Greetings Indiana Shooters!
Well the summer shooting season is certainly flying by. When you’re reading this in September things will be winding down, but when I’m writing this in late July we just finished up the 2018 Indiana State Shoot and then went straight to the ATA Central Zone shoot in Evansville. Packing up for the Grand now while I’m writing this article. Hopefully everyone had a good time and shot some good scores at all of these shoots!
Speaking of the Indiana State Shoot, I’m pleased to report that this year’s shoot was a complete success. We got a little rain of course but I think the weatherman / weatherwoman hurt attendance more than the actual weather we got did. Although I’m pretty sure everyone got at least a little (if not a LOT) wet during Saturday’s Championship Singles! Just once I’d like to have 6 days at the Indiana State Shoot with weather like we had on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday…but clearly that is just too much to ask.
There are so many people to thank for making the Indiana State Shoot possible that there is no way I could list everyone here. Just please know that if you volunteer to help out at the shoot you are greatly appreciated!! We are very fortunate in Indiana to have such a great group of volunteers always willing to lend a hand to making this shoot possible, as well as some great financial sponsors! I am happy to report that zero wreckers and/or tow straps were required to get any campers out and on their way home this year. Thanks to all of our Resident and Non-Resident shooters that came to the Indiana State Shoot this year!
Congrats goes out to Tank Lunsford for pretty much dominating almost all of the Championship events! Tank took home the Singles Championship with the lone Resident 200, with his son Curt being runner-up at 198. Tank’s 98 in the Handicap Championship bested the rest of the Resident field by 2 birds, and he also won the High Over All AND the High All Around! Congrats also to Garl Gresley for winning the windy Doubles Championship with a 98 and outlasting Devon Harris & Michael Grannan in a shoot-off.
The ITA Spectator Experience was bigger & better again this year, and I want to thank Roxie Antczak for everything she does to make this event possible. The “Christmas in July” campsite decorating contest was a lot of fun and I am excited to hear her what she has in mind for next year’s events. If you aren’t participating in these events you really should be!
Thanks to those that made it to the ATA Central Zone Shoot at Evansville Gun Club. If you made it you know we enjoyed incredibly mild weather and very good birds, plus got to experience the Hoosier hospitality that our gracious hosts at EGC are known for. Big time congrats goes out to Noah Rice who ran the 200 16’s on Saturday, his first deuce, and just happened to do it on his 15th Birthday!
Be sure to check out our newly renovated website, www.indianatrap.com, for all of the registered shoot dates around Indiana. This is a great time of year to take advantage of nice autumn temperatures and get the new target year off to a solid start! After so many “big” shoots during the summer it’s also a fantastic time to visit your local clubs and show them the support they so richly deserve.
I do have some sad information to pass along. While at the Central Zone shoot in Evansville we received word that Edgar Kuhlenschmidt had passed. Edgar will certainly be missed and his contributions to trapshooting in Indiana will forever be appreciated. In addition to being President of the ITA in 1968, he was also an Indiana Trapshooting HOF Inductee and was the 1967 Indiana Doubles Champion. While I never saw it personally, I have heard stories about his expert skill level of pumping Model 12’s at Doubles was impressive to witness. Edgar was co-founder of the new Evansville Gun Club when they relocated many years ago and will be dearly missed by his many friends at the club there.
Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything or would like to have anything included in this article for Indiana.
Jason Barnett, ATA Delegate – Indiana