Blaser Family Reunion
The Blaser Cup made a stop at Dornsberg in early August, transforming one of Europe’s most beautiful shooting ranges into a gathering place for ambitious shotgun shooters from 15 nations.
Even before the first shots were fired at the Blaser Cup on the Dornsberg, it quickly became clear: This weekend was going to be a special one. The course had been personally set up a few days earlier by top American shooters Karen and Gebben Miles. They had shot every clay pigeon to ensure that they would present themselves to the shooters exactly as planned.
173 shooters from 15 nations had registered for this challenge. Among them were numerous Blaser shooters, such as the top Hungarian shooter András Szerdahelyi and the experienced combination shooter Flavio Formis from Italy, who, of course, had only brought his shotgun. Blaser shooter Gaël Poinsot from France, who has already achieved top-notch results with an FBX this year, signed up his son right away, too. And despite the summery temperatures, the anticipation for a demanding competition was already palpable on Friday afternoon.
On Saturday morning, however, concentration was the order of the day. At the shooting stations, it was almost palpable. The shooters’ hands tracked the clay targets intently to determine their trajectory. Then – in keeping with the adage that “there’s no such thing as an easy clay target” – they fought for every single one. Between the stands, the atmosphere was more relaxed. In particular, the group led by British shotgun filmmaker Johnny Carter, who was there with Lina Weigele, the vice president of the Dornsberg Shooting Club, was full of lively British humor.
In addition to the course, the Blaser Village – located in the courtyard of the State Hunting School at Dornsberg – offered a wide range of activities for participants and visitors alike. The Blaser service booth was particularly popular. Many participants took the opportunity to have their equipment checked or to talk shop with the shotgun experts. Anyone who wanted to could have their measurements taken for a custom stock right then and there or get advice on the Blaser shotgun lineup and selected rifles.
Those who were itching to shoot a Blaser shotgun also had the chance to do so. At the pool shoot or the Blaser Challenge, participants could not only test the new FBX under competitive conditions but also win high-quality prizes such as a pair of Blaser binoculars.
Once the guns had been put away after an intense first day of competition, the action shifted to the tables in the courtyard, where a barbecue buffet awaited the hungry shooters. While the day had been spent competing for hits, the focus now shifted to friendly discussions about the day’s most challenging clay pigeons. Snippets of conversation in German, French, English, Hungarian, and Italian blended together into a multilingual background hum. Amid technical discussions, new acquaintances, and plenty of laughter, the very sense of community for which the Blaser Cup is so well known took shape.
On the second day, things got serious again on the course, and the shooting was at least as focused as the day before. In the end, András Szerdahelyi prevailed against a strong field of competitors. Behind the Hungarian, Gaël Poinsot and Dornsberg boss Markus Leibinger rounded out the podium.
The entire Blaser Shooting Team made a strong showing. Xavier Russell and Hugo Genahl tied for fourth place, with Genahl also winning the Junior division. Poinsot Jr. took second place in the junior division, Mikkel Løcke the third. Jeppe Olsen finished overall in sixth place. Behind him were Johannes Unverdorben in eighth place, Ko Van Gent in ninth, and Matteo Mercuri in tenth, tying with Flavio Formis who was also the best senior.
As the first transport cases were loaded back into the vehicles on Sunday afternoon and Dornsberg slowly emptied out, a weekend came to a close that is sure to be talked about for a long time on many trips home.
Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to all the participants, volunteers, and partners who made the 2026 Blaser Cup at Dornsberg such a special experience.
Text: Maxi Höß; Fotos: Stephanie Göhrig
The Blaser Cup made a stop at Dornsberg in early August, transforming one of Europe’s most beautiful shooting ranges into a gathering place for ambitious shotgun shooters from 15 nations.
To be successful in competitions, Jeppe Olsen has been applying the same strategy for a long time. And it even helps him in everyday life.
