For the second consecutive year, Alaska State Troopers outgunned their Canadian counterparts at an annual shooting competition.

“The Shoot,” as it’s known to troopers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, began after statehood as a way to get officers from the two agencies better acquainted on a personal level since they often work together. It is the longest standing international shooting competition in the world, and it is the only one between Mounties and a state police agency.

This year’s Shoot was hosted Aug. 2 by the Snow Shoe Gun Club in Kenai.

Local troopers who took awards at this year’s competition included Sgt. Tim Schoenberg of Fairbanks Judicial Services who won the highest shooter contest, which involves scoring the highest accuracy.

“I just do well at team shoots,” said Schoenberg, who said he didn’t do any extra training ahead of time.

He has been participating in The Shoot for 15 years.

Sgt. Chad Goeden, who also writes the News-Miner’s popular Ask a Trooper column, won the tactical portion of The Shoot.

The tactical event involved firing pistols and a variety of other firearms at sometimes moving targets, then running to the next station. Some of the weapons used in this portion of the competition are illegal in Canada.

Next year is the 50th anniversary of the competition. It will be held in Whitehorse.

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