Ralph Ballard

Year Born: 1931
Year Died: 2006

Year Inducted: 2005

Ralph Ballard began his shooting career at the Kern County Trap Club in Bakersfield, California in 1957.

A life member of the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA), Ralph has shot in every state in the Northwest, has attended the Grand American in Vandalia, Ohio (Old location), and the Spring Grand in Arizona. Among the many trophies and awards Ralph has taken home includes being a member of the Camas Prairie All Star Team in 1984 and 1985. He is also very proud of winning the father and son awards a the Nezperce Gun Club for seven years. Ralph has also been punched to the 27 yard line three times and has also held office for the Idaho State Trapshooting Association where he was the Secretary / Treasurer for two years.

A letter from his son Brian sums up Ralph as well as can be stated. “This man has been a part of the sport and a part of Idaho’s shooting history for many, many years. The one thing that stands out about this man and the reason he should be enshrined into the Hall of Fame, is his dedication to the game. His passion for the game and its continuance is unsurpassed by anyone else. He continues to shoot to this day even though he has been fighting cancer for the last eight years of his life. He still loves to go to the small club in Culdesac where he first shot when he came to Idaho and where I shot my first target. He shot almost every weekend this year of the 10 weeks leading up to the Camas Prairie.” Ralph passed on his shooting skills to Brian who was a member of the 1988 Olympic Team and shot in Seoul, Korea.

Ralph and his wonder wife Jean of 50 years, are both known very well by the shooting community. They both still come to area clubs and are always ready to lend a hand in any way they can. They have two sons, Daniel of Lewiston, Idaho and Brian of Charleston, South Carolina. Ralph Ballard’s legacy will most likely always be his enthusiastic support of new ans specially young shooters. Whether it is letting them use his guns, bying them shooting cards at turkey shoots, fixing their guns, helping them with ammunition or spending whatever time is required to help them become good shooters, Ralph is always there. Again from Brian, “Anything he can do to help. These are the qualities of the type of people that need to, follow their example, people who truly care about the sport.” Congratulations Ralph on your induction to the Idaho State Trapshooting Hall of Fame!


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