Wehinger was inducted into the Wisconsin Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 1992.
"It makes me feel good that all my years of shooting meant something," Wehinger said of her national hall of fame induction. "It's the culmination of all my shooting. It's the pinnacle."
Wehinger took up trapshooting and registered for her first targets with her husband, Larry in 1977. Wehinger competed in her first national championship at the Grand American in 1980. She has won 47 national awards since then. She has won 26 singles titles and three husband-and-wife awards. She has maintained a singles average of more than 98 percent since 1993 and has averaged 99 percent for five years. She has been selected to the Women's All-American team 22 times.
In 2001, Cathy Wehinger's .9953 singles average was the best among all shooters in the Amateur Trapshooting Association, (ATA) which is the only time a woman has achieved that feat. She won the 1992 Central Zone Singles title in a shootoff. She hit 200 targets, which tied her with 16 people. Wehinger then hit 475 targets to take the crown. The tiebreaking shootoff was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest shootoff won by a woman. She has won eight Central Zone championships since 1991.
The Grand Slam is a goal every competitive trapshooter strives for. The Grand Slam consists of a hitting 200 straight targets in singles, 100 straight in handicap from the 27-yard line and 100 straight in doubles. Cathy Wehinger has shot 30 200 straights in singles and seven in doubles competition. She became the third woman in the history of the ATA to complete a Grand Slam breaking 100 from the 27-yard line in August 2008.
"There are not many women who have completed their Grand Slam," she said.
Cathy Wehinger has won the women's singles title at the Wisconsin State shoot 19 times. She has won titles in the 2001 doubles and High-All-Around, High All-Around in 2002 and High Overall in 2000 and 2002. She has earned 26 All-State team spots. Cathy Wehinger, along with Larry, have combined their championship singles scores to win 18 husband-and-wife awards at the Wisconsin State shoot.
Wehinger shoots in a league in Janesville on Wednesdays. She competes in three state shoots and the Grand American tournament every year. Wehinger said the prime trapshooting season runs from April until Aug. 31.
Don't expect Wehinger to retire from shooting just because she has received a national honor.
"Even though I've got that, I'm not going to quit shooting," Wehinger said.
Wehinger reached the elite level of her sport when she was inducted into the national Amateur Trapshooting Hall of Fame during the Grand American tournament in August in Sparta, Ill., at the World Shooting and Recreation Complex. She's just the 28th woman in the national Trapshooting Hall of Fame and only the third woman from Wisconsin. She joins the likes of some of the world's top marksman including Annie Oakley.
Wehinger was informed in August 2009 that she would be inducted into the national Trapshooting Hall of Fame.
"I had to keep it a secret," Wehinger said. "I couldn't even tell my husband."
She had to wait until her national honor announcement was published in a trapshooting publication.
Wehinger has been a standout trapshooter for three decades. She was nominated by a Wisconsin Amateur Trapshooting Association delegate for the national hall of fame three years ago. She received a plaque and silver medallion for her achievement. Wehinger was inducted into the Wisconsin Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 1992.
"It makes me feel good that all my years of shooting meant something," Wehinger said of her national hall of fame induction. "It's the culmination of all my shooting. It's the pinnacle."
Wehinger took up trapshooting and registered for her first targets with her husband, Larry in 1977. Wehinger competed in her first national championship at the Grand American in 1980. She has won 47 national awards since then. She has won 26 singles titles and three husband-and-wife awards. She has maintained a singles average of more than 98 percent since 1993 and has averaged 99 percent for five years. She has been selected to the Women's All-American team 22 times.
In 2001, Cathy Wehinger's .9953 singles average was the best among all shooters in the Amateur Trapshooting Association, (ATA) which is the only time a woman has achieved that feat. She won the 1992 Central Zone Singles title in a shootoff. She hit 200 targets, which tied her with 16 people. Wehinger then hit 475 targets to take the crown. The tiebreaking shootoff was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest shootoff won by a woman. She has won eight Central Zone championships since 1991.
The Grand Slam is a goal every competitive trapshooter strives for. The Grand Slam consists of a hitting 200 straight targets in singles, 100 straight in handicap from the 27-yard line and 100 straight in doubles. Cathy Wehinger has shot 30 200 straights in singles and seven in doubles competition. She became the third woman in the history of the ATA to complete a Grand Slam breaking 100 from the 27-yard line in August 2008.
"There are not many women who have completed their Grand Slam," she said.
Cathy Wehinger has won the women's singles title at the Wisconsin State shoot 19 times. She has won titles in the 2001 doubles and High-All-Around, High All-Around in 2002 and High Overall in 2000 and 2002. She has earned 26 All-State team spots. Cathy Wehinger, along with Larry, have combined their championship singles scores to win 18 husband-and-wife awards at the Wisconsin State shoot.
Wehinger shoots in a league in Janesville on Wednesdays. She competes in three state shoots and the Grand American tournament every year. Wehinger said the prime trapshooting season runs from April until Aug. 31.
Don't expect Wehinger to retire from shooting just because she has received a national honor.
"Even though I've got that, I'm not going to quit shooting," Wehinger said.
