Competing in Columbia

Today’s competitive shooters are a unique breed. Fierce competitors at the call “shooters ready, stand by….” they’re actually a large -and jocular- family when they’re off the firing line.

Having observed them at different times around the country, I didn’t realize how welcoming they are of newbies until I strapped on my Smith & Wesson M&P Pro this weekend to shoot in the pro/am portion of the Colt Speed Event at the 2010 Bianchi Cup.

At that point, I went from the newsguy that many of them knew to another nervous first-timer who was fighting down the urge to quietly sneak out of the competitors tent and beat feet for my car. Instead, I received a ton of solid advice – and a few needling comments – that kept me too-busy to actually realize that I was going to walk out and shoot a gun in front of several hundred strangers – in a head-to-head competition.

When I mentioned a shooting coach earlier in the week had suggested I modify my thumb positions when shooting, Rob Leatham laughingly offered a bit of sage advice: “don’t try changing your grip today.”

That advice I took, and the reminder from Julie Golob that I concentrate on the fact it was a fun event and not “real competition”. It felt real enough when I walked out to the line.

But I concentrated on the fact I enjoy shooting steel targets-unless I’m shooting for groups to sight-in or test guns, I only shoot steel.

What I didn’t enjoy was shooting the targets slower than Yamil Sued, the sharp-eyed photographer who walked out with all-borrowed equipment and shut me down in two runs.

Later, Yamil sent me a photo that showed my time faster than his, but a low-right hit on one of the steel plates that kept it from falling added a fault penalty to my time- and kept us from another run.

That felt like real competition.

Three days of Bianchi Cup competition also reminded me that probably have the best job in the shooting business. I get to talk to the greatest shooters alive today, get shooting tips from them on behalf of their various sponsors, and get to test all manner of gear.

It also reminded me that while I might know the terminology, understand the competitions and know how to function in front of crowds, I remain light years away from their levels of proficiency.

Seeing them shoot – and help each other out at every opportunity – also reinforced my longtime feeling that we – the shooting world – spend too-much time talking about the tools and not nearly enough telling the stories of the craftsmen -and women – who should be the faces of our sport.

To see Doug Koenig take Bianchi Cup title number twelve while Jessie Abbate was setting a record on the barricades enroute to her title was awe-inspiring. Seeing them talking excitedly with other shooters reminded me that we probably have the most approachable group of world-class athletes in the world today.

And the new generation holds promise. Seeing thirteen-year-old Molly Smith hold and shoot a revolver that looked about half her size reminded me that size really doesn’t matter in shooting. Watching Molly collect a pair of $2,500 awards at the awards banquet also showed that pound-for-pound, her enthusiasm -if we showed it to non-shooting kids – might be one of the most potent recruiting tools we could have.

There were a number of young ladies shooting at Bianchi – and they were formidable competitors – but like their superstar counterparts, all part of a large and jolly family that has been getting together for thirty-plus years in Columbia, Missouri to compete in the Bianchi Cup. It’s an event I’ve never been able to work into a travel schedule, but this year, Match Director Tom Hughes convinced me that I needed to see this match first-hand to understand how -and why- it resonates with shooters who travel half-way around the globe each year to compete.

I’m glad I did – although it has increased the Bianchi Cup family by one. And filled another slot on my 2011 travel calendar.

2010 Bianchi Cup Final Results:

Open:
1. Doug Koenig, 1920-179x
2. Bruce Piatt, 1918-183x
3. Kevin Angstadt, 1918-169x
4. George Mowbray, 1918-151x
5. Tony Holmes, 1916-159x (way to represent Indiana, Tony!)

Metallic:
1. Robert Vadasz, 1904-146x
2. Rob Leatham, 1894-153x
3. Troy Mattheyer, 1892-127x
4. Jason Koon, 1866-114x
5. Greg Davis, 1861-105x

Production:
1. Kyle Schmidt, 1856-121x
2. Enoch Smith, 1835-123x
3. Dave Sevigny, 1833-119x
4. Phil Strader, 1819-102x
5. Vance Schmid, 1812-100x

Women’s Overall
1. Jessie Abbate, 1906-163x
2. Julie Golob, 1894-131x
3. Vera Koo, 1891-141x
4. Jodi Lyall, 1878-137x
5. Margaret Reese, 1857-124

Jim Shepherd
www.shootingwire.com