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The 38th Annual Sugar Shooting Tournament returned to Casa de Campo Resort & Villas with a full slate of competition, tradition and shared passion for the sport. Hosted by J. Pepe Fanjul, the event welcomed expert marksmen and sportsmen from Texas, Florida, Italy and the United Kingdom for a week of shooting events across the resort’s Shooting Center and the Rancho Peligro wilderness reserve.

Held alongside the Sugar Golf Tournament hosted by Alfy Fanjul, the shooting tournament continued a long-standing Casa de Campo tradition that blends sport with community.

Competition With a Social Pulse

From the first round, the tournament paired technical skill with an easy sense of camaraderie. Participants shared shooting techniques and compared styles shaped by different regions and traditions, turning practice breaks into conversations that reflected the depth of experience on the course.

One of the week’s highlights came after sunset. The Sugar Shoot Floodlight Clays and BBQ returned as a signature evening event, with shooters aiming at glowing targets across five illuminated stands. Floodlights cut through the night sky as laughter, friendly rivalry and the echo of shots set the tone. A relaxed barbecue followed, giving the night a rhythm that felt both competitive and communal.

A Closing Night With Comminity at the Center

The tournament concluded with an awards dinner at Casa Grande, hosted by Pepe Fanjul and his wife Emilia. Guests gathered for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before sitting down to an elegant buffet that marked the close of the week.

This year’s dinner welcomed a special guest. Carlo Beretta, a 16th-generation member of the Beretta family, presented a private collection of handcrafted firearms never shown outside the company’s Italian factory. Alongside master craftsmen from Italy and New York, Beretta offered personalized fittings and introduced bespoke pieces that can take up to two years to complete.

Fanjul praised the Beretta team and their work, calling the craftsmanship impressive and sharing his belief that “the best is yet to come.”

Evolving Traditions and Expanded Honors

What began decades ago as an event focused on individual awards has grown into a tournament that rewards broader achievement. The High Overall Cup, introduced in 2013 and incorporating the driven bird shoot, raised the level of competition. The Gubelmann Cup, donated by James Gubelmann, further encouraged participation across multiple events.

To keep recognition wide-reaching, tournament rules limit each participant to one title.

As awards were announced, Fanjul reflected on the event’s growth and the people behind it.

“It’s been 38 Sugar Shooting Tournaments, and I think we all loved it and enjoyed it. It keeps getting better and better,” Fanjul said. “I want to thank my wife, Emilia, for organizing this event, and also credit the staff at the shooting center for their diligence and hard work. Jason Pike, the shooting center director, has done a fantastic job organizing this tournament. I’m very proud of how everything has turned out.”

He also noted the increasing participation of women shooters as a welcome shift in the tournament’s evolution.

Recognizing This Year’s Winners

This year’s winners included Christine Ley, José “Pepe” Fanjul Jr., Fabricio Schettini, Ashley Little, Jerry Aguirre and Jerry Seay.

James Gubelmann presented the Gubelmann Cup to Lawrence Barry for the highest overall score at the Casa de Campo Shooting Center. Andrés Fanjul Jr. earned the High Overall Cup for the top combined score, including the driven pheasant and partridge shoot at Rancho Peligro.

With another successful edition complete, the Sugar Shooting Tournament once again balanced precision, tradition and shared experience. For those who returned this year, and those already planning for the next, the appeal remains clear: the sport brings them together, and Casa de Campo gives it room to thrive.

Photos taken by Juan Carlos Polanco during the awards ceremony