Should AAFTA arrange for a single centralized site for the National Championshps?

[shootermeb]

There are a few other places around the US that host large shooting events. Some others to consider.

Bristol, IN - Chief Wa-Ke-De Range - https://sjvrpa.wildapricot.org/
Talladega, AL - The CMP's new ranges - https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/

Not sure what rental pricing looks like, I am sure these places aren't cheap to rent for a week. I suspect the same can be said about the NRA range in NM.

 

[K]

What if we had the NRA New Mexico location as an option for clubs that don't have a suitable venue for the championship match, so more clubs could host a nationals? Maybe every other year or something... depending on how many clubs with venues are offering to host.

Having the event on one coast or the other ends up with the Nationals being mostly a regional championships because a lot of the top shooters aren't willing to travel that far to compete.

The NRA site seems like a reasonable distance for everyone, and if it has camping and onsite housing... wow! sounds super to me.


Wayne

Wayne,

Nothing is stopping any club from doing that. It doesn't take an OK from anyone but the NRA people to schedule the range.
interested parties can contact the center at: 800-494-4853 or email [email protected]

Oh by the way, the NRA range isn't at what I'd call a reasonable distance from me LOL


K

 

[JimInSoCal]

The CMP runs a regular slate of airgun matches, but not AAFTA style FT or USARB style BR. Would there be any advantage in aligning with them and folding BR and FT into their tent. It seems to be a pretty effective organization for what they cover. Or, should AAFTA and USARB looking at combining to get a little more critical mass. Sorry Wayne for taking this a bit off topic, but I think what you are asking the question, can we make it easier to participate and therefore grow the sport. For the past few years, we all have been talking in circles about how to do so. So to me it seems the choices are to stay small and risk fading away, or take steps to significantly raise the profile of the sport.

 

[Centercut]

I think a better question would be “should the AAFTA GP winner be the National Champion”?

 

[AirNGasman]

“should the AAFTA GP winner be the National Champion”?

No. The GP Champion is A national champion; but being one of two national champions each year, is not THE National Champion.

I think a better question would be "should He who captures two Grand Prix National Champion titles in one season be called Bwana the rest of his life?"

And if so, an even better question would be "what should we call He who captures THREE National Champion titles in one season?"

 

[scotton]

I don't mind calling you Bwana. It starts with a B, so it lines up with what I usually call you. For 3 Nats, I think we should call you Mbwana since it starts with an M.

 

[AirNGasman]

"I think we should call you Mbwana since it starts with an M."

You'd think I'd know that, given all the Tarzan movies I watched as a kid. Man, my brother and I wore those Tarzan movies OUT! Dude could swim like he was hopped-up on crack or something!

 

[Scotchmo]

I think a better question would be “should the AAFTA GP winner be the National Champion”?

Sometimes they are. 2x for me. 2013, 2018

...

I think a better question would be "should He who captures two Grand Prix National Champion titles in one season be called Bwana the rest of his life?"
...

3x Bwana for me. 2018, 2019, 2020

 

[Motorhead]

I bow to BWANA's

Tho still in the club i think ?
2 GP's 2 Nationals and over 15 State Championships in rifle and pistol.

 

[AirNGasman]

I have the pistol equivalents of your 2013 titles, Scott.

Those Scott guys are forces to be reckoned with! Must be something in the name.... You guys are fine representatives, ambassadors, and champions for field target.

RESPECT,
R

 

[Scotchmo]

I bow to BWANA's

Tho still in the club i think ?
2 GP's 2 Nationals and over 15 State Championships in rifle and pistol.

We now have an all out bragging contest - just so you know. Worthy opponents!

For me: 10 GP's, 4 Nationals, and ??? State Championships. I no longer bother counting State Championships or other individual GP match wins.

I have the pistol equivalents of your 2013 titles, Scott.
...

RESPECT,
R

I have won some Pistol GP titles, but have yet to win an AAFTA Pistol National Championship. And I have really been trying. I have gotten a few 2nd places, once losing 1st in a shootoff, and another time, dropping to 2nd after targets were pulled. Other times, I just couldn't hit those standing shots.

I honed my air pistol shooting when I tried out IHMSA a few years back. No supports allowed. No standing shots in the Unlimited class - all right up my alley. I went 80/80 and got 1st at the so-called IHMSA World Championships which were held in California just at the right time.

Mutual respect for both you and that other Scott.

 

[Motorhead]

Truely a Very Gifted shooter Mr Scott Hull ..... Truly an accomplishment above & beyond us mortal shooters

 

[O'Laugh]

.

 

[AirNGasman]

SH, I also got my shooting competition start in silhouette (in the eighties); but in (offhand) NRA air rifle and pistol competitions. Had good success until it went extinct in my area.

Had to bring FT to Texas with Leo just to try it. Kind'a like you (but different), I have yet to capture an AAFTA Rifle National Championship despite two Hunter Rifle GP titles, two Hunter Pistol NC titles, and a Hunter Pistol GP.

Truth is, the universally-despised cheater that finally got banned from AAFTA FT a few years ago cheated me out of two Hunter Rifle NC titles. The first time using a scope modified to magnify 22-24X when set to 12X (in 2013); the other time with a power-adjusting wheel on his FWB "Hunter" mothership.

After his ban I presented proof to the BoG in an appeal they right his years-long wrongs against all Hunter Rifle competitors by sending letters to every AAFTA club to the effect the BoG was retroactively stripping CG of all his titles; so everyone that ever finished behind him was actually one place higher than given credit for. However the BoG refused my appeal due to litigation paranoia.

So I consider my 2013 and 2015 Hunter Rifle second place Nats plaques to actually be NC awards (though not counted so on my card).

Still struggling to translate my AAFTA FT success to Extreme FT (two years into it), but think I've finally got a capable rig. That's my excuse, anyway!

 

[thomasair]

I was at the 2016 nationals where Charles got banned. I got to see the whole thing. After we passed the chrono station, an official waited a few lanes before instituting a “surprise “ chronograph inspection of his gun just as he was about to shoot. His rifle was removed from him, tested, and was NOT found to be over power. To my knowledge, no one has ever proven that he cheated….just that he won a lot and was a generally unlikeable character. Suspicion is not proof of anything…although suspicion by a majority seems to be treated as proof sometimes. I’m not saying I liked the guy….I didn’t. I’m just saying there was zero proof of his alleged cheating.

Mike

 

[AirNGasman]

I wasn't at 2016 Nats, but saw the photos of his power adjuster taken before a chronograph-check lane and another photo taken after, clearly showing his power adjuster in different positions. He was given a chance to explain, but the BoG found his explanation inadequate and banned him.

My evidence (mentioned above) of how he cheated at 2013 Nats surfaced after he was banned, but is quite damning.

 

[thomasair]

I don’t care to argue over it, but turning your hammer spring adjuster doesn’t mean you are over power….and he clearly wasn’t over power when they did the surprise chrono test. It simply means you turned your hammer spring adjuster….which isn’t against any rule. He should have been banned for his repeated unsportsmanlike conduct. There was zero real evidence of him cheating.

Mike

 

[O'Laugh]

.

 

[Scotchmo]

I don’t care to argue over it, but turning your hammer spring adjuster doesn’t mean you are over power….and he clearly wasn’t over power when they did the surprise chrono test. It simply means you turned your hammer spring adjuster….which isn’t against any rule. He should have been banned for his repeated unsportsmanlike conduct. There was zero real evidence of him cheating.

Mike

It is against the rules now (after that incident).

If someone's airgun tested over the 20fpe limit, they should be DQ'd from that match. Moving the wheel in itself was not illegal at the time. The rule against moving the wheel was made later. If he said that he changed the wheel setting in order to exceed 20fpe, that could be considered unacceptable/not allowed, and should have gotten him DQ'd from the match. Instead, he was allowed to keep his 2nd place award.

Allowing him to keep the award but banning him from future matches seemed like a rather strange and rather aggressive decision for the power wheel incident.

I never saw any unsportsmanlike conduct from him, so I can't say if that is a reason he was banned.

Sorry Wayne. We have gotten way off topic. I actually like to travel to the various venues for the Nationals. Some far and some close is OK.

 

[Garrettkq]

Been thinking about the original post for a while. The great part of having Nationals move around the country...
1. You get to see other ranges that you would otherwise typically not go to.
2. Variety is the spice of life.
3. No matter where you have it, there will always be shooters that cant/wont make the long trek. It gives even those shooters the opportunity to shoot next to the best of the best. And possibly motivate them to step up their game.
4. There are those in FT that are motivated to take on big challenges. They are all over the county. it gives them the opportunity to showcase their home range and match-planning style.
5. Weather and terrain are different all over the place. The better shooter can thrive in various conditions.
6. Seeing "how others do it" strengthens your depth of knowledge as a match director and a competitor. And "what not to do".
7. Sharing the burden of officiating prevents burnout.
8. No matter where you have it, the closest to it will attend it more, the farther will attend less, and those who are dedicated will almost always. it's Statistical.

It's a novel idea to look at the advantages of having one spot. There are some good things. But weighing either option, I prefer to keep it changing.