Dale Stockdale

Dale Stockdale of Ackley, IA, first shot a BB gun at the age of five and began his trapshooting career at 13, registering his initial targets in 1970. Since that time, he has amassed a sizable collection of trophies and accomplishments.

In Grand American competition, Dale won the sub-vet title in the 2017 Clay Target Championship and was veteran champ in 2022. In 2012 he topped sub-vets in the Doubles Championship and HOA, and he headed the age group again in the 2018 Doubles. He bested all competitors in the 2012 Prelim Wednesday handicap with 99 and topped the Prelim Friday doubles that year.

Dale and his dad Merle, a 1982 Hall of Fame enshrinee, won the Parent-Child Trophy at the 1985 Grand. Dale was a member of the 2018 Central Zone team that earned Zone team honors in the Doubles Championship.

His sub-vet titles from the Great Lakes Grand include the 2016 handicap and 2018 handicap, doubles and all-around. During the 2023 target year, he won the veteran HOA crown at the Southern Grand and the veteran doubles and all-around at the Southwestern Grand.

Capturing the 2012 Central Zone singles title over the field, Dale’s sub-vet championships include the 2019 singles; 2012 and 2018 doubles; and 2012, 2018 and 2021 all-around.

In Iowa State Shoot competition, Dale secured the 2013 doubles championship and the all-around crowns in 2008, 2015 and 2017. His category singles titles include the 2014 and 2016 sub-vet and 2022 veteran. In 1979, he became the first Iowa resident to break 100 in handicap from any yardage at the Iowa State Shoot.

Dale claimed a spot on the 1975 junior All-American Team and the 2010 men’s team. Between 2013 and 2022, he acquired sub-vet placements eight times, and he is a part of the current veteran team. He earned Honorable Mention honors in 1972 as a junior.

Dale won sub-vet Trap & Field All-Around Average Awards in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017. His 2014 all-around average of .9637 placed second in the all-time sub-vet records. His 2022 all-around average topped veteran ranks. In 2017 his doubles average of .9728 placed 10th on the all-time sub-vet list.

Completing his ATA Grand Slam in 1997 with 100 from the back fence, he has broken one more century from the 27. Dale reached AA-27-AA status in 1986 and AAA-27-AAA in 2004. He was inducted into the Iowa state Hall of Fame in 2016. A member of Iowa’s State Team almost every year since the mid 1980s, Dale has secured the captain’s spot 15 times.

Dale has run Stockdale Gun Club since he started digging one trap in 1981. It started as a singles trap in his back yard. The club continued to grow throughout the years, with the popular Labor Day Shoot eventually becoming the Heartland Grand American in 2007.

Having worked as a target-setter at the Grand in Vandalia, he has also been assistant tournament director at the Grand, served on the ATA Marketing Committee and written for Trap & Field.

Dale said being inducted into the Trapshooting Hall of Fame means so much to him. He is grateful to all the people who have played a part in getting him here.