Greetings Shooters!
It’s hard to believe how fast the summer is going by! As you read this in early September the new 2017 Target Year will be starting. I’m writing this in late July and am still finishing up things from the Indiana State Shoot and getting ready to leave for the ATA Central Zone shoot and of course the Grand American!
Speaking of the Indiana State Shoot, I just can’t do it justice with the written word how grateful all of our shooters should be for the countless volunteers & workers that made the shoot such a success this year. I would love to list each name here but I think I would take up a whole page in this Trap & Field magazine. The homegrounds looked great, the targets were fantastic, and even the weather cooperated this year! The newly created “ITA Spectator Experience” was a big hit and has big plans for future events. As a member of the ITA Board of Directors, I see firsthand all of the hours and hours behind the scenes that go into making this shoot happen and am in awe of the contributions by so many individuals.
We inducted two very deserving individuals into the Indiana Trapshooting Hall of Fame at the shoot this year, G. Mike Seitz and Margaret Zakowski.
Congratulations go out to Devon Harris, who not only took the Indiana Singles Championship with the loan in-state perfect 200, but then followed it up with the sole resident 100 in Doubles the next morning. Devon also won the HAA crown with a 393. I did a little research and found that this is only the 5th time since 1935 that an individual has won 3 out of the 4 Championship titles in the same year, and first since 1981 when Bob Little did it. No one has ever won singles-doubles-handicap-HAA all in the same year.
Also congrats to our 2016 Handicap Champion Gregory Scott, who outlasted Junior Champion Daniel Frederick with two rounds of shoot-off after they tied with 98’s. Tank Lunsford was our HOA Champion.
I need to make a correction on something I mentioned in a previous Around the ATA article. I completely misread the 2016 Indiana North Zone trophy list and didn’t properly mention the Handicap Champion for that event. Tim Richards was the Handicap Champion and took home the belt buckle with a 96, and Jake Leazier was Runner-up with a 92. Congrats to both of these shooters!
In late June the Evansville Gun Club held their 2nd Annual Hall of Fame Shoot. Last year they started their HOF, inducting Ed Voliva, Jr. and Edgar Kuhlenschmidt. This year’s inductees were John Voliva, Dr. R. Scott Norris, Carl Simkins and Harold Bowers. They also commemorated the 50th Anniversary since the 1966 Indiana State Shoot was hosted in Evansville by charging 1966 target prices for the Singles event, $6.50/100! Congratulations to the Evansville Gun Club HOF members, very much deserved for certain.
I want to highlight a few September shoots in Indiana that you should definitely consider attending.
Kingen Gun Club will be hosting their first Labor Day Shoot on Sunday, September 4th and Monday, September 5th. 100 Singles, 100 Handicap and 50 pair of Doubles will be shot each day at this shoot.
Fall Creek Valley’s annual Shoot for the Cure will be held on September 10th & 11th. Desira & Dan Fesler have been very hard at work at FCVCC and I believe they should have three out of their four trapfield
renovations done by this shoot. I’ve also heard info about a hog roast on Saturday night that I am certain won’t disappoint anyone.
On September 24th & 25th, Fulton County Gun Club will be hosting their 29th Annual Tippecanoe Valley Championships. This is always a great shoot with great targets that you definitely don’t want to miss.
I wish each of you a productive, successful and enjoyable 2017 Target Year!
Jason Barnett
ATA Delegate-Indiana