Greetings Shooters!
I hope everyone’s 2017 Target Season is off to a great start!! As I write this in late September, it has certainly been a busy month for our trap clubs throughout the State of Indiana. Great weather, great targets and great people…tough to beat that combination!
I want to tell you about one of my favorite shoots every year, the Annual Shoot for the Cure held at Fall Creek Valley Conservation Club. This year’s shoot was held September 10th & 11th and as usual all of the hard work by Dan & Desira Fesler with the help of many friends & family resulted in a fantastic shoot. If you haven’t been to FCVCC this year, you REALLY need to go. They have been working on completely replacing their trapfields one at a time and have three complete and intend on breaking ground on the last one in October. Everything is all new, new concrete, new traphouse, new PAT traps, new lights. I think Dan could start a very successful trap construction company after he gets done based on the amount of knowledge & expertise he has gained with this project.
At the Shoot for the Cure this year, Ken Heathcoate’s 198 bested the field on Saturday during the Singles event, followed by George Rezabek’s AA Champ 197. I got to referee a fun shoot-off that day where the Budreau sisters squared off for a couple of rounds of extras for the Lady trophy before Rachel finally got the best of her sister Sarah. On Sunday during the Doubles event, Cody Sullivan ran away with the Champ Belt Buckle with a 97. Then in Handicap, Mike Beroshok won the Belt Buckle with a 97, followed by 94’s from Lady Champ Rachel Budreau and Vet Champ Larry Atwood. The HOA Buckle went to a shoot-off, won by Ken Heathcoate over Michael Gooch. Congrats to all of these shooters, and a special thanks to Dan & Desira Fesler for hosting such a fantastic event.
I just received the 2016 Target Year final averages and will be working on determining the Indiana All- State Teams in the next couple of weeks. Look for the teams to be announced here in my article next month, in the December issue of Trap & Field. In the meantime, just a few reminders about the 2017 All-State Teams. The Men’s Team will consist of the Top 10 overall averages, as will the Sub Veteran, Veteran & Junior Teams. The Lady I, Lady II, Sub Junior, Junior Gold and Senior Veteran Teams will consist of the Top 5 overall averages. Category placement will be determined by where you are at the end of the target year. For example if you start the year in Veteran category, turn 70 during the year and declare Senior Veteran at a shoot, you will be eligible for the Senior Veteran Team. If you turn 70 but stay in Veteran class for the rest of the target year which is your option, you will be eligible for the Veteran team. If you never declare a category during the target year at any shoot, you will be eligible for the Men’s open team.
Target minimums for All-State Teams will be the same in 2017 as they were in 2016. In order to qualify for the Men’s, Sub Veteran & Veteran Teams, minimum targets must include 2,500 Singles, 1,500 Handicap and 1,000 Doubles targets. For Lady I, Lady II, Junior, Junior Gold & Senior Veteran, minimums are 2,000 Singles, 1,000 Handicap and 500 Doubles. To make the Sub Junior Team, you must shoot 1,000 Singles, 1,000 Handicap and 300 Doubles. Also to clarify a common question, your Over All Average for All-State Team rankings is computed by your singles average plus your handicap average plus your doubles average, divided by three.
There is something I want to bring to everyone’s attention, and that is there has been considerable discussion the past two years at the Annual Meeting held during the Indiana State Shoot concerning the requirements to make the All-State Team. There have been various suggested requirements discussed
in addition to minimum target requirements, which has been the loan determining factor for many, many years in Indiana (maybe forever). These suggestions/discussions include being required to shoot the Championship targets at the Indiana State Shoot, being required to shoot the Championship targets at one of the Indiana Zone Shoots, being required to shoot a certain amount of targets at clubs in Indiana, as well as being required to shoot targets during the target year at a certain minimum of different clubs. If a change in the All-State Team requirements is to take place, an ITA Constitution/By- Law Amendment would have to be presented at the Annual Meeting and a majority agreement vote would be necessary. I’m not saying this is going to happen for 2018, I’m just saying there seems to be some momentum. My suggestion is you put some thought into what you think about this and discuss with your Gun Club representatives as well as members of the ITA Board of Directors.
Make sure you have your calendars marked for the Indiana State Shoot next year. It will be held July 4- 9, 2017.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Jason Barnett
ATA Delegate-Indiana