It’s an event that keeps growing; and with its growth one area college reaps the benefits.

Cabot’s Fall Classic returned Friday, Sept. 25, for the fourth year of the sporting clay shoot at Huasmann’s Hidden Hollows on Flynn Road in Friendsville.

For the second year, funds raised at the event benefit the Lackawanna College School of Petroleum and Natural Gas in New Milford.

According to Cabot’s Bill desRosiers, the funds raised will be used for both the school’s endowment and to purchase new, advanced equipment for the students to learn on at the college.

At this year’s event, over $100,000 was raised on the sporting clay tournament.

The annual event keeps growing, desRosiers said. This year, 100 more shooters than last year came out to test their skills, bringing the number of participants to 400.

“Over 50,000 rounds of ammunition were shot during the day,” desRosiers said.

“We offer a unique experience,” he said. “Our shooters maneuver the course, and also shoot a ‘flurry’ during the day.”

A flurry, desRosiers explained, is an onslaught of 100 clay pigeons coming at the team quickly. “They have to work as a team to shoot as many as they can.”

In the few years since its inception, the popularity has increased. This year, there were three separate courses to accommodate the participants and desRosiers expects to add one or two more courses next year.

What started as a way to introduce the industry to the college has evolved, desRosiers said. “Companies are coming back and expanding their relationship with the college. We saw a plethora of new companies get involved (with the shoot) once they learn the money is going to a college dedicated to petroleum and natural gas.”

Following the shoot, awards are given to the top male and female shooters. Awards are also handed out to the top three ‘flurry’ teams.

In addition to Cabot Oil & Gas Corportation, sponsors for the event included: Kenworth of Pennsylvania, Comtech Industries, Williams, Ally OnSite. and Rain for Rent.

Xcel Site Rentals, out of Michigan and West Virginia, were the lunch sponsors. The company also demonstrated new equipment at the event.