Around the
ATA * January 2010
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Information for Around the ATA is provided to Trap & Field by state and provincial ATA Delegates and/or their designated representatives. Shooters and local officials: Please inform your ATA Delegate of news about shooters and clubs in your area. Western Zone Alberta A correction to the October report: Bob Gruszecki was elected APTA vice president, rather than Collin Crumb as reported. Shoot dates have now been finalized for 2010, with the most significant change being the moving of the provincial championships to begin July 22 instead of the traditional end of July/first of August weekend. The move will allow this major shoot to avoid conflicting with family-based vacations, which often begin at the first of August. The Alberta all-star team has just been announced: Bob Gruszecki, .9604; Neil Burbidge, .9581; Art Peyton, .9570; Martin Lecuyer, .9551; Allan Radway, .9518; Garry Hill, .9510; Shawn McNeil, .9452; Trevor Dawe, .9414; Ron McConnell, .9368; Larry Ivany, .9362. The high-average winners are Radway, singles, .9885; Burbidge, doubles, .9742; Art Peyton, handicap, .9345; Diane Peyton, women’s, .9099; Sean Ziola, junior, .7466; Jeremy Norgard, sub-junior, .8408; Clare Hebron, veteran, .9240; and Bill Peterson, senior vet, .9140. With 28,450, Art Peyton registered the most targets in 2009. As with all shooting sports, Alberta clubs are seeking ways to increase participation in clay-target shooting, especially with younger shooters. Introduction of shooting programs in school-based activities in Alberta faces public opposition, which makes it difficult to pursue effectively, so most efforts at encouraging youth shooting are initiated by organizations or clubs themselves. An extremely successful operation at getting youth exposed to shooting sports are initiatives AHEIA (Alberta Hunter Education Instructors Association) have put forward. AHEIA administers the hunter education and firearms training requirements for the province and has supplied hunter education to more than 1.3 million students. The hunter education program includes about 5,700 new shooters per year and has a component where all the students actually get to try trapshooting at one of the AHEIA facilities. This exposure is great for our sport and helps broaden understanding of firearms to the general public. Over the long term, some of those introduced to the sport of trapshooting via this method will become serious ATA shooters. This year’s junior champion Sean Ziola is a product of the program. Bob Gruszecki, president of AHEIA (and also one of the best trapshooters in the province) never misses a chance to get new recruits for our sport! Ron McConnell at the Brooks Clays and Feathers Club runs several youth-targeted shooting and hunting programs, one of which is a program funded from proceeds of club initiatives and Fish and Wildlife sponsorship. Initial introduction includes safety training and instruction in trap and sporting clays. Kids in the youth league get to shoot several rounds of trap every second Tuesday for $5 per night, which includes ammunition. Over the last four years, more than 100 students have taken part, and several are now active trap and/or sporting clays shooters. Several other clubs also have initiatives to encourage young shooters; more on those later. As we move toward the new year and the guns are put away for another winter, we wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas season. Garry Hill
Arizona The Autumn Grand has come and gone, and attendance was strong. This is indicative of the great shoot that Tucson T&SC is putting on at their fine facility. Congratulations go out to all the winners at the Autumn Grand, particularly our own Tim Robb, who won the singles championship. See our website and the story in this issue for other winners. Enough can’t be said about the wonderful shooting weather we have in Arizona from November through the winter. If you haven’t made plans yet, it is a good time to put the Arizona Winter Chain on your schedule, along with the Spring Grand and the Arizona State Shoot, which will both be in Tucson. Check out our Arizona website at www.astrap.com plus the ATA Official Shoot Directory in T&F for all the shooting schedules and club information in Arizona. Come shoot with us. Doug Hawkins ATA Delegate
Idaho The winter months have been great in Idaho—some parts kinder than others from Mother Nature, but she always leaves a spectacle of beauty. Twin Falls GC, overlooking the magnificent Hells Canyon, has seen many new faces enjoying their monthly meat shoots. Pocatello TC’s monthly shoots have also been on the rise, and as always they have a friendly smile, good food and great prizes. Culdesac GC as usual had big attendance for their turkey shoot. They show others how to have a great time with large crowds at a two-trap club. Troy-Deary GC was another busy place for their fall gathering. As a mainstay of the many Camas Association clubs, they put on a great day of shooting. Caldwell GC is a very busy gun club also, drawing from the borders of three states. They show how a small club can do well in these times with the ability to make visitors into members. Boise GC has taken on the Idaho State Shoot, which happens during the four days of Memorial Day celebrations. We wish to invite everyone to join us there for some of the best competition in the United States. Bring your guns and family for a vacation of a lifetime in Idaho. My hat is off and extended thank you’s to the Colton (Wash.) GC for taking special efforts to make their club available to the many misplaced shooters of Lewiston GC while they are looking for a new home. Idaho extends to all shooters of the great USA a welcoming hand to enjoy our landscape with us. And a special thank you to all our troops overseas. We wish them safety in their endeavors and a quick and successful trip home. Mike Rinard ATA Delegate
Utah As I write this, I’ve just returned from the 800-target Fall Opener at Purgatory CS Nov. 20-22. When I left, it was 60° and clear skies. I got home to freezing temperatures and a couple inches of snow. A northern Utah shoot on this weekend would have been a miserable affair. PCS offers a chance to shoot in reasonable weather during the winter months. Shooters from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado took advantage of the nice weather and attended this well-run shoot. We had the equivalent of about eight squads for almost all of the events. The first event of each day started on time, and we were able to complete each day’s events with daylight to spare. I’d like to thank the following for helping make this shoot a success: Harold Curry, Sheri Vigil and Lisa Katseang, shoot management; Eddie Vigil, handicapping; and Mike and Barbara Freeman, squadding and cashiering. Steve Hamilton did an excellent job keeping the traps loaded with targets. We never had to wait for that. Congratulations to Joe Sudbury, who carded the first 200 in singles at Purgatory. Winning buckles for the high total scores in the four handicap events were Sudbury, high gun, 373x400; Randy Corder, long yardage, 364; Ron Green, mid yardage, 370; and Jeff Little, short yardage, 371. Scores for all shooters are posted on the results page at Utahtrap.com. In the last event Sunday, Shay Oaks, junior shooter from Vernal, shot the weekend’s high of 97. You might think that’s not a big deal, but it’s somewhat well known that the background at Purgatory is challenging. It places a premium on looking at the target, so congratulations, Shay; that was very good shooting. If you have previously attended a shoot at Purgatory and swore you’d never come back, I hope you will reconsider. Shoot management has made changes and is very interested in making the experience pleasant for all. There’s nothing that can be done to move the mountains and ridges out of the background, but other clubs manage with similarly difficult backgrounds, and with your help, I think PCS will do okay. Shoot management is considering changing target color in an effort to provide greater contrast. There is also the possibility that traps will be added on the east end. (Background on the east end is less disruptive than on the west end.) None of this is finalized, so don’t hold me to it, but a good way to see that changes come about is to attend a Purgatory shoot and make your opinions known. Only by supporting clubs can we ensure that they prosper. Purgatory has shoots Jan. 9-10, Feb. 6-7, March 6-7 and April 17-18. Start making your plans now. St. George, Utah, is a very nice city, and Mesquite, Nev., is a short drive down the interstate if you like some of the entertainment Nevada has to offer. The 2009 state teams have been announced. I’d like to congratulate the following on their accomplishment: Men’s first—Joe Sudbury, .9658; Darren New, .9613; Gene Majers, .9596; Ed Wehking, .9571; Joe Roach, .9529. Men’s second—Justin Bodily, .9520; Chad Sorensen, .9501; Steve Johnson, .9500; Brad Averett, .9497; Scott Hoover, .9391. Women’s—Leslie Bodily, .9438; Linda Gibson, .9252; Robin Fullwood, .9080; Tonya Youngberg, .8968; Lori Martin, .8847. Junior—Colton Anderson, .9281; Jackson Tuckett, .9257; Steve Syndergaard, .9099; Zac Hartley, .8999; Hayden Johnson, .8991. Sub-junior—Keylee Kugler, .8603; Jarrett Tanner, .8368; Cody Bassett, .7885. Veteran—Bruce Allred, .9327; Marlin McDaniel, .9198; Lorin Bingham, .8945; Earnie Shepherd, .8944; Allen Palmer, .8923. Senior vet—Johann Baker, .9363; Don Savage, .9296; Deon Van Cleave, .9248; Jim Duke, .9038; Weldon Noland, .8997. New state team requirements have been posted on Utahtrap.com. The primary change is that all clubs required for state team consideration have to be Utah clubs. The men’s team requirement is now seven Utah clubs; the other teams’ numbers remain the same as in previous years. In closing I’d like to acknowledge the end of an era at the Las Vegas GC and thank Steve Carmichael for his service in running the LVGC for the last 20 years. I’ve enjoyed the Fall Handicap and other shoots that Steve has put on. This club will be missed. If you need to contact me, you may call 801-791-5370 or e-mail me at utahdelegate@comcast.net. Scott Hoover ATA Delegate
Washington The Western Grand went well, and I heard from Danny McKenzie and Al Connerley that the Autumn Grand did as well, and the targets were great. If you get a chance, please attend next year. When you read this, Karma and I will probably be back from Arizona. We left just before Christmas and plan to stay about three weeks. Our state meeting was the first Saturday of December, and it was very important that all gun clubs had their shoot dates in by that time. It is also better if you keep the same weekends from year to year or talk to me or the secretary before trying to change dates, because about every weekend is full. If there is anything I can do for you or your club, please call 509-856-7516. George Seubert ATA Delegate
Central Zone Illinois The first thing I want to do is recognize Mike Westjohn for his shooting performance this year. Mike has always been a fine shooter and regularly made the state team, but this year he kicked it up a notch. He worked on the mechanics of his shooting and spent a lot of time on the mental aspect of the game. Lots of practice and his mental toughness paid off. He set goals, one of which was to win all three Illinois zone singles events. Mike won the northern and southern zone singles with 200s, then ran into some bad weather and tough targets at Peoria. But he did win the central zone singles with 198. He broke 200 and won the shootoff to become the singles champion at the state shoot in Brittany. Mike broke 100 from the 27 at the Autumn Grand in Tucson to complete his ATA Grand Slam. To top it off, he made the All-American team for the first time. Congratulations, Mike. I am in awe of your performance this year. It’s time to recognize the Illinois state team for this year. Men are required to shoot 2,500 singles, 2,000 handicap and 1,500 doubles. Women, vets and senior vets each need 1,500 singles, 1,500 handicap and 1,000 doubles. Juniors need 800 singles, 800 handicap and 600 doubles, and sub-juniors must register at least 500 singles, 500 handicap and 400 doubles. To be considered, you must also shoot the 400 championship targets at the state shoot and must also shoot at least one of the zone shoots. Men’s—Steve Johnson, .9715; John Kravanek, .9682; Frank Bentley III, .9579; Mike Westjohn, .9578; Tal Seger, .9529; Charles Bickle, .9494; Allen Stichter, .9473; Brian Hezel, .9457; Jack Reeves III, .9381; Frank Payne, .9370. Women’s—Ondrea Weikum, .9258; Janice Rigler, .9218; Rhonda Laurent, .9136; Linda Weihmeir, .9054; Janet Cornmesser, .8978. Junior—Cody West, .9533; Lauren Mueller, .9350; Ethan Hastie, .9340; Ethan Adams, .9245; Johnathan Campbell, .9193. Sub-junior—Anthony Fortino, .9373; Preston Crandell, .9290; Andrew Simpson, .9218; Larry West, .9132; Noah Dietchweiler, .8677. Veteran—Jerry Sedlacek, .9500; Mike Jordan, .9472; John White, .9302; Denny Chestney, .9269; Larry Lark, .9261; Pete Vonburg, .9247. Senior vet—Jerry Graham, .9321; August Wiewel, .9289; Hubert Johnson, .9251; Bill Jordan, .9233; Gene Zirkelbach, .9169; Randy Cornmesser, .9154. The following are Illinois shooters whose performance earned them a spot on the prestigious ATA All-American team: Steve Johnson and Mike Westjohn, men’s; Lauren Mueller, women’s; Anthony Fortino and Preston Crandell, sub-junior; Mike Jordan and Jerry Sedlacek, veteran; and Randy Cornmesser, senior vet. Along with ability, these folks have made a serious commitment to our sport, and each and every one of them is to be congratulated. If you have any questions or see an error on these teams, please contact me so we can make the necessary corrections prior to printing the state shoot program. I can be reached at 627 B Main St., Mazon, IL 60444; 815-448-5120; or mattroofing@sbcglobal.net. Jim Matteson ATA Delegate
Indiana Most Indiana clubs are already making plans for their registered shoots this year. A lot of time and effort goes into making our local club shoots the best they can be. We need to support them as much as we can. You can mark your calendars for the Indiana zone shoots: northern, St. Joe Valley CC, May 14-16; central, Wallace Traps, Inc., May 21-23; and southern, Columbus GC, May 21-23. The Indiana State Shoot is at Indiana PGC July 6-11. At this time I would like to congratulate the members of this year’s Indiana state teams: Men’s—Tank Lunsford, John Voliva, Eric Shroyer, Jason Seitz, Mike Welte, Jack Curry, David Winn, Roland King, Devon Harris, Tom Antczak, Tom Neal, Keith Heeg, Tom Kleyla, George Rezabek, Kenneth Heathcoate, Cody Sullivan, Robert Phillips, Mike Williams, George Harvey, John Harden. Women’s—Ginny Matthews, Barbara Rocheford, Debra Cates, Debbie Thompson, Mary Lynne Downham. Junior—Matthew Perkins, Carl Seib, Benjamin Krafft, Cody Schuman. Sub-junior—Matthew Moser, Robert J. Smith, Jacob Wieneke, Brandon Sullivan, Jacob Moser. Veteran—Bobby Hubble, Michael Stephenson, Robert Reynolds, Wayne Downham, Harold Bowers, Roger Thompson, Michael Ruggieri, George Gresh, William Tucker, Darrell Elsea. Senior vet—Dr. Jerry Weida, Carl Simkins, Gene Baxter, Charles Vise, Raymond Strabavy. I can be reached at king8A@yahoo.com. Roland King ATA Delegate
Michigan Okay, folks, we have a new year and a bright outlook for the future—keep it positive this year; great times are in front of us! I wish everyone a happy and joyous New Year and a great shooting season. Dates are now set in stone for the 2010 MTA shooting season: Spring Team Shoot, April 30-May 2; Great Lakes Grand, May 25-31; Michigan State Shoot, June 29-July 4; MTA Money Shoot, July 16-18; Fall Team Shoot, Sept. 10-12. These will be great shooting events at your homegrounds. Please plan to attend; this is your organization to support and enjoy. The MTA board has selected a new food service vendor. Tom Ivanoff is the owner/operator and has several years’ experience and many satisfied customers. Please visit the cafeteria for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I’m sure you’ll find the portions and quality excellent. All attendees at the 2010 Michigan State Shoot will have the opportunity to attend the wedding of Mark Stadler and Kathleen Stewart on July 2 at 7:30 p.m. in front of Practice Trap 2. Light snacks, lemonade, etc. will be served after the ceremony. Congratulations to Mark and Kathleen on their upcoming nuptials, and we thank you for choosing the MTA grounds to celebrate. The lead reclamation team did its job and reclaimed slightly over 300,000 pounds during the fall. Funds received will be used to reduce our loan balance. The MTA BOD will continue to support lead reclamation efforts in the future as a source of revenue. It is always sad when we lose one of our longtime shooting friends, even more so when it is the loss of an upcoming, competitive youth shooter. I am deeply saddened to inform you of the death of Kyle Stefko. Kyle was killed in an automobile accident Nov. 1, one day before his 20th birthday. Kyle was a member of the Dundee SC youth shooting group coached by Betty Bragg. I have known Kyle and his father Bill for several years and have enjoyed watching Kyle shoot. Bill had that proud-parent look on his face whenever Kyle took the line. I will miss Kyle; he was not only a good shooter but also a terrific young adult. My sympathy goes out to his parents, family, and friends. I was just informed of the passing of longtime shooter and friend Ed Clark on Nov. 24. Ed was a member of East Rockwood SC and shot registered targets all over the country prior to his illness. Ed was a great person and fun to talk and joke with. He had many personal friends who enjoyed his company. Many of you remember Ed for his constant gun-tweaking, fine-tuning it to accommodate his precise shooting style. He was an accomplished trapshooter and a fierce competitor and will be missed by all. My sympathy goes out to his wife Dolores, family and friends. I thank all employees and volunteers who supported the MTA during 2009. These folks worked hard to make our shoots relaxing and enjoyable for all attendees. Please take the time to thank these individuals when you see them at 2010 shooting events. I hope everyone makes it a New Year’s resolution to shoot more targets at MTA this season. It’s a great place to shoot, and the shoots are attended by great people. Check out www.michigantrap.org for information on the 2010 season. The site is updated often, so log on so you can be aware of events around the state. Please be safe in your travels and enjoy yourselves! If you wish to contact me, you may do so via e-mail at dprice@michigantrap.org or zoowie@peoplepc.com. David Z. Price ATA Delegate
Minnesota Happy New Year from Minnesota! I wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2010. Congratulations to Paul Christianson for attaining his AA-27-AA pin this past year. Also congrats to Mark Zauhar, who shot his 100,000th singles target at the Heartland Grand at Stockdale’s GC in September. Jackpot shoots in Minnesota continue to draw good attendance, especially in November with its mellow weather. Congratulations to the following for shooting 50x50: Keith Koosman, Claude Banyai, Mark Hintz, Curt Peterson and Bob Smith. Trapshooters can shoot all winter Saturdays at the Minneapolis GC and Sundays at Buffalo and Metro. Alexandria should have a couple of shoots under its belt after a January start-up. Keep that eye sharp and support your clubs over the winter! On behalf of the MTA, I would like to extend our sympathies to the Harold Ibach family. Harold passed away unexpectedly Nov. 8 at the age of 83. Harold was from White Bear Lake and is survived by wife Margaret, son John and sister Shirley Marcus as well as extended family and friends. Harold was a first-class gentleman and sportsman who always greeted you with a smile and handshake. He presence will truly be missed around Minnesota and Wisconsin gun clubs. Again I want to invite all out-of-state shooters to mark their calendars now for the Minnesota State Trapshoot at the Alexandria SP July 5-11. You won’t be disappointed! Please feel free to call or e-mail me if you have any concerns or questions about trapshooting in our state. I’ve been getting a few responses but still need your opinions on changes needed to improve the current handicap system. Also, let me know of any recognition for shooters’ accomplishments that should be mentioned in future articles. My phone is 507-381-5908, and e-mail is ronnoren@embarqmail.com. Visit our website at www.mn-trap.org. Ron Noren ATA Delegate
North Dakota Our North Dakota weather continues to amaze me! October was one of the wettest and coldest on record, only to be followed by a November that will certainly go down as one of the warmest, much to the chagrin of all of the people who were deer hunting in 50- to 60-degree temperatures. Make sure you check out the Autumn Grand results for Cody Tangsrud’s name. A few of the highlights were junior singles champion with 200, junior doubles champion with 100, plus the junior all-around and high-over-all. I was fortunate enough to shoot with Cody when he got his first 200 last year at the Western Grand and then his first 100 in doubles at Tucson. I don’t think that I inspire him to shoot better; rather I think he just wants to beat me so bad that he works extra hard. I hope you understand my pride in highlighting the shooting accomplishments of my son Taylor. Taylor earned a spot as the third person on the sub-junior All-American first team. He accomplished many milestones during the year, such as his first 100 in singles in May and his first 200 in June. He earned his way to the 27-yard line at the Montana State Shoot in July. In addition to numerous titles in singles, doubles, handicap and all-around, he also earned the sub-junior high-over-all awards at the Southwestern Grand, Central Zone, plus Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota state shoots. It was a very exciting year for him, to say the least. We are both grateful to Wayne Hofer (Nathan’s grandpa) for hauling Taylor to Pennsylvania and Ohio. I will have news from the annual winter NDTA meeting in my next article, since the meeting is one week away at the time of this writing. For those of you headed to warmer climates, travel safe and good luck with your shooting. Best wishes to all of you for a happy holiday season and a safe, healthy and prosperous new year! You can reach me at jwagner@horizonresources.coop, at 701-572-3499 in the evenings, or at 701-572-2171 during the days. Jeff Wagner ATA Central Zone Vice President
Ohio Following is the all-Ohio trap team for 2010: Men’s—captain Randy Wilhelm, .9692; Michael Wengerd, .9642; Dean Townsend, .9626; Richard Granatir, .9608; Joseph Charnigo, .9606; Kyle Hamilton, .9590; Ronald Smith, .9574; Dirk Meckstroth, .9544; John Webb, .9518; Don Cogan, .9503. Women’s—captain Katie Pappayliou, .9241; Cindy May, .9211; Tonya Bluhm, .9134; Diane Foster, .8955; Sharon Cogan, .8874. Junior—captain Philip Fell, .9260; Anthony Fodor, .9178; Matthew Begley, .9170; Matthew Ashcraft, .9101; John C. Thomas, .9089. Sub-junior—captain Nathan Stabinski, .9065; Christian Wilkoski, .8899; Kolt Huston, .8856; Elizabeth Ternes, .8479. Veteran—captain Aden Kaufman, .9581; Dave Berlet, .9439; Robert Havenar, .9334; Rife Denlinger, .9316; Richard Partin, .9238. Senior vet—captain Ken Berger, .9328; Kenneth Kamnikar, .9240; Willis Anderson, .9177; Howard Wilkin, .9026; Cletus Fink Jr., .9014. Congratulations to our all-Ohio team; may they enjoy equal success this year. I received a note this month from Harold Pack of Portsmouth. He informed me that in September, when he shot trap at the Progress 2000 GC in El Cajon, Cal., he has now shot trap in all 50 states. He and wife Candy have many fond memories and have made countless new friends. In Trap & Field over the years, Harold remembers two others mentioned who have done this. He closed his note by quoting Dinah Shore and her singing “America’s the greatest land of all.” Amen to that, and I concur. I hope all enjoyed the holidays, and I would like to wish you a healthy and prosperous New Year! Dennis Filo ATA Delegate
Eastern Zone New Jersey Happy New Year, everyone! Boy, 2009 just flew. If you haven’t already done so, please renew your ATA membership and Trap & Field subscription. I was up at the North Jersey CTC the Sunday before Thanksgiving for their turkey shoot and annual club meeting. Club member Bob Egan, owner of Cubby’s BBQ Restaurant in Hackensack (201-488-9389), was gracious enough to donate 25 frozen turkeys for the day. Between members and non-members, turnout was great. At the meeting, incumbent officers were reelected for another term. The club had installed fabric in the shot fall zone during the year, and they were going to be reclaiming it and selling it “as is” for $14 a bag. For availability, call 973-227-1139. Rudy Torlini, state secretary-treasurer, and I went over resident ATA averages and came up with our state teams. To qualify for any team shooters must have competed in the last three events at the state shoot and meet target minimums as follows: men and veterans: 2,500 singles, 1,500 handicap and 1,000 doubles; women: 2,000 singles, 1,000 handicap and 500 doubles; juniors: 1,000 singles, 500 handicap and 500 doubles. Kay Ohye led all New Jersey shooters with a combined average of .9679 on 19,950 targets in singles, handicap and doubles. Rounding out the men’s first team were Bob Malmstedt, Mark Wade, Mike Van Note and Ed Taylor. The men’s second team consists of George Wright, Tom Clark, Frank Seibert, Ken Estes and Bob Mlynarz. Debbie Ohye-Nielsen had a combined average of .9603 on 17,100 targets in singles, handicap and doubles. Debbie was the only woman to shoot the required number of targets. John Mallon led the junior team with a combined average of .9096. Rounding out the team are Charles Bennett Jr., Dominic J. Cerrato, Everett Giberson and Joseph Clarke. The veteran team consists of Bob Long, Craig Gasparine, Bruno Colomban, Gene Saloman and Fred Tilton. We’re coming up on the time of year when your local gun club needs your support. Please make an effort to get out and break some targets. Great shooting to all! If you have a question or an idea for a future article, you can call me at 732-546-7910 or e-mail me at jasissa@msn.com. Joe Sissano ATA Delegate
New York Happy New Year to everyone. I hope that it was a happy holiday season for all, and everyone received the presents they were looking for. Hopefully everyone will be staying warm now that winter is here. I am very pleased to report that four of our New York shooters have made the 2010 ATA All-American teams. Chris Vendel placed third on the men’s second team with 997 points, and Bradley Heath placed ninth with 883. Christopher Vendel ranked seventh on the sub-junior first team with 1,153 points, and Michael Mincel placed 11th on the veteran second team with 458. Congratulations, gentlemen, on your fine shooting during the 2009 target year. The 2009 New York State high-average shooters were Chris Vendel, men’s singles, .9929; Tiffany Decker, women’s singles, .9469; Bradley Heath, handicap, .9296; and Chris Vendel, doubles, .9656. These averages also include targets shot in September and October 2008. The New York BOD decided to include these targets for the high-average individual and team awards because the 2009 target year was only 10 months long instead of the usual 12. The 2009 New York State high-average teams have been computed: Men’s first—Chris Vendel, .9626; Bradley Heath, .9594; Bob Edwards, .9512; Keith Welch, .9441; Urban Womer, .9420. Men’s second—Brian Luther, .9409; Michael Fox Jr., .9402; Robert Wagner, .9307; James Flint, .9203; Tim Herbstsommer, .9287. Honorable mention—Doug Duncan, .9260; Dave Cichelli, .9255; Chris Landon, .9247; Jon Daskavitz, .9224; Gary McKeown, .9219. Women’s—Catherine Barney, .8724; Tiffany Decker, .8669; Vicki Hatch, .8586; Susan Gullotta, .8533. Junior/sub-junior—Steven Jennings, .9257; Christopher Vendel, .9134; Justin Slater, .8821; Justing Johnston, .8728; Jenna Euscher, .8635. Veteran/senior vet—James S. Wright, .9334; Michael Mincel, .9223; Bill Lindner Jr., .9214; John Gullotta, .9044; Carl Wagner, .9037. Target requirements for the teams are as follows: men’s and veteran/senior vet, 2,500 singles, 1,500 handicap and 1,000 doubles; women’s, 2,000 singles, 1,500 handicap and 1,000 doubles; and junior/sub-junior, 2,000 singles, 1,200 handicap and 800 doubles. In-state target requirements (must be shot in New York) are 1,000 singles, 700 handicap and 500 doubles for men, women and veteran/senior vet; 700 singles, 500 handicap and 300 doubles for junior/sub-junior. The only exceptions are for shooters in the military. Please stay warm during the winter season. Anyone traveling to Florida or out West for ATA events, shoot well and please travel safely. I hope to see you all soon. Brian Whalen ATA Delegate
Ontario SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Greetings from Ontario, Canada. Ontario shooters were saddened to learn of the passing of John Kokoris, an active ATA shooter who was a member of the Hamilton GC and of the Artemis (Greek Club) shooting team. John owned Angels Diner, with eight locations in southern Ontario. Our condolences are extended to John’s wife Diane and daughter Victoria. He was diagnosed with cancer in May 2009 and passed away in October. He will be missed. Ontario shooters share the anticipation of almost all Canadian firearm owners that perhaps, after many turbulent years with the useless, expensive and oppressive gun registry, it may finally be scrapped (for long guns). Conservative back-bencher Candice Hoeppner proposed Bill C-391, which if passed would scrap the registry and destroy existing data within the system on about seven million shotguns and rifles. Because this was a private members’ bill, opposition MPs were permitted to break from party lines and support it. Eighteen Liberals and New Democrats voted in favor and Harper’s minority Conservatives, and with this help, the Bill passed first reading 164-137. The bill now goes to committee, then second and third reading, and then to the Senate. We all have our fingers crossed. Meanwhile, the games begin all over again. Anti-gun lobbyists are whining and crying “foul” and parading their “victims of crime” at every photo op they can muster. The writing may finally be on the wall, however, because the Canadian public is losing patience on the issue. Opinion polls vary, but overall (as of early November at least) 46% thought abolishing the registry was a good idea, and 41% thought it was bad, the balance typically not having a clue. Among rural Canadians, 52% wanted it gone compared to 36% who wanted it saved. In urban Canada the split was 42% to 44%. (Source: Canadian Press/Harris Decima poll) There will be lots of polls and sentiment may change, but for now it is the best news firearm owners in this country have had for a long time. Paul Shaw ATA Delegate
Southern Zone Florida Hello from the sunshine. As you read this report, we just wrapped up our FTA Fall Championship at Silver Dollar. We had a terrific turnout, with nearly 30 squads. Congratulations to Sarah Jacobs for earning her first punch with a 96 in Friday’s handicap. She beat everyone by five targets for a full-yard punch. FTA vice president Ralph Bennett has worked diligently to revise and revamp the FTA website, www.floridatrap.com. It has all the Florida clubs’ contact information, Chain Shoot dates and everything else you need to know about registered trapshooting in one convenient location. The Southern Grand and the Florida State Shoot will be shot back-to-back without the traditional week off in between. For the dates, go to http://floridatrap.com/newfta/pdf/2009-2010%20Shoot%20Dates.pdf. Based on camping reservations at Silver Dollar, attendance should be up. Both events, as well as the Dixie Grand, will be shot five targets per post. Safe shooting and a happy holiday season to all. I can be reached at pullit@bellsouth.net. Tom White ATA Delegate
Kentucky [pics] I would like to congratulate the following shooters who made the state teams: Men’s—Keith Ditto, .9735; David Riddle, .9699; Wayne Hale, .9617; Marty Crafton, .9614; Royce White, .9600; Kenny Knott, .9560; Larry Woosley, .9537; Kevin Polson, .9533; Gerard Hoots, .9460; Terry Dean, .9455; Jeremy Eubanks, .9443; Joe Neyer, .9380; Lance Ogles, .9355; Robert Dyer, .9286; John Kerr, .9273. Women’s—Diana Crawford, .9326; Jenna Knott, .9278; Adreanna Woolwine, .9248; Deanna Horn, .8606; Anita Wilkerson, .8560. Junior—Jordan Foley, .9418; Ty Kelly, .9307; Dillon Horn, .9207. Sub-junior—Bobby Moore, .9253; Johnathan Eubanks, .8963; Andrew Luttrell, .8923. Veteran—William Castle, .9292; Thomas Duffer, .9246; Ralph Royse, .9146; William Blackburn, .8800; William Carlson, .8713. Senior vet—Jack Phipps, .9266; Clayborn Hunter, .9164; William MacTavish, .9147; Mike Bowen, .9146; John Payne, .9141. [The accompanying photos of some team members are from the 2009 Kentucky State Shoot, whose photographs did not arrive in time to be used with the state shoot story—Ed.] Keith Ditto led averages in all three disciplines—singles, .9943; doubles, .9725; and handicap, .9538. I would also like to congratulate the following shooters who made the All-American team: David Riddle, men’s second; Diana Crawford, women’s second; Bobby Moore, Johnathan Eubanks and Jackson Eubanks, sub-junior second; and Clayborn Hunter, senior vet first. The Kentucky Trapshooters website can be found online at www.kytrap.org. I can be reached at deking00@bbtel.com, 270-547-7819 (home) or 270-668-1753 (cell). David King ATA Delegate
North Carolina Buckhorn GC had another successful charity shoot supporting the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Weather was better this year, and those who came to shoot (or just to eat pork chops prepared by Tim and Morris) appeared to have a good time. A generous assortment of toys and money were collected for needy boys and girls. Buckhorn has been doing an excellent job with their charity shoots. Clubs holding shoots in November and December this year were Buckhorn, Durham, Watauga, Rockingham, Old Hickory (at Rocky Mt.), Gastonia, Ft. Bragg, and Gastonia Parks and Recreation. Our fall shoot at the N.C. Homegrounds started off well, but by the weekend, rain and chilly weather showed up. Some left, and others canceled plans to come. We did make some new friends, as we had shooters from Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Arkansas and Florida. Several were on their way south for the winter. I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and will have a great 2010. Don’t forget to check the calendar and plan to shoot some winter targets at our N.C. clubs. In addition, why not schedule a trip to the Silver Dollar for the Dixie Grand this month? It is not too crowded, and it’s a great shoot to attend. Remember to visit www.nctrap.com and www.tarheeltrap.com for N.C. shooting information. You may also want to check out the tarheeltrap trapshooting chat room. If you have any information you would like to see in this article, please send it to me. I can be reached by e-mail at troush@att.net or by phone at 336-674-8655. Terry Roush ATA Delegate
South Carolina Our fall Hall of Fame shoots were quite successful. First came the official Hall of Fame Shoot hosted by Greenville GC and the one and only Carey Murphy. The weather was good, as was the shooting. Paul R. Earl was inducted. Earl shot before our time, but history shows he is very deserving of the honor. See Jack Schaub’s shoot report in this issue’s Gun Club Scores section. The Low Country Hall of Fame Shoot was held at Mid Carolina GC with the infamous Robert Clarkson. Good weather and good shooting prevailed. I’m sorry I couldn’t get to the shoot; some ringneck roosters in South Dakota called me. Besides, I got to spend a week with my brother and some old friends. Spartanburg is moving their shoot dates to the first Sundays monthly. The S.C. state board of directors meeting is scheduled for the first of January. If you have ideas you want discussed, get hold of your regional director or board member to get it on the agenda. You can reach me at fabe7445@bellsouth.net. Jim Faber ATA Delegate
Virginia As you receive this edition of Trap & Field, the 2009 Virginia state teams and high-average leaders should be posted on the Virginia trapshooting website www.vatrap.com. I’d like to extend my congratulations to those who made the teams and had high averages; it’s not an easy feat. As we worked through the data, it was interesting to note that few of those who made the lists did so by shooting minimum target requirements; most had significant target counts for the year. A key seems to be to get out and shoot the targets. This is also the time when shooters begin to develop their shoot calendars for the year. Here are the dates for the three VTA shoots at Winchester: Hall of Fame Shoot, May 22-23; state shoot, June 30-July 4; and the Grand Old Dominion, Sept. 18-19. The format of the Old Dominion shoot has been changed. There will still be singles targets on Saturday and doubles on Sunday, but the centerpiece of the shoot will be 400 handicap targets shot 200 per day in two events each day, with significant added money available for the winners of the 400 aggregate. Come join us! The lead reclamation project at Winchester was completed and the lead sold in bulk. With that finished and the purchase notes paid, the officers are now turning their attention to improving “creature comforts” at the range. We think you’ll notice a difference. George Hafkemeyer ATA Delegate
Southwestern Zone Arkansas Hello from the great state of Arkansas. As the season changes and trapguns are cleaned and put away, replaced by deer rifles and duck calls, we look back at a another banner year in number of registered targets and new shooters. Congratulations to our 2010 Arkansas state team: Men’s—Alan Sharp, .9540; Bronson Castleberry, .9371; Steve Mathis, .9245; Woody Barnes, .9235; James Kiddy, .9209; Robert Pennock Jr., .9123; Jerry Hill, .9121; Paul Quattlebaum, .9097; Ray Bearden, .9037; Craig Seckington, .9031. Women’s—Nancy Williams, .9061. Junior—Garrett Grubbs, .9030, Brett Long, .9007; Hunter Lepard, .8452. Sub-junior—Derek Brown, 92.28; Bryce Holwick, .9147; Haden Zirbel, .9087. Veteran—James Vandiver, .8876. Senior vet—Doyne Williams, .9258. Shoot well. James Kiddy ATA Delegate
Colorado Here we are with Old Man Winter raising his head again. We have had several snow accumulations in Denver already, and that makes shooting a little less appealing. I hope all Colorado shooters who attended the Autumn Grand had an excellent time. There have been several good fun shoots I have attended. They are always a good time throughout the month of November, and there are still several to come. I hope all of you shoot well and as often as possible. All shooters are welcome to contact me about any trap event in the state. I can be reached at 303-659-2866 or by e-mail at mstrpink@aol.com. For more information on Colorado trapshooting, check our website at www.rmclaysports.com/CSTA.html. Scott Obenchain ATA Delegate
Missouri The cold and wind has slowed shooting for this year, and registered shooting has come to a standstill. There are a few non-registered shoots if you don’t mind driving a little. Hunting has slowed down, in most places to a halt. Work on the state teams for the 2009 target year is nearly completed, and they are scheduled for next month’s T&F. Here’s hoping that you and your families were able to all be together for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Take a moment to say a prayer for all of the military for their safe return home. I, along with the MTA directors, officers and employees, want to thank all shooters who attended our shoots and look forward to seeing you this year. If we can assist you in any way, don’t hesitate to call. See you in Arizona. Karrol Hillebrand ATA Delegate
New Mexico New Mexico shooters made a good showing at the Autumn Grand in Tucson. Roy Willis and Mike Grady each took home three trophies. Other shooters winning trophies were Dyllon Drake and Vin Davis. We have made it through the holidays, and it’s time to start practicing for the shooting season. Alamogordo is kicking off the new year with a shoot in mid February, so the winter break will be over soon. Alamogordo can have some really nice weather in February. Each club should have the 2010 shoot schedule cards, so drop by your local club, shoot a few rounds, and start planning the shooting year. If you would like information about shooting in New Mexico, I can be reached at k80fan@aol.com, or in the evenings I can be contacted at 505-299-7842. Dale Rechtenbach ATA Delegate
Oklahoma Shawnee Twin Lakes TR combined their annual club shoot Nov. 1 with the first winter derby of the season. The weather could not have been better—70° with a mild south breeze. They had a very large turnout, which included several new shooters. After 50 straight apiece Larry Parsons, Wanda Barbaro and Gregg Merlyn shot off, and Gregg won. Parsons won the handicap with 48. A second 48 was disqualified, having been shot from the wrong yardage. Gordon Sebring, Bennie Livingston and Jerald Ford carded 45s in the doubles, winning their classes. Jack McCanlies and I tied for the HOA, with Jack winning the coin toss. OTA had a good day for their Nov. 8 derby. Targets were great, as the scores showed. Someone forgot to tell Rick Bliss there was a 25 mile-per-hour south wind blowing. He missed only two targets, winning all three events. Rick broke all 50 singles and had 49s in handicap and doubles. Tim Mount was right on his heels with 48 in the handicap. Shawnee’s second derby Nov. 15 was rained out. OTA had another good day Nov. 22, when Michael Atkinson ran all 50 to win the singles. Bliss broke another 49 to win the handicap again. Sebring broke 45 to pace the doubles. Results for OTA’s New Year’s Day Shoot can be viewed on the OTA website www.otatrapandskeet.org. Duncan GC has scheduled two more registered shoots that are not on the new shoot cards: Jan. 17 and Feb. 21. They will mail out programs. In Oklahoma lately, we have been having mild weather this time of year. Some of us will remember a beautiful January day at Skeet Sammons’ Tahlequah GC, when more than 60 shooters showed up. The new 2010 shoot cards have been mailed, and extras are available at clubs or by requesting one at 405-422-4111 or info@otatrapandskeet.org. Oklahoma shooters are very pleased with the new website and e-mail set up and maintained by Phil Densmore. We thank him for his contribution to our sport. Remember our military men and women who are away from their families this time of year. Tim Deister ATA Delegate
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TRAP & FIELD Magazine, 1000 Waterway Blvd., Indianapolis IN 46202 (C) Copyright 01/30/2010, Curtis Magazine Group, Inc.
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