LAST UPDATE MARCH 2020
Yannick Peeters, year of birth 1985, is a Belgian shooter specialized in the Trapshooting discipline. Besides being an excellent athlete, he became distributor of Gemini brand in his home country and founded a prestigious Academy for training talented young shooters!
1. How did your passion for clay target shooting begin?
I was born and raised on the shooting fields and basically it was the very first sport I practised. I used to play in the parking garage while the several competitions where held. I always had my plastic toy weapons with me.
Later I started shooting cans and clay pots with an air shotgun. I really enjoyed it a lot!
Trap has always been part of my family's life, my mother and I used to follow my father everywhere he went for shooting. Hence, to simply answer this question ... such passion was certainly passed down to me by my father Frans Peeters, already three times bronze medalist (OG, WCF and WC) and twice European champion.
2. How did you realize that Trapshooting was your discipline?
It took me a while. I started shooting at the age of 12, but I used to try my hand at sporting and trapshooting at the same time, with different weapons. At the time, I just enjoyed going out and shooting anything … at the age of 15-16 I chose to devote myself exclusively to trapshooting. I participated in local competitions and started to cross the borders for some shooting. My scores improved from year to year and I simply haven't stopped since then.
3. What was your most exciting victory?
This is a tough question. I could mention several competitions in which I have achieved a great victory or an excellent score, both in Belgium and beyond the border. For instance the «Belgian Championship» and manifold others in Germany, Luxembourg and France.
I can remember my first World Cup in London in 2012 very well, it was my debut in the ISSF WC I lost the tie-break for the final because I didn't have enough experience and I didn’t manage to keep calm. To tell the truth being able to reach the top 10 of the most skilled shooters, however, filled me with pride.
Finally, I remember the special silver medal at 2016 Rio World Cup, it was my first final in the WC … and I managed to win a medal, an excellent result!
4. What’s your way to concentrate?
I listen to music to calm my mind and thoughts, meanwhile breathing deeply. After 10-15 minutes I perform some "activation" exercises in order to wake up my body, so as to be actually ready to react during the several rounds.
5. To what extent are the Gemini choke tubes essential for the success of your sporting achievements?
At the moment there are actually many brands manufacturing shotgun chokes. I have tested manifold variants, by several brands. Gemini choke tubes are certainly the best ones you can purchase. They are available in every model I long for: flush, extended, ported and in titanium.
They are beautiful and shoot rocking the world. A perfect and reliable product.
6. What’s their strong point in your opinion?
Their best feature lies in the way they trigger the cone of fire. I really like this aspect, shooting with Gemini chokes makes me feel confident.
In addition, there is now a titanium version in addition to the steel one, which I personally began to adopt systematically.
7. What weapon do you use and what choke tube do you prefer?
I am used to shooting with a Perazzi MX2000/8 shotgun mostly with Gemini 7 tenths Ported chokes.
I also have 6 tenths and 8 tenths ones with me, so I can change if necessary. For instance, when clay- pigeons are hardened, I prefer to use the 8 tenths Ported ones. I prefer the 6 tenths in Belgium, when we need to shoot with steel ammunition.
8. What advice would you give to a young person approaching this sport?
Learn the basics well and perfect your fundamentals. Have fun, do things step by step and enjoy this wonderful sport!
9. You have moreover become distributor of Gemini brand. in Belgium what is the reason for this choice?
That’s really simple: excellent quality, excellent service. I know that anytime I sell a Gemini choke I'm selling an absolutely reliable product.
10. How are these products perceived by the Belgian custom audience?
No complaints since I started selling Gemini choke tubes.
11. Tell us about your shooting academy!
Last year, Lucas Budts and I started with the VCSA - flemish clayshooting academy - for shooters who boast talent and are eager to improve, but also (and it that’s really important) in order to raise young gifted people. We work with Sport Flanders and with our VSK federation. The idea was introduced by Jeffrey McCready (performance coach – Performance2Win).
Since the beginning we have been successful, with a shooter who won a GP in Germany and a junior one standing on the podium. This year our academy has expanded again, with two new young people who are showing enthusiasm and improvements.
12. What is the first thing you teach your students?
The basics: clear and simple. First ... confidence.
- How to stand up
- How to hold the gun
- How to look at the target
- How to move
Once you understand these things, the funny part begins: breaking the clay pigeon!
13. Would you like to give us some advice to further improve our product?
Frankly ... I have no advice for you. If any, it would be "keep creating these quality products!"