Shooters enjoy 25th annual 'side-by-side' event

Apr. 27—They came from far and wide to enjoy some shooting sports.

The 25th annual Southern Side-by-Side started Wednesday and continues through Sunday, April 28.

Visitors came from all over the U.S. and some from the United Kingdom, according to Mike Willey, a Raleigh resident who served as a volunteer greeter and traffic director.

Double-barreled shotguns were on display and for sale, along with in use for 17 different competitions. These ranged from 28-gauge to 10-gauge, the latter being the largest, according to Willey.

Willey said he's been working the event for the past 15 years. "It's unique in that it's side-by-side, double-barreled shotguns. I recognize people. They keep coming back," he said, adding that it's a great social event.

Willey said a lot of the guns are over 100 years old.

The event at 284 Cletus Hall Road northeast of Sanford was started in 1999 by Bill Kempffer and his wife Mary. The Kempffers, who started the 65-acre shooting range in 1989, retired several years ago and sold the business to Ed Strickland.

Strickland, formerly a tile contractor for about 30 years, said the event is a "celebration of the old double gun and wing shooting," the latter which refers to shooting birds such as pheasant, crow and quail, for example.

"This is the largest show of its kind in the country," Strickland said. However, Kempffer said he's been told it's the largest event of its kind in the world.

Willey said he expected around 900 attendees for the five-day event.

"For a long time, people in the community didn't know why [businesses] were busy [during the event]. They know it now," Strickland said.

He said that guns being shot during competition range in value from $1,000 to $300,000.

During this year's event and last year's, the Southern Side-by-Side rented a boom lift from Gregory Poole Equipment of Sanford for some higher target presentation, Strickland said. Clay targets are ejected for use during each practice or competition by individual shooters,and ear plugs come in handy.

Competitions include sizes such as 10-, 12-, 16-, 20-, 24-, 28-, 32-gauge and .410 bore. There are also a couple of pump-action and black powder events.

The event is held during the last full weekend in April each year, and Strickland said it came right back to maximum capacity in 2021 after it was canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19.

This year, Strickland met a brother and brother-in-law who drove cross country from Utah and Iowa to attend the event.

"People every year say this was on their 'bucket list,' " he said.

The event includes about 15 volunteers from Grace Christian School. Strickland said he lets their school's shooting sports team practice at Deep River Shooting Clays on Sundays.

Competition began Thursday and ends today with the championship on Sunday. Deep River is located at 284 Cletus Hall Road.

Visitors are welcome to stop by to view vendors' wares under several tents.