Alberta

The Spring Grand American is in the books. Last month I reported on some of the Alberta winners. Here is the full list: Preliminary Singles, vet, Art Peyton, 100; Preliminary Handicap, 22-24, Rod Hymas, 96; Prescott Handicap, veteran, Colin Crumb, 97; Tucson Doubles, D, Lorne Umscheid, 94; Doubles Championship, chair, Bert Brumwell, 86; Preliminary Handicap, veteran, Garry Hill, 95; Singles Championship, A runnerup, Lorne Umscheid, 197. Congratulations to all.

As I write this, we are one week into the COVID-19 lockdown, the stock market meltdown, and the accompanying economic slowdown. Even if we manage to corner this bug, unprecedented damage has been done. Trillions of dollars of wealth have been erased from investment portfolios, and each day brings more business closures and layoffs. That, together with prohibitions on large gatherings, makes me wonder how much shooting will be done this year.

Stay well, and until next time . . . cheers.

Jim Thomson

ATA Delegate

Arizona

The state shoot—or maybe a better title might be, the State Shoot that Wasn’t. From the moment we started on March 17, it felt as if we had the Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads. Prior to the opening shot being fired, the ASTA board met to decide whether to proceed or not. Game and Fish gave us the go ahead, a lot of people had come from out of state, and maybe the Wuhan virus would die down, so off we went.

Event 1, the Memorial Singles, had 109 competitors. That was down from 141 last year due to virus worries. Canyon Ferris got us off to a great start with 100 straight, which tied for tops in junior gold, and Joe Henderson, Jim Sharp and Phil Vasquez were one back and in a three-way tie for the senior veteran lead. Mark Matthews and Darvin Thomas also had 99s. Next was the Ben Avery Handicap, and our newest Hall of Fame member Gerry Williams shot a 98 for second overall and tops in senior vet. Right behind were Wayne Thompson and Jim Sharp, while Art Hammer was second in the open category. The Ben Avery Doubles then closed things out, literally and figuratively, and with the exception of Ferris, whose 97 was good for the second spot in junior gold, it was the old guys’ moment. Darvin Thomas and Steve Stella, an East Coast transplant now firmly rooted in the Valley of the Sun, ruled the veterans, and the slightly more ancient Joe Henderson, Jim Sharp, Wayne Thompson and Gerry Williams all tied for high gun in senior vet. But alas, folks, that was the end of the shooting.

On Wednesday morning the ASTA board met with officials from Game and Fish. Word was circulating that a Phoenix TV station was sending a news crew out to Ben Avery to record the goings-on. By this time restaurants, bars, churches, schools and so forth were all closed, all we needed was to have “the gun nuts” on the evening news, while seemingly the rest of the world was on hold; the optics would not be good. Game and Fish never officially told us to stop, but it did not take advanced calculus to figure out where this was going. We knew it was just a matter of time before an end was put to things, so the plug was pulled, and the Arizona State Shoot came to a premature end. Two days later Ben Avery was officially closed.

What happens now? Well, it’s too early (writing on March 24) to say. Hopes are for a late October date, possibly sandwiched between the Nevada State Shoot and the Autumn Grand. Not only do we want to finish the shoot, but we also have to hold our annual meeting and the election of officers. We just might have to finish the 2020 state shoot in target year 2021. Please stay tuned.

Around the state: Casa Grande had a nice turnout for their annual Breast Cancer Awareness Classic March 4-8. Our home boys and gals were outnumbered, but they still made their presence known. Patricia Carter started things off with a nice 99 in the opening singles, topping all ladies, and Randall Winch was high in B. We won’t talk about the opening day’s handicap and doubles. Thursday saw Phil Vasquez winning B class at 16 yards, and Friday was a combination of youth, experience and the fair sex. Prescott’s Pizinger brothers, Wyatt and Nathanial, dominated the junior categories, with Wyatt winning sub-junior in the singles and handicap, while Nathanial took junior in the singles, handicap and doubles. Our well-seasoned senior veteran, Bob Mlynarz, shot a 99 in the singles winning that crown, and Judy TenBroeck was the high lady in the singles.

Saturday was an Arizona tsunami. Down went the books, tool boxes and keyboards, and up came the trap guns for our gang of hardworking shooters. Robert (Will) Pike won B in the doubles, Jim Kidwell took C, and Kaitlin Quan was the high lady. Next was the singles, and the cream rose to the top. Dan Forbes came in with the only 100 out of 73 shooters and won Class AA. (Pretty soon Tiger will have to give him a separate wall at Casa Grande.) Randall Winch was high in B class as was Kaitlin among the ladies and Nathanial P. in junior. Jim Dremler then shot a 94 and took the mid-yardage crown in the ’caps, and there was Nathanial in junior once more. Sunday it was another fine day for Prescott juniors. Isaac Smith shot the lone 100 in the singles and stood at the head of AA, while poor Kaitlin had to settle for a 99 while winning ladies’. Then she turned right around and won women’s again in the ’caps. The doubles closed everything out, and Fred Frazier was not to be denied. He walked away with C.

Smoke and chips: We are now moving into Phase 2 of the Arizona season, where much of the action shifts to cooler climes. Shoots on tap from mid May to mid June are May 11, Big 50s at Casa Grande; May 17, Cochise and Tucson; May 18, Big 50s, Casa Grande, and a singles marathon at Rio Salado; May 22-24, Pleasant Valley (a sure sign of warmer weather); June 1, Big 50s, Casa Grande, and a doubles marathon at Rio Salado; June 6-7, Summer Welcome, Casa Grande; June 8, Big 50s, Casa Grande; June 13-14, the snow has melted and Flagstaff opens; June 15, Big 50s, Casa Grande, and a singles marathon, Rio Salado. Please double-check first since because of the Wuhan virus, scheduling is uncertain at this time. Any questions? Give me a call at 928-443-1100 or 516-381-6774. See you on the line!

John Bergman

ATA Delegate

Utah

It seems the world is getting crazier all the time. Our environment just keeps changing day by day, whether it is terrorism, illness, lack of toilet paper, or what have you. Just to add to the confusion, we experienced a 5.7 magnitude earthquake today (March 18) here in Salt Lake. One thing I learned a long time ago was that our success depends on how we handle “Plan B” (if we even have a Plan B). This is true in trapshooting as well. We usually go to the club and practice on the best weather days we can find, only to go to a shoot and have it be windy and cold outside. This begs the question, do you have a Plan B on how to shoot in bad weather?

Another Plan B item: what to do when a shoot is canceled due to a pandemic. The Florida and Arizona state shoots have been postponed, and I am sure more will follow suit.

I want to add on to the last article that I wrote before I went to the Spring Grand. This year there was very good weather in Tucson, which then led to a nice turnout. We had a lot of foreign visitors from the “Down Under” countries as well as the UK. These contestants didn’t come just to visit the U.S.; they came to compete, and that they did. Jarrod Mudford from New Zealand took the runnerup spot in the Singles Championship with 200 and a shootoff. He was also the only person to break all 400 singles targets thrown that week. Grady Evans from Australia took AAA runnerup, losing to our own Bobby Street after 199 and 100 shootoff targets. That was nice shooting, Bobby.

I know good journalists such as Elissa Cronk don’t like to print their own names (I am hoping she will allow it here), but I placed her in the middle of the good-spirited group of Australians, New Zealanders and UK shooters one afternoon in the clubhouse. The entire group was having a good time and were all very happy to meet her. I am pretty sure she enjoyed the camaraderie as well.

Speaking of New Zealand, three days after I returned home from Tucson, my family went on vacation to the South Island of New Zealand. Beautiful place. While driving outside of the little town of Hokitika, I spotted the small one trap and one skeet field of the Kokatahi Gun Club. The gate was closed, so I couldn’t go inside the compound. I did, however, get a photo of my daughter Randi in front of the gun club sign. It just happens that she is much more photogenic than I am!

While we were in New Zealand, the National Clay Target Championships were taking place at the Canterbury Gun Club outside of Christchurch. Much to my disappointment, I wasn’t able to drop by the club as I was farther south at the time. Upon returning home, I looked up the scores and saw that my newfound friend Justin Smith from Australia won the National Triples Championship. Triples are an interesting event. No, they don’t throw three targets. It is three separate target presentations with a total score of 75. Justin was one of five shooters who scored 75×75 and won the shootoff.

I want to keep you informed of some things going on around here. Our good friend John Vosnos lost his mother Feb. 14 due to pneumonia, and now his father is under hospice care for liver cancer. Brad Spencer has had a major relapse of his cancer, and Darin New underwent a traumatic seven-hour surgery to remove a large tumor.

Let’s all remember what is important in our lives and keep these individuals and everyone else affected by current events in our thoughts.

Ed Wehking

ATA Western Zone Vice President

Washington

These are interesting times to be living in, for sure. It has been my tradition for the last few years to write this month’s contribution to Around the ATA while I’m at the Camas Prairie Handicap. The one thing that changed was the shoot hasn’t happened yet.

By the time you receive this, I hope the coronavirus situation has passed, and our nation has started to get back to normal and that you are all safe. Trapshooting has rightfully taken a back seat as we have all had to sacrifice and take precautions to prevent the spread of disease and have as quick as possible end to the crisis. Every day I see a growing list of shoots that are canceled or postponed. Clubs in our region have been closed until it is safe to carry on.

We don’t know at this time how the rest of our shooting schedule will be affected, but as of now, the Camas Prairie Handicap is planned for the last weekend in August. Organizers gave themselves and the Walla Walla GC time to regroup and to find a time that didn’t interfere with other scheduled shoots, assuming and hoping the events happen as planned. We may know more by the time you read this, so please keep checking shootwsta.com to keep up on what’s happening. We will try to post on social media as clubs reopen and reschedule events as well. Most importantly though, safety first! This is a theme that has even more meaning for our clubs and communities, and we need to stress it just as much, if not more than we have, as it concerns more than just gun safety now.

In the meantime we can take care of ourselves, families and others who may need help. One thing I know about the trapshooting community is that it has always consisted of people who care about their neighbors. If someone is in need of food or any other vital goods to get by, rest assured a trapshooter will have something to offer. When I first got into this sport, WSTA Hall of Famer Marv Hergert told me to keep a phone list of trapshooters on hand whenever and wherever I travel. “You’ll always find help anywhere you might be if you can find a shooter,” is what Marv always said, and I believe it to be true.

For now, let’s stay positive, hopeful and confident that we will all be well after this has passed. Then we can look forward to getting back on the line, smell the smoke, and bust some clay. The WSTA hopes to see you and wishes everyone well. All of us will be thankful and more than ready when we can get back to the scatterguns and see each other. And since there’s no sports to watch, I wonder if I’m the only one reloading to pass the time. Nothing like optimism and being ready when the time comes!

Shoot straight and keep your powder dry.

Sean Lewis

ATA Alternate Delegate

Illinois

As I sit down to write this, the coronavirus has swept across the planet and turned our lives upside down. Here in Illinois, we are on lockdown, and I’m afraid registered trapshooting is going to take a major hit in our country. As much as I am going to miss seeing all of my friends at shoots, I want them alive and well when this is all over. So please be patient, smart and safe as we wait for this pandemic to pass.

In February I went to Tucson, AZ, for the Spring Grand. If you have never been to the Tucson T&SC, you need to put it on your bucket list. It is a world class shooting facility with every shotgun shooting discipline available to you. Illinois shooters did well there. Chase Horton won the Preliminary Handicap, 27-yard group. Frank Haynes won the sub-vet award in the Prescott Handicap. Dave Huber won the vet trophy in the Pleasant Valley Handicap. Ziggy Tkaczenko won the chair awards in the class doubles, HOA and HAA.

I want to do a shout-out to Steve Brink and Denise Stultz. Steve is about ready to shoot 75,000 singles targets, and Denise will soon shoot 50,000 handicap. Too often we reward scores and forget about dedication. Congratulations to both of you on these achievements.

Over the next two years the Illinois Board of Directors will be raising money to build a Hall of Fame at Brittany SP. The Hall we have now at Brittany is too small, and we need to build a bigger and better building. We are in the process of creating a GoFundMe account at the Illinois State Trapshooting Association webpage. I plan on updating you each month on how things are going. Please plan on giving what you can. The history of Illinois trapshooting is rich, and we need a proper hall to display it.

Bill Duncan

ATA Delegate

Indiana

As I sit here and try to compose this Indiana update the last week of March that you will be reading in early May, I really don’t know what to say due to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our lives as well as our sport. First and foremost, I hope everyone is healthy. Ultimately that is the most important thing right now.

The plan and hope is that we will still be holding our Indiana zone shoots in May. The southern zone at Vincennes and the northern zone at St. Joe Valley are still being planned for May 15-17, as well as the central zone at Roachdale May 29-31. As we get closer to these dates and know if we can gather socially at trapshoots again, a decision will be reached if these shoots will happen. At this time the Indiana State Shoot July 7-12 is still on the schedule, and by then I hope we have this situation in the rearview mirror. Rest assured, the Indiana Trapshooter’s Association Board of Directors and officers have been discussing any and all options possible to assure once we can return to normal that trapshooting will resume. I know I am looking forward to that day, and I bet you are, too.

Make sure you check out the Indiana trap website www.indianatrap.com for a full listing of all of the registered shoots. We will be updating shoot cancellations as best as possible on the site as well as passing along any pertinent communications to try to keep you up to date on decisions that are being made.

I want to welcome Chrissy Byrd as our new Indiana AIM director! I know Chrissy will do a great job leading our AIM program into the future. This year’s Indiana AIM Shoot will again be held on Tuesday (July 7) of the Indiana State Shoot, and the plan is again to shoot 100 singles followed by 50 pair of doubles. Chrissy has set up an Indiana AIM page on both Facebook and Instagram. You should be able to search for “@IndianaAIM” to find it. If you are coaching an AIM team, please make sure Chrissy has your contact information.

Don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything or would like to have anything included in this article for Indiana. Also please keep me updated on anyone who is being directly impacted by the coronavirus. My e-mail is [email protected].

Jason Barnett

ATA Delegate

Iowa

Hello, Iowa shooters! My, what a difference 30 days can make. The weather is much better, but the conditions are much worse! Here in Iowa, as with the rest of the nation, we are battling a much worse adversary than the weather. With the emergency declaration, all registered events for April were canceled, and with the writing of this article, I hope May will be much improved. Let’s all continue to do our part and help stop the spread of this terrible virus and say thank you to all our health system workers, law enforcement, state officials and our military, who are on the front lines battling to keep us safe.

I next want to congratulate all our Iowa shooters who attended the Spring Grand in Tucson, many of whom shot very well, and as always did a great job representing our state. Some of the trophy winners were mentioned in last month’s article, but at press time, some events were not included. Here is the rundown I have: Event 5, Prescott Singles, Keegan Kendall, junior. Event 9 doubles, Dale Stockdale, sub-vet. Event 10 Tucson Singles, Terry Palmer, senior vet. Event 11 doubles, Scott Wiley, B. Event 16, Prescott Handicap, Scott Wiley, 19-21; Jon Halford, senior vet. Event 17, Yuma Doubles, Tom Grooms, A. Event 18 handicap, Alan Nicholas, 25-26. Event 19, Tucson Singles, Sam Wiley, junior gold plus junior gold runnerup in Event 21, the Doubles Championship, and age-group winner in Event 23, the Singles Championship. Way to go, Sam!

Event 22 Preliminary Handicap, Taylor Scott, Lady I; Kyle Wilkins, junior gold. Event 24 Handicap Championship, Louis Segebart, senior vet runnerup. Congratulations to all on a great Spring Grand finish!

With the spread of the COVID-19 virus, many events have been canceled throughout the United States and the world. With the emergency declaration in place, we have suspended some of our upgrades at the homegrounds. Hopefully this is a temporary thing, and work will resume as soon as the declaration is lifted. Also check our website; we are posting updates as they become available. Please bear with us during these times and above all, stay healthy and safe!

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 641-990-2314.

Steve Glasgow

ATA Delegate

Michigan

As I write this, Michigan is just starting a three-week lockdown. Gun clubs and other “non-essential” businesses all seem to be closed. It’s odd, I always thought that gun clubs were essential. I hope the Spring Team Shoot at Mason goes (went?) as planned for April 30-May 3, but it’s too soon for me to know for sure. Please keep an eye on the ATA website for the latest list of shoot cancellations and postponements. This is a real service for all of us.

The MTA Board of Directors met March 14 at Mason and welcomed a new board member, Jamie Stilianos. Jamie is a senior at Spring Arbor College and trap director at the Howell GC. She coaches the Howell AIM program and the Lake Fenton High School clay target team. She has also been assisting the Michigan Trapshooting Hall of Fame board. She has been shooting registered trap for 11 years. Jamie fills a board seat that comes up for reelection at the July annual meeting, which takes place during the state shoot. If you don’t know her yet, look for her in squadding and classification when we get targets in the air again at our homegrounds in Mason.

In these trying times, stay safe, re-clean the guns, and read the rulebook.

1. B. Lewis

ATA Delegate

Minnesota

Greetings from the North Star State and from COVID-19-free Red Lake County. The country and trapshooting are in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic, and most activity is at a standstill. Hopefully we can get through this with the least loss of life and the least disruption to businesses and our way of life. Shooting activity is nonexistent, and many of us are waiting for the EC to meet in April and give the shooters of Minnesota and the rest of the ATA some idea of what our summer shooting season may look like. Our Minnesota State Shoot is scheduled for July 7-12, and no alteration to that has been announced. For the most part, those of us in this part of the world have not been affected by the cancellation of shoot dates, but that may change by the time you read this article. Our Delegate Randy Jones has been having Central Zone conference calls for the past week, and some decisions have been made regarding upcoming shoots. The Southwestern Grand for 2020 was canceled, and the Missouri State Shoot was postponed to the same time as our state shoot. Shooters should check the ATA website (shootata.com) after the EC meeting for further and current information. We at the Owatonna GC are very hopeful of having our Cabela’s Shoot in mid June. Stay tuned for further announcements about all our Minnesota shoot dates on the MTA website.

In the meantime, I certainly hope you and your family remain safe and healthy.

As always you can contact me at 507-456-2000 or at [email protected].

Paul T. Cyr

for ATA Delegate Randy Jones

Ohio

As I write this article, we are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the uncertainty of when we will be able to get back on the trapfields, the Ohio State Trapshooting Association and the board of directors have decided to suspend the target requirements for the 2020 Ohio State Shoot. These are trying times like we have never seen before, but I am sure we will get through them. The OSTA and the ATA are keeping a close eye on the situation.

With that said, I will see you at the shoots when it’s all said and done.

Mike Blair

ATA Delegate

Wisconsin

When I was at the Southern Grand in Florida, I was approached by a shooter who I missed reporting a trophy of his (but I did have his name in the article). I do apologize for that, and I am glad he mentioned it to me. I try to list everyone’s wins with the correct name and number or what they won. This takes time to collect from every major shoot. So I came up with an idea to have shooters e-mail me their wins. It worked! Thank you, Tom, for sending me your wins from the Southern Grand. I will still go through the wins from shoots, but your assistance will help me so I don’t miss anyone. Keep those wins coming. This is what Tom sent me:

“You had suggested that we e-mail any trophies that we won. I won A in the championship singles with 198. I won B in the championship doubles with 97. I also won Class A high gun for HAA with 386. Tom Hoppe.”

Congrats to Tom and the following shooters who took home trophies: Sandra Jo Jack (six), Andy Wondrash (two), James (Chops) Gurkowski (two) and Gary Reynolds (two). Ed Borske shot great in the Singles Championship to win senior vet runnerup. Twenty-four Wisconsin shooters attended, and all were winners just for shooting the Florida targets. I do have to add the following non-Wisconsin shooters to this list: Elaina McCarthy shot the lone 100 in doubles. When I congratulated her, she had the biggest smile on her face. So, so proud of you, Elaina. Then there is Aaron Willoughby—wow! You completed your ATA Grand Slam with 100 from the 27-yard line, and to top it off. Congrats to you, Aaron.

See the photo of some of the shooters and their families who took time to attend the Southern Grand. Paul and Mary Becker hosted a gathering with lots of fish and potluck food. Thank you, Paul and Mary, for your hospitality. Al, sorry to see that you decided to take a nap during the photo, and good thing Paul has a strong deck with all of the trapshooters on it. I sure wish all 24 shooters were in the photo. Hopefully next year.

At the Southern Grand, Mark was on Post 5, I was on 4. We were getting ready to move, and he pointed to the voice release system speaker rim. I looked and said, “I am not coming over to Post 5 until it is gone.” It was a big spider that was not wanting to leave as Mark swiped at it. Finally it was swiped to the ground, and I was then mentally able to to go to Post 5. Wow, they grow big gray spiders in Florida!

We were so sad to have Frederick J. Kasten pass on March 8. Fred will be missed by all us Wisconsin shooters. Prayers to his family.

I did not want to write about the events that we’ve gone through in the past months. I miss you all, love you all and really want to see everyone again. Praying for your health and spirits. Keep your shooting strength up by focusing on gun lifts, walking, and other exercise. Check on our friends, help them out; we need each other. If you would like to e-mail me what you have been up to—helping others, volunteering or whatever since there has been no shooting—I would love to share. At the time I wrote this article, I am praying that we are able to shoot again.

Volunteer at your club when it open or if able to go there now and do some cleaning up. Keep busy, and I miss you, my friends.

Keep smiling, because I still am.

Sandra Jo Jack

for ATA Delegate Kevin Doerring

Atlantic Provinces

Hello from the Atlantic Provinces. Some sad news to report this month: Carl d’Entremont of Lower West Pubnico, NS, passed away March 13. Carl was just featured in February’s Atlantic Provinces Shooter Profile section, where he recounted winning the 1975 Canadian Champion of Champions after a shootoff with two others. His winning career didn’t end there. Carl was also selected for the 1976 Canadian Olympic trials and has many wins at the Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Shoot, where just last year he won senior veteran trophies in the Singles, Doubles and Handicap Championships. Carl was also known for his fishing skills and captained the herring seiner Mattuna Mariner and the lobster boat Coya III. Our sincere condolences to Carl’s family and friends. You can read more about Carl on shootatlantic.com in his Shooter Profile and throughout the Atlantic Provinces Championship results pages.

Several shooters from the Atlantic Provinces attended the 2020 Southern Grand at the Silver Dollar in Odessa, FL, in March. Newfoundland shooter Paul Bailey reported that weather was great and the Silver Dollar staff did a terrific job. In the winner’s circle was fellow St. John’s R&GC member Monty Petipas, who won D runnerup in Monday’s preliminary doubles. John Tucker, Peter Tucker and Brian Lewis also made the trip, which almost never started, as a winter storm caused numerous flight delays.

Terry LeBlanc and Dan Pollock from the Petitcodiac SC in New Brunswick also attended. This was their first time attending a shoot as large as the Southern Grand, and both made the winner’s list. Dan won D class in Tuesday’s singles with a career-high 97, and Terry won D runnerup in the Doubles Championship.

Barry Turner from Nova Scotia also had the Southern Grand on his list for 2020 and recorded his 50,000th handicap target.

Congratulations to all shooters. I am also happy to report that all made it home safely.

Preparations for the 2020 Atlantic Provinces ATA Provincial Shoot scheduled for Sept. 3-6 continue. However, the Highland GC and the APTA are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and will make decisions that are in the best interest of everyone’s safety. Keep in mind that I’m writing this report in late March (during yet another winter storm), and things are changing quickly. Public health warnings and statements are being issued daily, and all four Atlantic Provinces have declared a health emergency. Updates regarding our shoot will be posted on shootatlantic.com. For everyone’s benefit, I would strongly suggest taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously and listening to the warnings and directives of authorities. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.

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

Andrea Bassan

ATA Delegate

New Jersey

I sit here writing the May contribution on St. Patrick’s Day, usually a time of celebration with corned beef, cabbage, and green beer at the local tavern. This year, because of the coronavirus pandemic, everyone is told by the government to hunker down at home and stop hoarding toilet paper! Hopefully by the time you read this at home, the pandemic is a thing of the past.

If you missed it in Trap & Field, Robert Battista reached the 25,000 handicap target level; congrats.

Rick Batesko of Ground Swiper’s supplied me with the winners in their Shamrock Shoot March 14. Carlos Gomes won A class, Sam Osterhoudt B, Pat Shulack Jr. C, and Tim Duffy D. In the handicap Steve Siegert was champion, Richard Pappas second, John Martin third and Shulack fourth. Batesko took A in doubles, Pappas B, Shulack C, and Fred Septak D.

The 40th Southern Grand was held at the Silver Dollar SC in Odessa, FL, March 9-15. This year shooters from more than 40 states and Canadian provinces were in attendance. The mild 80º temperatures were enjoyed by all. Nine New Jersey shooters made their way down to compete. Thomas Green Sr. led the trophy winners with two; Robert Long, Joe Sissano and Jack Godwin each won one.

The 2020 Florida State Shoot was to follow the Southern Grand, and due to the coronavirus pandemic, the entire Silver Dollar facility—including the two restaurants, golf course and shooting venue—was closed until further notice. There were a lot of disappointed shooters here March 16.

The 2020 New Jersey State Shoot hopefully will be ending on May 31 this year. It’ll be a four-day shoot starting May 28. It will be 1,000 targets for HOA honors. All targets needed to avoid shooting a penalty class or yardage must be completed prior to classification for Thursday’s events. The classification window will be open from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday night, May 27, at Pine Belt.

The southern zone shoot will be held at Pine Valley May 1-3. A satellite shoot will be held at the North Jersey CTC in Fairfield on Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3 only.

ATA Gun Club Fund raffle tickets for a new Kolar Combo will be on sale. See either myself or Tony Pietrofitta. Tickets are $20 each.

I’d like to thank Rod Stumbo of Rod’s Custom Stocks for letting me and my Alfermann shoot a little straighter this past winter at the Silver Dollar.

Because of the pandemic, it’d be a good idea to call and see which gun clubs are open before you leave home to attend one of the shoots I’ve been listing. At this writing, a lot of shoots throughout the country have been canceled. I hope all is well where you are.

On a very sad note, Rudy Torlini, NJSTA’s secretary-treasurer since 1997, passed away peacefully at home March 3. He was 89 years old. Rudy was born in Trenton and moved to Yardville in 1967. He was a graduate of Trenton Central High School and went on to college, graduating with a degree in business administration from Rider University. It was then on to the Air Force, serving in the Korean War. Rudy worked for the state of New Jersey, Division of Motor Vehicles. In 1992, after 43 years of service, Rudy retired as an assistant director. He was involved in various organizations and charities and was a member and past president of the Italian American Sportsman’s Club and a 32nd Degree member of the Mt. Moriah Lodge #28 in Bordentown. He was a member and served as secretary of the Cavalier Sportsman’s Association and was a winner of the Rose Bowl ring.

Rudy joined the Amateur Trapshooting Association in 1974 and became a life member. In 1999 he won the veteran title in the Singles Championship at the New Jersey State Shoot and went to Vandalia that August to participate in the Champion of Champions event, winning the veteran title.

Rudy was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2011. During his ATA career he registered 107,200 singles, 42,000 handicap and 30,550 doubles targets. Besides trapshooting, Rudy enjoyed hunting and cooking gourmet meals for friends and family. Wednesday afternoons at the Pine Belt SC, Rudy enjoyed cooking for his trapshooting buddies.

He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Mary Lou; two daughters, Lisa Marie Torlini and Lori Anne Torlini; three grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions in Rudy’s name may be made to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation, P.O. Box 781352, Philadelphia, PA 19178-1352 or Ronald McDonald House Charities, 110 North Carpenter St., Chicago, IL 60607.

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

Joe Sissano

ATA Delegate

New York

I am wishing everyone health and wellness. As I write this article, we are in the middle of the coronavirus scare, and I hope everyone is staying healthy and in good spirits during this trying time. America is blessed with so many wise, brave and wonderful people that I know we all will get through this together.

Unfortunately we have lost another New York shooter. James Rosowski passed away March 18 after a long illness. He was always hoping he would get better so he could shoot again. Jim was 79 years of age. He started registering targets in 1974 and was standing on the 21-yard line. He had three 100 straights, which he was very proud of, and completed his 100,000 singles last winter. During his career, Jim registered 101,825 singles, 38,300 handicap and 6,200 doubles targets. Jim and wife Barb were longtime members of the Allied Sportsmen of Western New York in Alden. Jim was a very good friend of mine, and I shot with Barb and him many, many times. I will miss him. Our deepest sympathies are extended to Barb and the entire family on his passing.

In a bit of better news, I am happy to say that a number of New York shooters won trophies during the Southern Grand American this March at the Silver Dollar SC in Florida. Trophy winners were: Preliminary Singles, Jerry Quintal, B; Ignatius Magnani, B runnerup; Chase Wojtanik, sub-junior; Heidi Womer, Lady I runnerup. Preliminary Handicap, Michael Fox Jr., third; Wojtanik, sub-junior; Heidi Womer, Lady I runnerup; Urban Womer, sub-veteran. Preliminary Doubles, Jim Flint, AA; William Wallis, C runnerup; Heidi Womer, D; Wojtanik, sub-junior. Allnut Singles, Fox, AAA; Wayne Schiavi, D runnerup; Wojtanik, sub-junior runnerup. Tuesday handicap, Curt Robbins, third; David McMasters sixth; Lee Hatfield, veteran. Tuesday doubles, Wojtanik, C runnerup; Jim Flint, sub-veteran runnerup. Singles Class Championship, Robbins, AA; Wojtanik, sub-junior runnerup. Wednesday handicap, Thomas Gersitz, senior veteran runnerup. Christiansen Handicap, Jim Fellows Jr., seventh; Wojtanik, sub-junior runnerup; Viki Hatch, Lady II runnerup. Applegate Doubles, Wojtanik, sub-junior runnerup. Doubles Class Championship, Urban Womer, sub-veteran runnerup. Guerini Preliminary Handicap, Urban Womer, winner; Fox, third; Glenn Adams, 10th. Singles Championship, Francis Simcick, D runnerup; Wojtanik, sub-junior; Michael Manzo, veteran. Doubles Championship, Justin Slater, runnerup; Robbins, AA. Handicap Championship, Fox, fourth; Heidi Womer, Lady I runnerup. All-around, Slater, AAA; Fox, AAA runnerup; Wojtanik, sub-junior runnerup. High-over-all, Wojtanik, A. Congratulations to these trophy winners from New York for their excellent shooting!

If you wish to view all trophy winners during the Southern Grand American, they are listed in this issue of Trap & Field.

Please keep up with our New York State ATA webpage www.nysata.com for listings of ATA shoots that are taking place and cancellations. Cathy Flint, our state secretary, does a tremendous job of keeping the webpage up to date.

Please keep following the ATA webpage www.shootata.com for current information on the status of shoot cancellations and other information regarding the coronavirus that affects the ATA.

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

Dave Cichelli

ATA Delegate

Ontario

Greetings from Ontario, Canada. I am writing this article on March 18 in advance of our Trap & Field publication deadline. You will read it sometime in May. I sure hope when you read it, the coronavirus will be contained and the world will be returning to more normalcy.

Like many of you, in the early days I was a little skeptical of all the hype and what I thought was an overreaction to this pandemic. But things changed dramatically for the worse, and I got a real wake-up call on Saturday morning, March 14, just before the start of the first 100 of the championship singles at the Southern Grand. In fact I got numerous calls, including from my travel agent, my sister (a doctor), two of my business and law partners, and others, all with a common message: “Get back home ASAP; we need you here.” I shot the first half of the singles, apologized to my squadmates for having to pull out, and got on the road back to Ontario. I got telephone calls, e-mails and text messages from people all across the ATA wondering why I left after shooting 100 straight. Was I sick? Did my gun break?

I think we all now know that the pandemic is very serious and that drastic measures are necessary. It impacts all of us. While my wife Bev and I have no symptoms, we are in self-quarantine for 14 days since our arrival back to Canada. I am quarterbacking a lot of things from my home. I know many of you are or have gone through the same.

While trapshooting has and will continue to be negatively impacted, we will eventually get through this. Some businesses, unfortunately, won’t. Our economy in North America, I hope, is resilient enough to make a robust recovery. Time will tell.

In the meantime, hang in there. We’re all in it together, and all the best to you and your families.

Paul Shaw

ATA Delegate

Pennsylvania

Hopefully, by the time you read this article, we’ll be back to our normal, everyday routines, which include trapshooting. Unfortunately, we are currently in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused almost all shoots to be canceled or postponed nationwide. One such shoot that many Pennsylvanians attend this time of year is the Florida State Shoot, which was canceled. However, prior to that shoot, the 40th annual Southern Grand was contested to completion.

We had 23 shooters bring home a total of 67 trophies. Deborah Ohye-Neilson and Clare Schaffer led the charge with 14 and seven wins, respectively, including category HOA titles for both. Richard Long added a class HOA award, and Marcy Plunkett captured a class HAA title. Our other trophy winners included Ken Darroch (six), Don Neilson (five), Elmer Ebling (four), Don Schaffer Jr. (four), Steven Huber (four), Jim Lechleitner (three), Peggy Carney (three), Richard Milbert (three), John Spangler (two), and Helen Black Siemianowski, Steven Miller, Mary Schaffer, Edward Bayer, Criona Doorly, Don Schaffer Sr., Jeffrey Fenton, Michael Dixon, Brian James and John Solt, one each. Congratulations to all.

On a sad note, we lost two longtime shooters and supporters of trapshooting. Suzanne Mohler of Spring Township passed away March 6, and Lt. General John Pickitt of North Carolina passed on March 14. Both were outstanding individuals in their own regard with distinguished, successful careers in their respective fields. Suzanne started shooting registered targets in 1999 and has been a fixture at many of the local events as well as the PSSA since. General Pickitt started in 1979 and attended many of the shoots held at the PSSA. Our condolences extend to all family and friends of Suzanne and General Pickitt.

Although it may be a moot point in writing this, but considering that we have unknown variables with how the current pandemic will shake out, the PSSA Executive Committee is currently preparing as if the Keystone Open will be taking place in mid May. As we near the shoot dates, if the plausibility of having non-essential gatherings still take place becomes less, communications will be posted on the PSSA Facebook page as well as the PSSA website. With a little bit of effort and awareness from everyone, hopefully we will be right back in the swing of things by then. That being said, I look forward to seeing everyone at the Keystone Open at the PSSA Homegrounds this month, and, as always, let me know of any achievements or noteworthy accomplishments.

Steve Ross

ATA Alternate Delegate

Alabama

Congratulations to John White IV for making the All-American open second team.

The Alabama State Shoot is May 28-31. Camping spots are limited, so if you need one, contact Bill Parson at 334-399-7996 to reserve your spot.

Read the Rulebook!

Please keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers. Without the men and women of our armed forces protecting this great country, we would not be able to enjoy this great sport. When you see a soldier, thank him or her for their service.

If you have any news to report or need my help, contact me at [email protected]. Shoot well and shoot often.

Wayne Sartwell

ATA Delegate

Kentucky

The shooting season is under way, and hopefully you have been sharpening up for the coming season. Several Kentucky shooters have been attending Satellite Grands around the country and representing.

Keep your calender updated for coming shoots, like the Kentucky State Shoot June 30-July 5, promising to be another great tournament. Check the ATA website for more shoots and the KTL website for updates on local and state shoots.

Dan Ryan

ATA Delegate

North Carolina

February seldom has much in the way of big news . . . well, this February started out with a bang, literally. Brandon Cantrell, one of our wonderful North Carolina youth shooters, made the 27-yard line Feb. 1 at the Spartanburg GC. They hold their monthly shoots on the first Saturday, which happened to be the 1st. Brandon bested all the handicap shooters and earned his 27-yard pin! I believe he may be the youngest shooter from North Carolina to make it to the 27-yard line. Brandon recently turned 16. He is one of three Cantrell boys, who all compete in shotgun shooting sports. He is a member of the Polk Co. GC Clay Busters team and has won trophies at the Grand American and numerous state shoots around the South. His mom and dad, Naomi and Johnny, are very supportive of the boys’ shooting activities. The whole family are regular attendees at shoots around North Carolina. Way to go, Brandon!

Our NC youth shooting is growing at a fast pace. Coaches from the above-mentioned Polk Co., as well as Watauga, Rockingham and Buckhorn gun clubs have been actively seeking and coaching more young shooters every year. We are hoping for even better attendance at our youth shoot this summer as well as our ATA state shoot.

We are looking forward to our four big shoots at the North Carolina Homegrounds in Bostic: April 23-26, Hall of Fame Shoot; June 10-14, NC State Shoot; July 16-19, Southern Zone Shoot (telephonic site); and Sept. 29-Oct. 4, the Dixie Grand. Our homegrounds is one of the best shooting venues on the East Coast. All Pat-Traps and Canterbury Voice Release equipment provide a great shooting experience for all. Y’all come see us!

For information or any ATA-related questions, please contact me at [email protected]. Shoot well, and I’ll see you at a shoot sometime.

Bob Schultz

ATA Delegate

South Carolina

Okay, last report I was whining about the rain. Well, it’s still all over us. One day the rain turned to big fluffy snowflakes that melted when they hit the ground. Our monthly shoot was rained out, so Dave Reynolds was determined to get our Big 50 in the following Thursday—well, more rain. We had one shooter show up who wasn’t one of us regular workers. Those big fluffy flakes landing on your rib just as you call makes for a lousy score. I know, more whining.

I’m leaving in a week for Florida to shoot the Southern Grand. I hope to see some of our shooters there; if not, then in Georgia for their state shoot. Hopefully the rain isn’t as heavy there. You know there will be several rains and wind, but there should be warm temperatures and sunshine. Next report should have a number of our shooters’ names in this column as trophy winners.

In the achievement department, Gary Olson reached the 250,000 target plateau in Orangeburg at the Mid Carolina club. All those “most targets shot” awards added up. Gary doesn’t go to the shoots just to shoot; you’ll see him in the scorer’s chair or loading targets. Way to go, Gary.

Jim Faber

ATA Delegate

Tennessee

Hello from the Volunteer State. With the coming of warmer weather, most local clubs have gone to their monthly shoot schedules. The Corinth GC, Corinth, MS, is under new ownership and holding monthly shoots. For more info, contact Chip Worley at chip2teamcabled.com.

Hog Heaven GC is hosting the Mike Seitz Memorial April 15-19 at White Pine, TN.

The 41st Southwestern Grand American is April 14-19 at National SC, San Antonio, TX.

The TN AIM State Shoot will be June 16-17 followed by the TN State Shoot June 18-21. The state shoot will be held at the Tennessee CTC in Nashville. I understand that this year we are adding AAA class in singles and doubles. To reserve your RV spot for the state shoot, e-mail [email protected] or call 615-742-5297.

The Southern Zone Shoot (July 16-19) will be held at four locations this year: Central Kentucky GC, Berea, KY; Dixie T&S, Mathews, AL; North Carolina Homegrounds, Bostic, NC; and Silver Dollar SC at Odessa, FL.

The 2020 rulebooks are now available online. So read the new rulebook, please.

For more info, check out our new website at shootatatn.com. You can reach me at 731-217-9957 or [email protected].

Billy Cook

ATA Southern Zone Vice President