Team Krieghoff’s Braxton Oliver Claims World Title at 2026 World English Sporting Clays Championship
From April 21–26, the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas, hosted the 2026 World English Sporting Clays Championship, where...
Team Krieghoff’s Braxton Oliver Claims World Title at 2026 World English Sporting Clays Championship
From April 21–26, the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas, hosted the 2026 World English Sporting Clays Championship, where more than 1,300 competitors from 19 countries gathered for six days of intense international competition.
The week culminated in a dramatic Super Final, where the top six competitors from the Main Event advanced to a 25-target shoot-off in front of a packed stadium audience. With each target counting toward every shooter’s final score, the pressure mounted with no room for mistakes. Entering the Super Final in second position with 186 of 200 targets, Team Krieghoff’s Braxton Oliver edged ahead to claim the World Championship title with a final score of 205. Derrick Mein also secured a podium finish, taking third place with a score of 204.
“Shooting a Krieghoff has made a huge difference in my game, especially in a tournament like this. Last year, we made a few updates to the stock and forearm to fine-tune the fit and feel. It’s been extremely consistent, and I couldn’t be happier with how smooth it performs,” said Oliver.
Team Krieghoff athletes were well represented across the leaderboard throughout the Main Event. In their first year with Team Krieghoff, Kiersten Sales earned Lady Runner-up and added a third-place result in FITASC Lady, while Jonathan Prince secured third place in the Junior category. Joe Zeitler placed fifth in the Veteran division.
Momentum built early in the week during preliminary and side events, where Team Krieghoff competitors recorded a wide range of podium finishes. Turner Parcell claimed High Overall in the Preliminary Event, while Madison Sharpe stood out with a Lady Championship in both the Preliminary and 5-Stand events, along with a Lady title in the Lone Star Cup. Mike Wilgus earned the Preliminary Veteran Championship, and Brandon Powell added multiple podium finishes, including Runner-up in Super Sporting and third place in 5-Stand.
Additional highlights included Shelby Moon, Lady Runner-up in Super Sporting, and Jonathan Prince, who added another podium appearance with third place in 5-Stand Junior. In his first year with Team Krieghoff, Jacob Judson recorded multiple Junior podium finishes across events, including Runner-up in the Lone Star Cup and third-place finishes in both 20-gauge and 28-gauge competitions. Rick Mein took third place in the Lone Star Cup Super Veteran category.
Joe Zeitler earned multiple podium awards across disciplines, including third place in American Field Sporting Veteran, Runner-up in 20-gauge Veteran, Runner-up in 28-gauge Veteran, and Champion in both .410 Bore Veteran and Sub-Gauge High Overall Veteran. He also secured High Overall in Sub-Gauge and Runner-up in 20-gauge Overall.
Mike Luongo added to the team’s success with a High Overall win in .410 Bore and a third-place result in Sub-Gauge High Overall. Kiersten Sales added a Runner-up placement in the Winchester Ladies Cup, while Kayla Kane, in her first year with Team Krieghoff, earned Runner-up honors in 28-gauge FITASC Lady. Rounding out the week, Joe Zeitler secured a Runner-up spot in Friday Sport Skeet Veteran.
“We’re incredibly proud of Braxton and our entire Team Krieghoff sporting clays team this week,” said Jennifer Colucci, Marketing Manager at Krieghoff International. “Seeing our long-standing pro staff and pro instructors mentoring new team members, along with the results across so many events, says a lot about this team and the Krieghoff firearms they trust in competition.”
Following a successful week in San Antonio, Team Krieghoff now turns its focus to the Northeast Regional Championships at M&M Sporting Clays in Pennsville, NJ, May 12–14.
About Krieghoff International: Dieter Krieghoff, fourth generation of the Krieghoff gun making family, established Krieghoff International, Inc. in the United States in 1986. Originally founded as a European hunting gun manufacturer in 1886, Krieghoff has evolved into one of the top names worldwide in competition and field shotguns, as well as hunting rifles. With a reputation for reliability, longevity and outstanding customer service, Krieghoff firearms are the choice of champions. Located in Ottsville, PA, Krieghoff is the sole importer and main service center in North America. For more information visit www.krieghoff.com.
