Events December 4 TEXtreme Field Target match announcement

Hope you join us sometime Michael. I've already rigged the screening process for you... but it took a lot of palm-greasing of low friends in high places! ;-)

I'll elaborate on your questions to the best of my understanding and experience. Understand that EFT is still a relatively new competition, a natural outgrowth of regular field target and growing interest in high-powered PCPs, and consequent exploration of airgun range limits. I often refer to EFT succinctly as possible as "field target on steroids". 

I had dreamed of FT on steroids for some years; in fact hosting a few long-range (to 100 yards) airgun competitions over the last 15 years. Though no airgunning historian, as I understand it EFT was conceived at Extreme Bench-Rest, EFT apparently fathered by Robert Buchanan (of AoA). Also as I understand it, it has been referred to as American (style) Field Target, Long Range Field Target, High Power Field Target, and Extreme Field Target. I'll claim some credit for the term Extreme Field Target prevailing. 

Having hosted monthly long-range airgun bench-rest silhouette competitions for a few years now, when I decided to publicize a Bench-Rest Silhouette Texas State Championship in late 2020, I was more than a little n-N-N-NERVOUS that Robert Buchanan might take offense at my calling the event the TEXtreme Bench-Rest Silhouette Championships. But much to my surprise, Robert and friends not only attended TBR, but donated to the event! Everyone had a great time, and during the awards 'ceremony' Robert stated he hoped I'd do it again in 2021. My reply was, "NOPE; this was a one shot deal due to Covid cancellation of 2020 EBR, RMAC, and the Pyramid Air Cup. However, I will stage a TEXtreme Field Target match in March, 2021." When Robert then offered to donate five (expensive) extreme field targets, I asked, "When you say 'donate', do you mean loan, or give?" When he confirmed give, PelletGage Jerry Cupples offered to donate five more.

Since I already had one target, that meant I had to purchase only five more targets myself to hold the TFT event; little realizing other expenses like 1000 yards of paracord, 16 winders, target bases, wooden pallets, anchoring hardware, GOBS of elbow grease, and buckets of sweat equity! The 2021 TEXtreme Field Target mat\ch was a fun success, and I realized the investments could not be wasted by not hosting regular TFT matches.

Since I consider Robert the father of EFT, I try to stick as closely as reasonable to the way it is practiced In the birthplace of EFT. Thankfully his desire to KEEP IT SIMPLE with as few rules as possible and (also) avoid EFT becoming an equipment race align perfectly with my own competition-shooting approach/philosophies. 

Hence the 6" maximum fore-end depth rule, and disallowing of butt-hooks, add-on thigh rests, and adjustments of adjustable stock components during a match. To paraphrase as I have many times, field target is a hunting-simulation game, and some highly competition-SPECIFIC components, accessories, gadgets and gizmos have little to no realistic place in the hunting field(s).

There are classes in regular field target that accommodate a lot of competition-specific equipment, and until EFT grows enough to accommodate multiple classes without diluting EFT into extinction, in my opinion (and others'), the conservative rules approach not only sticks to the spirit of the game as envisioned by its founder, but gives EFT a chance to gain traction and build momentum by not over-diluting participation (with multiple classes/divisions).

TFT is indeed similar to EFT. However my venue having neighbors' homes within a couple-hundred yards precludes allowing slugs in my matches. Yes, slugs might present more threat to my neighbors; and might is too much. 

Early in my EFT involvement there was debate whether or not bum-bags are, or ought be allowed in EFT. Though I prevailed in that debate, had I not prevailed I would nevertheless allow bum-bags in my TFT matches. Why? Because they've not only always been allowed in field target competitions and played no small role in FT history, but I use a bum bag! Another cardinal rule in field target is Match Directors are allowed to adhere to, or deviate from, national FT rules as each Match Director sees fit (except in AAFTA Grand Prix and championship matches).

There is a lot of second-guessing about FT rules, rules-making, and rules-makers. Having far more, deep, long, and wide experience in all the above than I'd liked to have endured, I can state that everyone lobbies for rules advantaging themself. Much such lobbying centers around confusion about how rules come about; the prevailing belief being this, that, or all rules are arbitrary, ill-conceived, agenda-driven, superfluous, stupid, and/or all the above. While some rules may be (any or all the above), that is not the case with most FT rules. I have witnessed and lived not only the rules-making process, but the reasons for many FT rules. The vast majority of rules came about out of real need or reasons, were carefully considered and crafted by well-qualified individuals chosen by democratic process, often hotly debated, and many rules are actually compromises of polar-extreme positions. 

Example- I often hear dismay about pistol field target rules limiting barrel length to 15" or scope magnification to 12X by individuals feeling the rules too liberal or conservative (for their liking/advantage). Trust me, both those rules were HOTLY DEBATED. I lobbied for a 10" pistol barrel length limit, and no more than 9X magnification. The west coast lobbied for NO barrel length or magnification limits. Matter of fact I was forced to declare a hostile coup over-throwing the PFT Rules Committee Chairman and seize control, in order to rescue some EIGHT MONTHS of rules-making work; lest it all go to waste. Suffice to say I neither apologize for the barrel-length and magnification-limit rules (compromises), nor for the hostile coup that produced the PFT rules. 

Sorry, everyone, for the lengthy explanations. But would you rather I answered, "Because I say so"?

Thank you all for the rules-clarification questions. I appreciate them, and you (all). I'll start with Michael's questions.

So it's kind of like a combination of EFT, WFT and HFT?  I'd say not necessarily WFTF; but my TFT rules definitely emulate some EFT and American HFT rules that I feel make sense in HUNTING SIMULATION competitions.

Dialing turrets are allowed (like EFT and WFT, but not HFT)? Correct. Since some hunters use hold-over/under, and other hunters click, so, also, do I allow either aiming technique. And so, also, do I diverge from HFT rules, even though I have always shot 'Hunter' class in field target competition.

I'm still not following "Maximum fore-end depth allowed is 6”, as measured from the center of the barrel to the bottom of the fore-end." Can you elaborate or give an example. In my opinion such COMPETITION-SPECIFIC gadgetry as has little to no practical place in the hunting field(s), and/or any place other than competition, also has no place in HUNTING-SIMULATION competitions. Especially EFT and TFT, that have (from the get-go) embraced and expressed the KISS approach to rules. Examples-



Even if the fore-end riser was removed from the rifle above, it would still fail the 6" fore-end depth rule. In my opinion and rules, as it should be.



The KISS approach to EFT and TFT rules purposely avoids the endless can-of-worms debates that plague regular FT competition like defining butt-hooks, how much is too much, and add-on or only factory-installed, by simply not allowing butt-hooks (that in my opinion are completely superfluous on a hunting rifle).



The image above should give some hint about the can-of-worms debates that plague regular FT competition mentioned above, that are best avoided with the KISS rules approach.

Now to Centercut's question that is not specifically addressed in the TFT rules attached to my original post and multiple emails to the TFT email group.

"ANY position is allowed. Including prone." For years my Match Director approach has been that anything not specifically disallowed in the rules is allowed until which time it is addressed in the rules. That stated, be aware that I have never hesitated to compose a new rule when my super-human powers of foresight proved inadequate to foretell the use of some advantage that I feel either unfair to the majority of shooters, or substantial enough that it renders anyone not adopting that advantage uncompetitive in the game. As an example, I made pistol hangy-tanks illegal AFTER the first time I saw them used in PFT competition by two shooters sharing the same gun, who dominated the field at a State Championship; neither of those shooters being experienced pistol shooters. When I congratulated one, he said, "Man, when you plant that hangy-tank against your leg it's like shooting from a bench-rest!"



I not only lived the prone position FT debate, but contributed to it. In fact, when AAFTA ended that debate by disallowing attached bi-pods, some shooters quit field target. Although that was a shame, by then it had already been demonstrated that folks (like me) who can't shoot from prone position could not be competitive at the highest level of FT against those who can shoot prone. As stated in TFT rules, attached bipods are not allowed.

Centercut is correct that shooting from standing position off a bipod should not be called 'offhand'. I will try to break an old habit by calling it (correctly) 'standing'.

I believe all other questions posed so far are already answered in the TFT rules posted in my original post, and emailed multiple times to my TFT email list. So I'll not answer them again now with more keyboarding. However I will repeat myself on a related point- anyone wanting more details about rules, or the reasoning behind any, are welcome to call me for a conversation. Keyboarding is a very inefficient means of information exchange, especially for questions that invariably lead to others, and/or questions best answered with detailed answers.

Thanks again Y'all.

Ron

254-253-1239 

Corretamundo, Miguel; you and Derrick were indeed the mid-wives of TEXtreme competitions! They'd have never been conceived without you guys' suggesting/requesting SOME kind of long-range airgun competition for those starved for anything by Covid cancellations of everything. In case I neglected to thank you and everyone else that contributed (because I am that old and senile), thank you!

By the way, is that 'RR Enterprises' trade-marked?