Effortless Shot

Teenage sharp shooter New Zealander Tiffany Piper, who is ranked third in the world for all female shooters, recently competed in the American National Rifle Association National Action Pistol Championship in Hallsville, MO. Piper is only 16 years old and has already competed in competitions such as Nationals and World Championships for New Zealand. But even those don’t make her as anxious as the NRA Bianchi Cup. “This is the only shoot I get nervous around,” Piper says. “It’s the atmosphere. There’s just something about this place that I can’t pinpoint, but it freaks me out.” In preparation for this competition, Piper and her teammates from New Zealand arrived two weeks in advance to practice. This time is important for her and the team because New Zealand’s law for pistol shooting is restricted. “We can only shoot Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays,” she says.