Atlantic Provinces

Hello from the Atlantic Provinces.

Trapshooting generally slows down a little in the Atlantic Provinces during the winter months but not at the Petitcodiac SC in Petitcodiac, NB. Larry Kinden organizes their winter league at the one-trap club and records the league standings. Keep an eye on our webpage for periodic updates.

ATA registered shoot dates for the 2023 trapshooting season in the Atlantic Provinces have been coming in, and for a complete list, check out the shoot calendar on our website. If you haven’t submitted your club’s 2023 dates, complete your registered shoot application and get it to Janaya Nickerson, APTA secretary, for approval. Reach out if you need any help with the application or getting your club started with ATA registered shooting.

The Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Association (APTA) has been around since the mid 1960s, but little is known about when the ATA province was actually established and the folks behind the APTA during our early days. Before the Atlantic Provinces was recognized as an ATA province, shooters from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick appeared in the ATA Average Books under Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and even the Maritime Provinces. When Newfoundland shooters started competing, they were also included under Maritime Provinces, which wasn’t technically correct. The Maritime Provinces of Canada include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. With Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada’s 10th province, included, the region is known as the Atlantic Provinces.

ATA and Canadian Trapshooting Association Hall of Famer Harry Willsie is credited as one individual for helping get the Atlantic Provinces recognized as an ATA province. At the time, Willsie was the Quebec ATA Delegate. Unfortunately, not much else is known, or at least not by the current APTA Board of Directors. If you have information you would like to share that could help piece together our history, please contact me.

The APTA would also like to establish a committee to fill in the blanks in our known history and record books. If you would like to get involved, please contact me.

For more information on the Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Association, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or visit shootatlantic.com.

Andrea Bassan

ATA Delegate

New Jersey

Well, I am back and Happy New Year! Yeah, last month I just was not up to writing after a hip replacement. A lot has happened in our state ATA organization. Back in November, Jeff Slimm from Pine Belt was elected to the vacant first vice president position, and Robert Jarvis was elected to the vacant second vice president position, then at the December NJSTA meeting, I read a resignation letter I received from Sam Osterhoudt, where he resigned as NJSTA president. Sam felt at this time it was necessary to turn over the leadership of the organization. During the December meeting of the NJSTA, Jeff Slimm was elected president, and Bob Jarvis moved up to first vice president, Rick Batesko was nominated for the second vice president position and was elected by the board, Tony Pietrofitta was nominated for the vacant secretary position (which I had been holding, on a temporary basis, for the last two years) and was elected by the board. So, currently, all the positions on the Executive Board are filled, and that has not occurred in four to five years.

During the December meeting, it was voted to remove all the past presidents of the organization, as voting members, due to some of them relocating out of the state, or no longer members of the ATA, or no longer trapshooting. It was voted to allow the outgoing president to have a vote on state association matters. So Osterhoudt will fill that voting position.

Hopefully by the time you read this, the state program that Bob Jarvis has been working on diligently will be at the printers and soon will be at your local gun club to pick up. Our out-of-state shooters who have attended our state shoot in the last two years will receive theirs in the mail.

Our NJSTA sponsored shoot dates are as follows: New Jersey southern zone will be at Pine Valley May 5-7. This year the satellite locations will be able to shoot for “open” awards on Friday; the satellite locations are North Jersey CTC in Fairfield and Ground Swipers in Forked River. The state shoot will be held at Pine Belt in Shamong June 1-4. The Garden State Grand will be at Pine Belt July 14-16. The 2024 New Jersey northern zone will be at the North Jersey CTC Sept. 22-24. The satellite locations are Pine Valley and Ground Swipers, and as mentioned earlier those locations will be eligible for “open” prizes on Friday. Please check your local gun club for club sponsored registered shoots throughout the 2023 target year.

Back in November, our AIM coach, Paul Lomelo III, from the NJCTC, organized an AIM shoot there. The temperature was in the mid 30s with the wind at 10 to 20 mph. Zac Cucunato was high for the event. There were six participants from the Clay Slayers, coached by Bob Cucunato and Dave Brown Sr., and four participants from the Lead Finches, the breakdown was three females and seven males shooting. Their parents were in attendance rooting their children on, which always is a great sight to see, with parents’ involvement in their children participating in the shooting sports. Once the shooting was over, in the clubhouse, the winners were announced, and all the pizzas were consumed!

December was Christmas party time with holiday parties at Howell, Ground Swipers, Pine Valley and Pine Belt. I was able to attend the party at Pine Valley, and, as usual, the food was great, and it was well attended. The shooters and the club donated 287 toys to the Pine Hill Police Department, who distributed them to needy families. The Mallard TC donated $250 to both the Aldersgate Outreach Community Center and the Manalapan Township Community Center. The NJCTC collected from their membership 15 large boxes of food; it was donated to the St. Thomas Church, who distributes it to local families in need.

On a sad note, Donald Ignozza Jr. of Bayville passed away Nov. 6 after suffering a stroke; he was 74. Don retired from Hansome Energy System Inc. in Linden after 41 years of service. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He was a member of the NRA, Pine Belt SC, Central Jersey R&P, Ground Swipers and the ATA. Don joined the ATA in 2014 and registered 13,200 singles, 3,400 handicap and 800 doubles targets. He was predeceased by his wife Elaine. Surviving are two daughters, a son and daughter-in-law, three grandchildren and a brother.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the passing of Lisa Long of Nottingham, PA, who passed away suddenly on Dec. 22 at the age of 65. Lisa would always attend our state shoot with her motorhome and would usually leave with a trophy or two. We’ll miss her this year.

If you have an idea for an article or just a question, I may be reached at 732-546-7910 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Joe Sissano

ATA Delegate

New York

Hello from New York State. I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe and healthy.

I am sorry to say that we have lost some more of our New York State ATA family. Our organization has lost three shooters and a worker at the homegrounds in Cicero.

Joseph Lawrence passed away Nov. 26 at the age of 68. During his career, Joe registered 53,750 singles, 16,750 handicap and 1,250 doubles targets. Joe was standing at 19.5 yards and joined the ATA in 1984. Our deepest sympathies to Joe’s wife Teresa and all of his family on his passing.

Jack Gutchess passed away Dec. 1 at the age of 91. During his career, Jack registered 104,550 singles, 45,850 handicap and 50,450 doubles targets. Jack was standing at 25.5 yards and started registering targets in 1965. Our deepest sympathies to Jack’s family on his passing.

Jill L. Smith passed away Dec. 18 at the age of 68. During her career, Jill registered 16,550 singles and 1,600 handicap targets. Jill started registering targets in 1981 and was standing at 22.5. Jill won the New York state ladies’ championship in 1998, 1999 and 2002. Jill’s late husband Rodney Smith was also an ATA shooter. Our deepest sympathies to Jill’s family on her passing.

One of the New York State ATA’s workers at the homegrounds, Chris Fountaine, passed away Dec. 5 at the age of 45. Chris worked many years as a scorekeeper at our shoots in Cicero. Our deepest sympathies to Chris’ wife Tammy and his entire family on his passing.

Congratulations must be given to Mike Mincel for registering 100,000 doubles targets. This is quite an achievement. Nice going, Mike.

For all of our Canadian friends who need an invitation to get across the U.S./Canadian border to attend our shoots at the homegrounds in Cicero, there is a link on our website www.nysata.com to receive the invitation. New York state ATA secretary Cathy Flint will assist you on this.

If anyone is interested or knows someone who is interested in working the shoots at our homegrounds in Cicero during 2023, there is a job application link posted on our website that can be filled out.

If anyone would like to have something written in one of these articles, please contact me at [email protected] or phone me at 585-519-9543. Please stay healthy, safe and in good spirits. May God bless you all.

Dave Cichelli

ATA Delegate

Ontario

Greetings from Ontario, Canada.

As I write this article, it is a few days before Christmas, but when you read it in the Trap & Field Magazine, it will be well into the new year. I have talked to many Ontario shooters who hope to travel to competitions south of the border—Satellite Grands, chain shoots, etc.

If I could get away for a few months, I would join them, if for no other reason than to escape from the snow and cold here in Ontario.

Thank heavens for our winter leagues that keep our shooters engaged and active. By many reports, 2023 may be a challenging year for many Ontario shooters who are struggling to keep on top of their living expenses and are unlikely to have much disposable money to pursue trapshooting. We need to work extra hard to keep these shooters engaged—throw cost-efficient targets (maybe more Big 50s, penny-pincher shoots, etc.). There will be a light at the end of the tunnel, and it won’t be a train.

Paul Shaw

ATA Delegate

Florida

Hello all from the most Southern, Northern State! Florida trapshooting is beginning to be in full swing, with most all of our northern guests returning. We are seeing a big increase in all club attendance, and it is a welcome sight.

The Silver Dollar SC held their annual Club Championship Dec. 9-11 and had a good turnout. On Dec. 8, the day before the Club Championship, there was a 500 doubles marathon. This is a quick way to get a lot of registered doubles targets in a hurry. A thank you goes out to Pat Larsen for making this happen! Trophy winners for the Club Championship were: Lorrie Bumsted Valois, Ray Lee, Jerry Bryant, Dave Dressler, Jack Schumpert, J. T. Spangler, Richard Mottola, William Juskhas, Michael Mincel, Michael Gooch, Steven Ross Jr., Dennis Delorenzo, Linda Lavallee, Donald Keith, Jim Cummings, George Pappas, Mike Reynolds, Michael Cornelius, Sarah Jacobs, Mike Dehabey, Andy Kotsaftis, Jerry Dunford, Donald Hoffman, Mikhail Zeltser, Frank Karakostas, Karen Harrington, Mike, Dehabey, William Burleson, Ted Fortune, Steven Gilbertson, and HAA winner was Michael Gooch.

Imperial Polk had their monthly 100 shoot Dec. 18, and the winners were: Lewis LaRoche, Bob Delong, Ralph Fish tied with Ron Piro, Rodney Elliott, Steve Hill, Gary French, Ken Steveson, Jeff Westphal, and Wildcat Lewis LaRoche was the combined winner. A thank you goes to Judy Gilbert for a great lunch! Imperial Polk hosted a 100 shoot Jan. 1, and lunch was provided by Dawn and Gary French (meatball hoagies).

Palm Beach Co. SSC held their first ever shoot Dec. 10. I will report the results at a later date.

Shout-outs and congratulations: Congratulations goes to Pam Wade for running her first 25 straight. Congratulations to Faith Ritchie for running her first 25 straight (took less than 800 registered targets!). Shout-out to Michael Elliot for earning a half-yard punch . . . this is a big one! Congratulations to Greg Hohman for shooting and smashing his 200,000th handicap target. At the time of this writing, Greg has a total of 577,575 registered targets.

“Responsibilities of a Delegate to the ATA,” Part 2. Last month I started a two-part series on responsibilities and duties of an ATA Delegate and mostly touched on duties at the state or provincial level. This month I’ll conclude with responsibilities at the “corporate level” This two-part series came about because it is a legitimate question I get asked a lot. As stated before, there is no compensation whatsoever for being a Delegate. With that out of the way, let’s begin. It can get a little complicated in a way because a Delegate is elected by his or her peers to represent the state or province to the ATA. But, as long as it is not in conflict of the rules or bylaws of the corporate ATA. The reality of it is the Delegates’ main objective allegiance is to serve the best interest to the ATA as a corporate director. The ATA recommends that a Delegate zealously represents their state or province but keeping this in mind. In addition to being on the Board of Directors of the ATA, all Delegates serve and function as a liaison between and among the state/provincial associations, individual ATA members, registering gun clubs and the ATA itself. On occasion, the Delegate will receive copies of ATA official correspondence that has been sent to the office when it is determined that it will assist in completing duties as an ATA Delegate. The Delegate may receive complaints to investigate on behalf of the ATA.

Major Responsibilities

1. Delegates shall maintain the integrity of the handicap system within their jurisdiction. 2. Delegates shall be the Chairman of the State/Province Handicap Committee at all sanctioned tournaments in his/her jurisdiction.

Significant Duties

1. Be an advocate for shooters in the Delegate’s jurisdiction. 2. Certify that trap fields and trap machines, in the Delegate’s jurisdiction, meet all requirements of the ATA Official Rules. 3. Maintain a supply of recognition awards and notify the ATA office and Trap & Field to whom and when they are supplied. 4. Maintain a supply of all pertinent forms, rulebooks and promotional hand-outs from the ATA. 5. Be aware of ATA programs, such as AIM, National Trapshooting Day, ATA Benefit Sweepstakes, special recognition awards, Trap Coach Clinics, etc. 6. Remain fully informed about ATA by frequently visiting shootata.com for official announcements. 7. Represent and vote in the best interest of the ATA and the Delegate’s jurisdiction, keeping in mind his/her primary fiduciary obligations to the ATA first. 8. Safeguard the assets of the ATA. 9. Respond to all complaints and investigation procedures in an efficient and timely manner. 10. Report on ATA news and other business at your annual state/provincial Meeting. 11. Attend your respective Zone tournament. 12. Attend the annual Board of Directors meeting at the Grand American. 13. Referee Grand American shootoffs for the night which your Zone is responsible. 14. Compute your State/Provincial Teams and verify your calculations with the state secretary (ATA will provide you with the shooters’ records). 15. Submit your state’s Champion of Champions information to the ATA office from your state championships as quickly as possible following the state shoot.

And Lastly

1. Have good knowledge of all ATA official rules. 2 When rules violations are observed, notify the shooter and explain the violation in a constructive and helpful manner. 3. Apply all rules consistently and fairly. 4. Be an ambassador for the sport of trapshooting. 5. Encourage management participation. 6. Advise shoot management that you are in attendance and offer your help and assistance. 7. Before leaving a shoot, thank the management! So as you can see, there is a lot for a Delegate to do . . . and now you know everything!

ATA rule for the month: Section VII Official Scoring. A. Procedure 1. The official score is the record kept by the referee/scorer on a sheet or electronic device furnished him/her by shoot management. The referee/scorer’s decision on whether a target is dead or lost is final, subject to review only by the shoot committee or other governing body. The scoresheet shall show the scores earned in the event or sub-event. The paper score sheet shall not be smaller than 8.5 inches by 14 inches (for four sub-event score sheets) in any tournament in which ATA trophies are provided. The larger format scoresheet is recommended for all tournaments. During handicap events the first sub-event of each scoresheet shall be annotated with the yardage assignment of each contestant. 2. The referee/scorer shall keep an accurate record of each score of each contestant. If he/she rules “dead” or “lost,” the referee/scorer shall promptly mark / or X for “dead” and 0 for “lost” on the scoresheet. Any target scored other than clearly with /, X or 0, or which appears to be scored, with both an X and 0, shall be “lost”, unless the word “dead” is clearly printed beside it. The scores of the competition shall be official and govern all awards and records of the competition. 3. The referee/scorer shall distinctly announce, “lost” when the target is missed and “no target” when no target is thrown or a target is thrown broken. The referee/scorer shall call the result of all targets, or only the lost targets, as directed by shoot management. 4. When the referee/scorer calls, “no target” for any contestant, the next contestant shall not shoot until the first shooter has shot and the referee/scorer has ruled “dead” or “lost.” 5. Should more targets be fired in a sub-event than the event calls for, then the excess targets of the sub-event will not be scored. 6. A shooter that misses the first post in any event may make up that post only and continue with the squad. Squad members should move off the line during the shoot up function. 7. It is the duty of the referee/scorer to see that the shooters change posts at the proper time; however, any targets shot after failure to move at the proper time shall be scored. 8. Inadvertently skipped posts. A shooter is required to shoot the requisite number of targets from each post (5 or 10 as specified by shoot management). If a shooter inadvertently skips a post, he/she or any member of the squad shall not be deemed to be out of turn but will be required to shoot the specified number of targets from the skipped post. All targets shot will be scored, but no more than the specified number per post will be scored, with the exception of No. 7 above. 9. A contestant that inadvertently shoots one post at the incorrect yardage shall be allowed to move to the correct yardage and reshoot only those targets scored “dead” on that post. Any targets shot at the incorrect yardage and scored “lost” shall remain “lost”. Reshooting the targets at the correct yardage must be completed before the shooter leaves the field on that sub-event. Targets shot at the incorrect yardage on more than one post in that sub-event shall be lost. Shooters that shoot from the incorrect yardage in more than one sub-event shall have their entire event score disqualified (XII, B, 1, d). 10. To preserve the harmony of the competition, no member of a squad shall move toward the next post or leave the field until the squad member who is last has fired his/her final shot of the current post’s specified number of targets. 11. The official scoresheet must be available for shooter inspection at all times. 12. It is an error if the referee/scorer fails to properly mark the results of any shot in the section of the scoresheet where the results should be recorded. In such cases, it is the duty of that contestant to have any error corrected before he/she has fired the first shot at the next post or in the case of his/her last post, before leaving the trap. If the shooter fails to have the score corrected, the recorded score(s) shall remain unchanged and no valid protest will be entertained. 13. Every contestant in a squad shall be permitted to examine his/her score before the sheet is sent to the bulletin board or to the cashier’s office. The scoresheet should be checked, confirmed, and initialed by the squad leader. The squad leader is encouraged to verify that any targets changed during a sub-event are correctly noted as either dead or lost. After the completion of the last sub-event, the scoresheet will be handled as directed by shoot management. 14. Errors in the recorded details of the official score can only be corrected in strict accordance with the aforementioned rules, but an error made in the totaling or compilation of targets shall be corrected whenever the error is discovered. Shoot management must correct scores recorded in error by field personnel as a result of misapplication of the rules. 15. Any protest concerning a score or scores must be made before or immediately after the close of the competition to which such scores relate. A valid protest may only be made by a contestant who competed in the event.

I will try to keep all of you informed and entertained with what’s going on in Florida. I want to especially recognize shooters and clubs. My e-mail is [email protected].

Mike Reynolds

ATA Delegate

Mississippi

Needless to say, Mississippi trappers are not digging out from deep snowbanks down here, but the long shadows still prevail as the sun slowly creeps up from deep in the Southern sky. It seems like February signals the end of winter, and March announces the upcoming beginning of spring. As for me, I am ready for Groundhog Day and the annual prediction for the end of winter. I am officially ready for some better shooting days ahead.

As we return in earnest to the trapline, I would like to invite all our trapshooting friends to some spring shooting here in Mississippi. We have plenty of targets to offer down on the coast at Coast R&PC, as well as at Capitol GC in Jackson. Capitol is deep into preparation for the Mississippi State Trapshoot. It is going to be a good one, I’m sure. If you can help in the preparation, your support is welcome. Just contact either Will McCarty in Jackson or any of the Capitol GC trappers. Just make sure you have the dates on your calendar; i.e., May 25-28.

Here’s another set of dates for your calendar, July 21-23. Coast R&PC will get to show off their talents in hosting an ATA Southern Zone site this year. You can bet it will be a good one. They are masters of Southern hospitality and are happy to prove it. They know how to throw excellent targets in an ideal trapshooting environment, including excellent accommodations and some of the best seafood in the country. You don’t want to miss this one.

Okay, come on out of hibernation; start gathering your ammo; get your gun ready for action; and, in the words of the late Jim Porter, “Let ’er rip, Tater Chip!” I can’t wait to see you on the trapline. As always, happy trappin’!

Jerry Tharp

ATA Delegate

South Carolina

It’s Christmas Eve day as this is being written. Our first big cold system is here. Hope you’re better than a lot of folks. It’s a clear beautiful day, starting in the teens, and windy, which means power loss—over a million nationwide. We’re one of them. Power off at 11 last night, not due back on until 9 tonight. My generator started right off but then flooded out, blasted needle and seat. Five hours later it’s finally running. I hope your luck was better.

We’ve had to cancel some of our Big 50s due to rain and cold, but hey, it is winter. We needed rain anyway; lake was down five feet.

George Powell has reached 25,000 handicap targets.

Pre-squad is open for the Southern Grand in March at the Silver Dollar, so get ready.

I have been seeing shells on shelves, but the prices are high. There have been a few hunting loads on sale—maybe a dollar off. Look for more inventory and maybe a sale after the first of the year. Hope you’re seeing some of those when you’re reading this report.

Happy New Year!

Jim Faber

ATA Delegate

Tennessee

I’m proud to announce the Tennessee members of the 2023 AIM All-Star Team:

Junior gold—captain Michael Sisk, .952. Junior—Brandon Sisk, .952; Zach Emmons, .950; Riley Bellomy, .950; Seth Ladd, .945. Sub-junior—captain Braxton Cox, .943; Jaxton Gean, .929; Jacob Anderson, .917; Eli Miller, .912; Carson Winborn, .911; Clint Parson, .905. Pre-sub—Chloe Chaleunsinh, .783; Channing Garrett, . 736.

2023 Southern Zone Team:

Jr Gold—captain Seth Cooper, .892; Rodger Hawkins, .873; Kirk Daniels, .832. Junior—Brandon Kelly, .932; Heath Whitney, .931; Landon Meadows, .926; Jonah Wyatt, .923; Trevor Lance, .922; Troy Williams, .919. Sub-junior—Cale Garland, .910; Joseph Simmons, .892; Jake Frazier, .868; Knox Rodgers, .857; Drew Hoekstra, .852. Pre-sub—Baylie Kelly, .624; Elijah Rogers, .607; Evan Baker, .489.

All-State Team:

Jr Gold—captain Dakota Duke, .971; Colby Lancaster, .964; Grant Summers, .953; Emma Hill, .939; Scott Brayden, .934. Junior—captain Conner Smith, .974; Logan Meadows, .974; John Crutcher, .969; Hunter McCoy, .963; Hayden Demastus, .959. Sub-junior—captain Graden Duckworth, .930; Easton Oakley, .928; Ezra Crouch, .926; Hunter Hodge, .923; Hayden Wagner, .918. Pre-sub—captain Lane Riley, .830; Charlie Ramsey, .794; Tyler Cantrell, .714; Tanner Burks, .711; Matthew Butcher, .686.

Congratulations to all of the winners.

The 47th annual Spring Grand American will be Feb. 13-19 at Tucson T&SC.

Read the rulebook, please.

For more info, visit our website at shootatatn.com. You can reach me at [email protected].

Billy Cook

ATA Southern Zone Vice President

Missouri

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas celebrating the real reason for the season with family and friends. I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. I sometimes hear folks say they are glad last year is over and the new year is finally here, when it’s just a new day. Shouldn’t we always be happy that we were given a new day to start over? As usual it’s a little slow around the Show Me State as far as registered target shooting goes, so there’s not a lot to report.

Since I missed last month’s report, I am a little late in recognizing the AIM Annual Teams. On behalf of the MTA Board of Directors, I would like to recognize the following AIM shooters on their respective team selections.

AIM All-Star Teams:

Junior gold—Wyatt Newby. Junior—Andrew Herbig. Sub-junior—Thomas Burton, Braden Elbert. Pre-sub—captain Tyler Burton, Matthew Gilliam, Lillie Johnson, Alex Parson.

AIM All-Zone Teams:

Junior gold—Dakota McDaniel. Junior—Alexander Jackson, Ian Kutilek, Derick Gerding, Austin Stoner. Sub-junior—William Chauncey, Cole Harlan, Aiden Dowd, Benjamin Steelman, Logan Hart, Jace Dowd. Pre-sub—Colton Nunn, Colton Krazer, Waylynn Slavings.

AIM All-State Teams:

Junior gold—captain Bradley Phillips, Tayler Hills, Jack Dempsey, Brystal Jones, Steven Sayler. Junior—captain Quentin Chung, Mason Lucas, Jacob Vinyard, Jacob Berry, Connor Tuttle. Sub-junior—captain Hunter Alver, Grady Fallert, Carter Vaughn, Logan Vickers, Charlie Hyams. Pre-sub—captain Eleanor Schweizer, Logan Seivers, Levi Carden, Sophia Congleton, Cooper Krull.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank David Hart for all of the hard work he does as our youth director at MTA as well as all of the team coaches and parents who work with the teams. Because of all of those involved, Missouri has one of the most active AIM programs in the ATA; keep up the good work.

It’s time for my yearly reminder to get out that rulebook and read through it again. For those who don’t have one, you can view or download it from the ATA website at shootata.com or call the ATA office and request one. If you receive e-mails from the ATA, you should receive an e-mail at the beginning of each month along with your updated average card for each month that you register targets. Speaking of average cards, please have one with you with updated information when you classify at shoots. Most of the time, mistakes that are made by shoot management are tracked back to incorrect classification of shooters, which can lead to disqualification of scores and trophies.

If anyone has anything they would like to have reported or has any concerns, please contact me at [email protected] or 816-863-9003.

Proverbs 18:24 NKJV—A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Shoot often, shoot well and be safe.

Stephen Ricketts

ATA Delegate

New Mexico

Well, February is here, and now March is just around the bend. I just want everybody to know that I love being in New Mexico in the winter. Looking at temperatures around the United States, I am now thankful that I do not live in those sub-zero temperatures. The wonderful thing about New Mexico is no matter what time of the year, you can always shoot trap. In New Mexico there is not a month that does not go by that we do not have a shoot going on.

In the fall, I went to the Autumn Grand. We had a great turnout for New Mexicans. We had several winners: Mary Alby, Mike Grady, Cory Dalton, Chase Dobrinski and Casen Calkins. Excellent job, everybody.

In December, Albuquerque hosted a shoot, and we had an NMSTA meeting with excellent turnout. I want to thank all the directors who showed and thank them for their support. Many of us hold full-time jobs, and we still come together for the greater good of the NMSTA. This takes a lot of dedication, and it is greatly appreciated.

The New Mexico State Shoot will commence at the NRA Whittington Center May 23-28 in Raton. I cannot wait to see everybody there. Make sure you get your camping spots soon; they fill up fast.

Mesilla Valley SS in Las Cruces is back hosting ATA and AIM shoots. I’m happy to see you back in the game. On April 15-16 Clovis will be holding their first trapshooting event since the new facility was built. Please come and support the newest trap club in New Mexico.

“We have come too far, we have sacrificed too much, to disdain the future now.” –John F. Kennedy

 Samantha Rainsdon

ATA Delegate

Texas

Well, the good news is that in 81 days from today it will be spring. Yahoo! The older I get, the longer and colder the winters are in the Texas panhandle. That’s not a complaint because the good Lord has blessed me with many years, and I am truly grateful.

I’ve got some information to share with you that is so much bigger than the nearly world famous fatman “attaboys.” I mean much bigger. Bigger than big. Larger than large. Greater than great. These two guys are able to leap tall buildings in a single bound (although one of them would have to leap higher). I know you are anxiously awaiting for the news I’ve got to tell you, but somehow I have to have enough words to fill this article. I would like to offer my congratulations to Darin Clawson and J. R. Long. These two individuals have been elected to the Texas Trapshooters Hall of Fame. A great honor for great guys. Congratulations!

I know they are still shooting in south Texas. So if you can’t stand hanging around the house, head to south Texas and shoot with those people. For those of you not shooting, it would be a good time to do a little rulebook studying. I can’t preach enough about knowing the rules (guess you have figured that out by now). If not knowing ever cost you a target or keeps your buddy from breaking his best score ever, then you’ll know why I preach it so much.

Besides reading the rulebook and knowing the rules, there are a few other things you should do, just because it is the right thing to do. 1. Release squads you are not going to use. 2. If you are refusing a computer-generated yardage reduction, please call the ATA office or go online and let them know. 3. Have an up-to-date average card. 4. Be on time for your squad. These things are not hard to do, and they are the right thing to do.

I have no news because no one let me know what is going on at their club. If you have news, please let Princess or me know. I would love to have more news to put in this once-a-month article. As always, you can snail mail me at 907 S. Main St., Hereford, TX 79045; e-mail me to [email protected]; or call me at 806-679-6889. And just like on Looney Tunes, “That’s all folks.”

Till next time, y’all shoot well, y’all shoot often, and y’all have a great time.

Jerry O’Connor

ATA Delegate

Arizona

The Arizona State Shoot is March 14-19, Got the wintertime blues? Got a hankering to see the old West? Missing that Federal paper and Hoppes #9 aroma? Want to shoot championship trap under near perfect conditions? The Arizona State Shoot is the answer to your problems! And the average temperature in Tucson in mid March is 76° with just an 8% chance of wind and rain. Top that, other venues!

Tucson is one of the finest facilities in the country, and they really know how to run a shoot. There will be $30,000 in added money and trophies, with residents and non-residents sharing equally. Out-of-staters outnumber the home boys 3 to 1; they are a very important part of what makes Arizona trapshooting special. We treat you like family and always with a smile. The usual attendance is around 450 shooters for the championship events, with a Competition Factor of 3, and it marks the climax of our winter season. Every year I meet folks who like Arizona and Arizona trapshooting so much that it is becoming their new home, and it’s not just the refugees from California. Whether it’s snow and the cold, or taxes, traffic and crazy politics, come on down to Arizona, where everybody packs. Our state shoot is a great place to start.

At the shoot, we will have our annual meeting; the time and date will be posted. There will be an election for directors in every zone, and for ATA Delegate and Alternate Delegate. Anyone who is interested in serving your fellow shooters, please let our secretary Jesse Zamora know beforehand. Now I will warn you, the hours are long and the pay is low, but you will have the eternal gratitude and much envy from those who did not run. We will also present the State Teams and Rookie of the Year. The Delegate will give a short talk, and there should be plenty of time left for questions and suggestions from the floor. Please remember, this is your association.

Smoke and chips—Ben Avery held two late fall shoots which helped usher in our high season. First, we had the Gobble till you Wobble extravaganza Nov. 18-20, and it was old guys rule right from the start. Senior vet Jim Sharp led the field in the opening singles with senior vets Joe Henderson and Greg Holden right behind. It’s tough to beat 150+ years of practice and experience. Next was the handicap, and the king of senior vets, Jake Gatschet, was high gun for the Arizona crew. Ken Mlynarz was second. In Friday’s doubles, it was the same “old” story. Greg Holden’s 97 topped all in Arizona. Doubles specialist, Mike, I am not a senior vet, Petrisko was the Arizona runnerup.

Saturday started with the doubles, and two whippersnappers, Mike P. and Curtis Bietz finished first and second. Next was the singles, and Greg Holden’s 98 was high by three. Then came Sharp, Curtis Bietz and Greg Spiczka. A board certified senior vet, Fred Frazier, was the top Arizona shooter in the handicap, with Jim Mattia and Sharp closely following. The singles got things going on Sunday, and Holden’s 99 led the field by two. Mark Matthews and Don Williamson tied for runnerup. Frazier’s 94 led the field in the handicap by three birds. Vaughn Hollman finished second.

With the holiday season in the air, Ben Avery held their Christmas Shoot Dec. 10-11. Starting things off was the Santa’s Singles. Sharp and Matthews tied for top gun with 99s. Right behind was Larry Kennon and George Miller. Yes, that George Miller. Then came the Holiday Handicap, and Bietz was tops for the Arizona side. Jesse Zamora was right behind. The Dead a Pair Doubles was Saturday’s last event, and Bietz topped the field, nosing out Max Peevyhouse.

Kaitlin Quan topped the Dashing Doubles on Sunday. Her 95 was high by two. Next was the Shooting Straight Singles, and there was Kaitlin again. This time; however, two guys, Matthews and Peevyhouse, intruded. All finished with 99s. The Hitt’n Hard Handi’s closed out the festivities, and Eric Kaiser did us proud. His 97 was high by three. Bob Mlynarz and Vaughn Hollman tied for second among Arizona shooters.

Around the state—It’s primetime in the Grand Canyon State, and here is what is going on mid-February to mid-March: Ben Avery has a two-day shoot Feb. 25-26; Casa Grande’s Breast Cancer Shoot is March 1-5, and I hear they will be throwing pink targets; Double Adobe goes March 4-5; Tri-State has Big 50s March 5; Casa Grande’s State Shoot Warm-Up is March 9-12; and the Arizona State Shoot at Tucson is March 14-19, and don’t forget Big 50s at Casa Grande every Monday, and Rio Salado has a singles marathon the first Thursday every month and a doubles marathon on the third Thursday. We shoot all year-round in Arizona, but your winter is our early summer. Come on down to the heart of winter trapshooting; caution, you may never leave.

See you on the line.

John Bergman

ATA Delegate

Hawaii

Aloha! By the time you read this, we will have celebrated Christmas and bid farewell to 2022. As I write this, it’s just a few days before Christmas, and the city and county of Honolulu’s Koko Head SC on the island of Oahu is still closed indefinitely due to worker health issues related to lead that was identified back in September. Koko Head is the home of the Honolulu TC.

Several weeks ago, Hawaii’s oldest trap club, Maui T&GC, had their lease terminated as of Jan. 31, 2023. The club’s owner made mention that the land owner’s termination notice included an immediate halt to the shooting of lead.

The Maui CTA in Ukumehame is still holding a monthly registered trapshoot, and Hilo’s Big Island TC has in the past offered PITA to ATA cross-registration. Let’s all wish for a happier new year.

Elton Miyagawa

ATA Delegate

Idaho

Well, we should be about halfway through the Camas Prairie league when you read this. As mentioned in the last article, the Camas Prairie Trapshooting League started 69 years ago and was held in Lewiston for many years. Lewiston lost their club due to airport expansion a number of years ago, so now the tournament is held in Walla Walla, WA. The league runs for 10 weeks and culminates in the Camas Prairie ATA shoot around the third week in March. Last year there were 24 clubs split between Idaho and Washington. In the spirit of cooperation, the two states split the daily state fees. Pretty cool, huh?

You do not have to participate in the league to shoot in the tournament; however, there are trophy differences if you do. Also there are also trophies for participating clubs.

Many shooters don’t know who their state directors are or who is on the state board, so I thought I’d introduce them quickly because they are the ones who make the state shoot happen. From northern Idaho, we have Spud Storey (president), Kathy Connerley (secretary-treasurer) and Marvin Heimgartner (director). From the Southwest, we have Don McFarland, Mike Strong and Kent Graham; all directors. From the Southeast side of the state, we have Lloyd Herbst (vice president) plus Rick Erickson and Kelly Wickham, both directors. Finally you have myself and Chester Carter as Delegate and Alternate Delegate, respectively.

Okay, my last two articles talked about differences between ATA and PITA targets and rules. So far we’ve talked about slight variations in speed, use of high power or low power radar guns, where to measure the speed from, and which target on doubles to measure. None of these variances make much difference in my mind, except in beer drinking discussions. Now we’ll talk about some other variations in doubles that are tricky but slightly more different. First, in ATA, under normal conditions the squad leader is allowed to see only the first pair for free, Section IV H. 5. (Page 13). In PITA the squad leader is allowed to see a free pair at each post change. (See the “Double Target Rules” Page 31 of 2021-2022 rulebook). This does not mean the squad leader has to call for a free pair at each post change. Some ATA shooters just forget. If you are on a squad with my friend Abe Wilson, and he is the squad leader, pay attention. You won’t see a free pair after the first one!

In ATA, if you get a “target whose color is markedly different than that of the others . . . If the contestant fires, the results must be scored”. Section VII. E.9. In PITA, it is just a no target regardless if the shooter fires or not, so it should be shot again. (Pages 30-31 “no Target” PITA).

Now here’s one that gets by some folks. Failure to fire in doubles is different. In a nutshell, in ATA if you have a failure on only one shot of the two (usually the second shot) the target that was successfully fired at will be established. The pair is shot over with the one target already scored. In PITA, if you break the first target and have a failure on the second, nothing is established and a new pair will be thrown and scored. If you miss the first target and have a failure to fire on the second, shoot the pair over, but the first target is established as lost. Wow! See Page 32 of the latest PITA book.

Why these differences? I don’t know, but next month I’ll tell you some more stuff I don’t know.

Leonard Wehking

ATA Delegate

Utah

The only ATA shoot held in Utah during December was a two-day shoot at Purgatory CS outside of St. George. St. George is in southern Utah and has some of the lowest elevations in the state. Combine these two items, and you get warmer temps compared to the rest of the state.

All we have to look forward to for now is the Spring Grand in Tucson.

Christmas has come and gone. Hopefully Santa brought you and your family everything you needed, not necessarily what you wanted.

With the new year, it is time to think about our goals for the upcoming year and plan which shoots you want to attend.

Remember when you work on goals, be sure to write them down. This is the best way for you to know if you met them, fell short, or exceeded them. It is good documentation for future years.

With the new year comes another year for the Gun Club Raffle ticket sales. Once again, I will be selling these tickets at local shoots. Something new this year is that you can order them online from the ATA homepage. This should help increase our sales. Remember, all proceeds after the Kolar shotgun has been paid for, at a generous discount, go to gun clubs that have applied for grants through this program.

The way the distribution of money goes is that each of the five Zones split the money evenly. The Zone VP then goes through the list of applicants and spreads the money for the Zone. The Western Zone usually has about six clubs applying for grants. Last year I was saddened to see that only two clubs in the Zone applied for the grants. It doesn’t take a lot of work to fill out the application, so I encourage all clubs in the Zone to apply.

Recently while participating in a fun shoot at the Tooele GC, I ran into Madison Hutchings, (aka, Maddie) and her father Kenny. Maddie is on a shooting scholarship at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, IA. She is a member of the shotgun sports team for the school, whose mascot is the Statesmen. Maddie informed me of her team’s accomplishments over the last couple of years.

The Statesmen took home the ACUI Division 4 national title for the 2021-2022 season!

It was only the team’s second year competing, but their first year competing at the national level. Shooting coach Steve Heaton has built an amazing program. Steve has put in many hours working and building this new shotgun sports program to give each athlete the best opportunity to grow and improve into a well-rounded shotgun sports competitor.

The Statesmen won Division 4 discipline titles in American skeet, super sporting and American doubles skeet, while placing in the top five in the other three competitions (sporting clays, doubles trap and trap.)

This season (2022-2023), the William Penn team took home the Central Regional Championship title for the NCSSAA.

They also went undefeated for the Iowa NCSSAA state shoot. William Penn is still a fairly new team but has a lot of talented and dedicated athletes as a part of this team. They still have three more shoots to come this year: the Lindenwood Invitational in Missouri, the Simpson Invitational in Iowa, and the last one being the NCSSAA Nationals in Las Vegas, NV. Caytlin Pendleton of Utah is also a team member. Congratulations, ladies!

           Ed Wehking

           ATA Delegate