The Perfectionist
For many shooters, what counts is the hit. For Ko van Gent, what counts is how it’s achieved.
“I want to become the best in the world.” Anyone who hears this statement might expect a loud, self-promoting person. Instead, you find yourself sitting across from a quiet Dutchman who talks about farming, hunting, and clay pigeon shooting – and knows exactly what he wants. Ko van Gent travels to competitions to win. Anyone who listens to him for a few minutes quickly realizes: This is not someone who became successful by chance. This is someone who consistently works on his weaknesses and never loses sight of his goal.
The hunting student became a teacher
Even before Ko van Gent won his first major competitions, he was already standing at the shooting range as a coach. Perhaps that explains why he breaks down every shot like a mechanic dissecting a clockwork mechanism. It started rather by chance. As a young hunter, he originally wanted to improve his hunting skills. But then he was asked if he’d like to work as a coach. From then on, he spent more time at the shooting range and automatically shot more himself. A few extra training sessions led to his first competitions. “Some great shooters can’t explain why they hit the target,” he says. “I took the opposite approach.” This mindset still defines him today. Every hit is analyzed; every miss is scrutinized. Not out of frustration, but out of a desire to improve. For Ko, every target is a lesson. If he doesn’t break it cleanly, he ponders what he could have done better.
This tenacity recently paid off in impressive fashion. Within 24 hours, Ko van Gent found himself in two shoot-offs for the Dutch championship title. On Saturday, he won the Sporting event. On Sunday, he battled it out in the Compak Sporting event right down to the last clay, once again against his friend and training partner Frank Hasekamp. This time, he finished second. “I’ll never forget this weekend,” Ko van Gent is certain.
Between Competition and Wheat Fields
In his professional life, too, the 25-year-old relies on keen observation. Instead of clay targets, he monitors the proper use of pesticides in agriculture on behalf of the Dutch government. He doesn’t know agriculture from file folders; he studied it and understands the challenges many farms face on a daily basis. Perhaps that’s exactly what explains his down-to-earth nature.
Hunting also continues to play a central role in his life. The passion was passed down from his grandfather to his father and finally to him. For Ko, it’s not about bagging game. Often, the moments in between are far more important: a fawn in a meadow, geese in the morning light, or wild boars at the edge of a field. For him, such moments are just as much a part of hunting as pulling the trigger: “Then I just enjoy the moment.” This attitude connects him with many hunters who show responsibility, respect, and the ability to enjoy nature even without firing a shot.
The Problem with Numbers
His biggest competition isn’t always behind him, but between his ears. It happens whenever he starts doing the math. “When I know that the last two targets would give me a perfect round, I start thinking about it. That’s probably my biggest mental hurdle,” he admits. Every competitive shooter knows how dangerous that can be. If you start counting, you can easily lose focus on the next clay target. Ko is working on this because he knows that at the highest level, it’s often the little things that decide victory or defeat.
Freedom, Happiness, and the Next Target
If you ask Ko what shooting means to him, he doesn’t have to think long. “Freedom.” Then he adds: “Freedom and happiness.” Maybe that's why we can expect great things from Ko in the future.
Text: Alexandra Berton; Photos: Alexandra Berton, Stephanie Göhrig
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