Yet another selfless contribution to the FT and AGN community

Bill Day said:

It is strange to me that AFFTA would call out the one shot per target at a GP in 2024 and label it 2024 rule changes. The fact that the rules use to say no more than 2 shots per lane which is not exactly explicit. Over the years much verbiage has been changed to make the rules easier to understand. The Hunter class was never consulted as to how this would effect our class. We don't expect the WFT class to use 16x scopes so why should their rules be inflicted on us especially at a National! It wasn't really thought out that well IMHO.

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Yes, the change log is poorly worded. But, the actual change did not "allow" one shot per target, it just made it easier on a club to do so.

I know when I saw the change log wording I was thinking "what? the rules already allow for one shot per target. What actually changed?" Others seemed to have the same question, because it was already being asked on the yellow forum by the time I was searching for clarification.

The rules never said "no more than 2 shots per lane". They said "no more than two shots per target". Seems pretty explicit, since that would allow one OR two shots per target.

The entirety of the 2015 rulebook has no rule regarding the number of shots allowed per lane or target at a grand prix or nationals. This means you could run the entire match in a single lane with all the targets on that one lane. Or, you could have one target with all the shots on one target. Or you could have 120 lanes with one target per lane. There was no guidance prior to 2016.

Here is the entire section from the 2015 rulebook (page 29) - https://www.aafta.org/uploads/1/2/7/6/127666620/aafta_handbook_2015.pdf


The change log for 2016 states a change related to "shots per target...", so it wasn't something that was snuck into the rules.



So, 2016 is the year a clarification was made regarding the number of allowed targets per lane and the number of allowed shots per target. If it is such a problem, then the saber rattlin' should have occurred in 2016/2017 timeframe.

Many people don't complain until their boat is rocked. Seeing a rule that technically was not complicit has no reason to concern anyone then no one might be concerned. Jump ahead four years and you see the 2024 rule above might get you scratching your head a bit? Then three months later one of the match directors at MRA announces at the end of the FT match that the Nationals in October will follow the new one shot per target 2 shots per lane for 25 lanes. So there were Hunter shooters upset about this turning their Nationals into something they wanted no part of. Hunter class shooters out number WFTF shooters 10 to 1 up here. Some of the older Hunter shooters were considering not attending the Nationals because they felt this kind of activity would be more than they could handle. Other Hunters shooters stopped attending MRA FT matches. The message was sent and the Top Match Director stepped in and made consessions to get the Hunter class back. Some have never returned but the vast amount have. End of Story! Call us out for not wanting to shoot a one shot National if you want to, but the truth is we want our cake but don't like being forced fed.

Bill Day said:

Many people don't complain until their boat is rocked. Seeing a rule that technically was not complicit has no reason to concern anyone then no one might be concerned. Jump ahead four years and you see the 2024 rule above might get you scratching your head a bit? Then three months later one of the match directors at MRA announces at the end of the FT match that the Nationals in October will follow the new one shot per target 2 shots per lane for 25 lanes. So there were Hunter shooters upset about this turning their Nationals into something they wanted no part of. Hunter class shooters out number WFTF shooters 10 to 1 up here. Some of the older Hunter shooters were considering not attending the Nationals because they felt this kind of activity would be more than they could handle. Other Hunters shooters stopped attending MRA FT matches. The message was sent and the Top Match Director stepped in and made consessions to get the Hunter class back. Some have never returned but the vast amount have. End of Story! Call us out for not wanting to shoot a one shot National if you want to, but the truth is we want our cake but don't like being forced fed.

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Bill, That’s very true. Examples:

Using terrain features for support used to be allowed for “Hunter only” courses. We started doing that at some of our Hunter only matches. The AAFTA rules were changed the next year so no longer allowed.

The AAFTA rules used to show designated prone lanes. We started having those at some of our matches. Rules were changed the next year.

Timers were always optional at AAFTA matches. We were the first to NOT use timers at a National match. The next year they made timers mandatory.

There’s more, but you get the picture.

Do you think that 2 shots/target should be mandatory at the Nationals?

Do you think that 2 shots/target should be mandatory at the Nationals?

Scott, That has always been the way nationals have been run in the 17 that I have attended. When you change the rules to favor one class over another, one might be on a slippery slope. We all know why but it could of been accomplished differently. I have never had a problem with the WFTF class and don't now but when it comes down to making it more of a challenge for the Hunter class to participate in a AFFTA National I draw a line. That's only my feelings but obviously I am not alone. I think the problem has been remedied satisfactorily. I hope we can all learn from this mistake going forward.