The official magazine of the National Skeet Shooting Association and the National Sporting Clays Association
Champions at the Knotty Pine 4×50, held July 10-12 at the Knotty Pine Skeet Club in Ontario, were: Steve Loveday, HOA, with 195×200; Keith Keindel, 12-gauge, 50×50; Jim Malcolm, 20-gauge, 50×50; Bryant Goodwin, 28-gauge, 50×50; and Steve Malcolm, .410-bore, 48×50. Congratulations to all the Knotty Pine champions in the final shoot of the 2020 season.
Because the Kasle Family Charity shoot is held mid-September, the weather can be a little iffy. It might be sunny and warm; it could be cold and rainy; or we could even see thunderstorms. For this year’s Kasle Family Charity shoot, held September 11-13 at the Detroit Gun Club, we lucked out for a change and actually had pretty nice weather! There were nearly 80 competitors from 10 states, with a number of first-timers in attendance. Given this is the year of COVID and none of our usual “foreigners” were able to attend, it was a pretty good showing. All were anticipating the Saturday night show that is the hallmark of the Kasle Open.
The shoot always starts with a .410 bore, 75-target Event 6 in which the top 10 scores participate in a themed shoot-off on Saturday night. Two 75s and three 74s automatically qualified for the finals, and six 73s had a shoot-in for the remaining five spots, which took all of three stations to decide.
In doubles, the breezy, somewhat cool conditions saw a lone 100 by Aaron Benton for the championship, followed by Brent Edwards’ 99 for runner-up. Four 98s took to the field to determine who would take the last spot on the podium, with Dave Scott the victor, followed by Ed Smith (AAA1) and Bruce Christian (A1). Shoot-offs of 96s settled AA, with Owen Knight the winner. Billy Nielsen (B), Jim Berg (C) and Wes Lafountain (D) rounded out the class winners. Trish Magyar was Lady champ.
12-Gauge and 20-Gauge. Saturday morning’s conditions started a little on the cool side but quickly warmed up to near 80 degrees and no puffy clouds. Not surprisingly, there were 11 100s posted in the 12-gauge and eight perfect scores in the 20-gauge. Add to that the plethora of 99s (8 and 12, respectively), and it’s a wonder the number of 100 straights wasn’t higher. The venerable Craig Parsons was the victor over Ed Smith two stations shy of a box. Gerald (no, NOT Gordon!) Novak took third, followed by John Fournier (AAA1) and Mike Rykaczewski (A1).
Surprisingly, there was a lone 99 for AA1 by Al Magyar. Jim Blanchard won his shoot-off of 98s for B1; Jeff Wright won a three-way shoot-off of 97s (one of which was his wife Linda who was Lady champ with her personal best) for C1; and Kyle Krispin (D1) and Ryley Carroll (E1) were at the top of their classes with 95s. In the 20-gauge event, Gerald Novak’s son (yes, that would be Gordon) claimed the championship over Owen Knight, again two stations shy of the box, with Ed Bowker, third. Paul Giambrone was AAA1; Mark Vaillancourt, AA1 and Craig Parsons, A1 with their 100s. Jeff Wright (B), Ed Brown (C) and Linda Wright (D) finished at the top their classes. Debbi Perry was Lady Champ. With the day’s main events in the books, it was time to get on with the show!
Kasle Cup. Twenty years ago, in 2000, the Kasle Cup started as the Walker Cup, named for the original sponsor, Spike Walker. Over the years it has had different sponsors and, hence, different names. But the idea behind the event has always remained the same: to put some fun back into skeet shooting. Each year has had a different theme, with the shooters making it to the finals dressing the part. Often the contestants are on different teams, with the crowd getting into the action. The themes over the years have been WWF, Rock Stars, West Side Story (Sharks vs Jets), Heroes and Villains, NFL (AFC vs NFC), NASCAR, Professional Rodeo, Pirates, the Olympics, Woodstock, Caddyshack, Top Shot, Slap Shot, Dr. Seuss, Stripes and Top Gun, Snow White and Dorf on Skeet, Detroit Skeet City based upon the classic movie (Detroit Rock City) featuring KISS, the Greatest Shoot (Show) on Earth, Looney Tunes, and, last year, Old McDonald’s Farm. This year’s theme was “Wayne-o’s World” (based on the Saturday Night Live skit and subsequent movie) in honor of the late, great Wayne Mayes. The show started with a spectacular fireworks display. The contestants were introduced by hosts “Wayne” (Billy Ray Suggs) and “Garth” (Mike Kremski) and were all sporting hairdos of mullets, and the contestants were coached on how to “schwing!” They shot flash targets, with music playing and the crowd heckling them, making for quite a spectacle. Rarely has the shoot-off gone more than a round, which is understandable given all the commotion, and this year was no exception. When the smoke finally cleared, Paul Giambrone was the winner of the coveted crystal bowl, which was presented by “Wayne,” Debbie Behnke, Linda Mayes and “Garth” on behalf of the event sponsors, Roger, Lisa, Matt and Jill Kasle.
28-Gauge and .410 Bore. Sunday’s conditions, though slightly cooler and slightly breezy, were pretty nice with a high overcast. Three shooters scratched out 100s, with Dess Ivanov the champion one station shy of the box over Fred Tschantz, runner-up, and Mike Rykaczewski, third. Lone 99s by Gordon Novak (AAA) and Vaillancourt (AA) were at the top of their classes. Jason Johnson (A) in a shoot-off of 98s, Jeff Wright (B), Bill Brown (C) and Carra Couturier (D) won their respective classes. Loraine Malloy was Lady champ. As it seems to usually be the case, the wind picked up for .410 bore in the afternoon. A lone 100 was posted by Gerald’s son, Gordon, to win outright. In a shoot-off of 99s, Giambrone dispatched first-time attendee and squadmate Nick Godfrey in four stations to take runner-up. Ed Smith had a lone 98 for AAA1, as did Edward Bowker for A1. Ivanov took two pairs to win AA1, and Blanchard (C1) and Lafountain (D1) were at the top of their classes. Debbi Perry was Lady Champ.
High Over All. In the High Over All race, after three events there was one shooter down one target; one shooter down two; four down three; and, five down four targets. So, once again, it would all come down to the baby bore. When the final shot was fired in the .410, Gordon and Giambrone were tied with 397s, which Giambrone won by hitting his pair on station 3. Rykaczewski was alone with 396 for third. All the other class winners were decided without having to fire another shot, with Smith (AAA), Parsons (AA), Dennis Jameson (A), Jeff Wright (B), Malloy (C) and Linda Wight (D) the winners. Debbi Perry was Lady Champion.
Once again, a grand time was had by all in Wayne-O’s World. Untold thanks go to our sponsors Roger, Lisa, Matt and Jill Kasle without whose generous support, this shoot, the fireworks show and charity donation would not be possible. Without fail, once again, Scott Behnke and his assistant manager, Danny, did a great job ensuring the targets flew true; the referees were excellent, keeping their thumbs on the buttons and giving us the targets when we called for them; the kitchen staff of Chef Shirley, with waitress Kristina, made sure that no one went hungry (or thirsty!). Our shoot staff of Debbi and Debbie greeted the shooters with cheery smiles, efficiently entered and posted the scores and ensured the shoot-off sheets were ready to go after the last shot was fired. Debbie (Behnke) even did double duty as a referee!!
Next year the Motor State is scheduled for July 9-11, and the Kasle Family Charity Open, September 17-19. So, look for our ads in Target Talk, or go to MichiganSkeet.com, and get your registration in early; we guarantee you will have a Schwinging great time at Detroit Gun Club!
– Contributed by Trish Magyar
The 6th Annual Couples Shoot was held at Generations Skeet Club near Patton, Pennsylvania, on September 20. The weather was lovely, low to mid-60s, not a cloud in the beautiful blue sky, and not too much wind.
The Couples Shoot was initiated by Generations in 2015, and 14 couples participated that first year. The goals of the shoot were, and are: to introduce new shooters (especially ladies and younger shooters) to skeet; to have fun shooting while stressing gun safety; to enjoy an early autumn afternoon with a fine group of people, and, of course, to eat! Twenty-two couples shot this year. This was down a bit from last year, but with COVID-19 and everything else going on in the world right now, it was a nice turnout.
Shooting began at 11 a.m., and all four of the skeet fields were soon involved. Many of the participants were first-time shooters. Certified instructors were present to help new shooters. Generations also provided shotguns and shells to those who needed them. Pullers and scorers included Paige McMullen and her sister Andrea. A group of students from the Mount Aloysius clay-target shooting team also participated. This newly formed team practices and competes at Generations under the direction of Tim and Joe Vescovi.
Squads of four or six people participated. All NSSA safety rules were strictly enforced, but some of the other rules were slightly “bent” at times to help new shooters. For example, some new shooters shot four singles instead of two singles and a double at times, and congratulating a new shooter each time they smoked a bird was encouraged.
At approximately 4 p.m., after everyone had shot at 50 birds (two rounds), shoot-offs began. Liberal, but top-secret, handicaps were applied, which allowed all the couples to shoot doubles at 3, 4 and 5. The shoot-offs were also handicapped with experienced shooters receiving no targets and rookies getting 4. Following the first round of shoot-offs, the remaining eight pairs of shooters proceeded to field 2 for the final shoot-off. A large crowd of spectators watched and cheered as the winners were decided. Brock and Aubrey Shirk emerged as the Couples Shoot Champions. Aubrey was awarded the custom tiara decorated with spent shotgun shells, and Brock received a custom blue ribbon. Shoot runners-up were Frank Smithmyer and Paige McMullen, while third place went to Ben Greitzer and his mother Carley. Mugs commemorating the event, custom-made by Jeff Meidinger, were presented to all three couples.
After the shooting was done, people migrated to “The Barn,” about 200 yards from the skeet clubhouse, for a fine picnic-style dinner. Ryan Holtz and Frank Smithmyer cooked the chicken on-site and many people brought covered dishes and desserts. There was plenty of food and drink on hand, but best of all had to be the new friendships that were formed.
Many thanks to the Generations skeet family for hosting a great event. We are already looking forward to next year and the seventh iteration!
– Contributed by George Gleich
Wonderful weather and targets greeted roughly 60 shooters at the James Bealmear Memorial skeet shoot, held September 11-13. For the fourth time this year, Loch Raven Skeet and Trap center hosted a vigorous competition, this time over the substantial prize packages afforded via Mr. Bealmear’s generous estate. James was a lifelong competitor whose final act for the sport was to offer this wonderful opportunity to shooters.
The doubles and 20-gauge event saw no 100s and were instead contested via 99s. Alessandro Vitale took the doubles and Jonathan Myrick the 20-gauge. Saturday afternoon’s 12-gauge brought three perfect scores, with Sam Armstrong emerging as the victor. On Sunday, Gilbert Traore won the 28-gauge and .410 outright via a flawless performance for the day. The HOA winner ended up being Mark Gay with a 395. Thanks to Jimmy, these shooters were treated to $500 gun champ prizes ($250 runner-ups) and a $1000 HOA prize ($500 runner-up).
If you have never been to Loch Raven and would like to have your chance at the next Bealmear Memorial, contact Jonathan Myrick at skeetchair@lochravenskeettrap.com. We look forward to seeing you!
– Jonathan Myrick
In a year when COVID-19 has upended all areas of life, the Virginia State Skeet Shooting Championships proved no exception. The Virginia Skeet Shooting Association Board of Directors made the difficult decision to reschedule the shoot, originally planned for September 9-13, to October 8-11, to help protect the health and safety of its members and the community of the host club, Arrowhead Gun Club.
The 82nd State Championships kicked off on Thursday, October 8, with 84 shooters registered and ready to begin shooting the 20-gauge and doubles events. The club looked wonderful, thanks to hard work and upgrades across the board. The Arrowhead State Shoot Team (led by Randy Baisey, Sharon Bolan, Herman Newcomb, Roy Carter, James Jenkins, Ronnie Newcomb, Jack Stebbins and many others not listed here) deserve huge thanks for their efforts to ready the club for competition, their flexibility during trying times, and keeping things running smoothly throughout the weekend.
Friday’s 20-gauge and 28-gauge events, and subsequent shoot-offs, became a race against daylight as the remnants of Tropical Storm Delta made an entrance earlier than predicted. Jordan Garrett captured the 20-gauge title; Muhamed Ed-Zoghbi, runner-up; and Senior Veteran shooter Bob Myers, third. Class winners were Mattison Russell (AAA), Tom Vance (AA), Dick Weinley (A), Jacob Davis (B), Charles Maddox (C), and Lee Lenhart (D). Winning the 28-gauge was John Snyder, with Jacob Davis at runner-up and Garrett Jordan, third. Class winners were Jeff Bond (AAA), Muhamed El-Zoghbi (AA), Dick Weinley (A), T. J. Wright (B), Charles Maddox (C) and Ashly Palles (D).
After shoot-offs, and during the General Membership Meeting, shooters and guests enjoyed a creatively (and safely) presented array of snacks and beverages, thanks to the hard work of Pam Hanks, John Caperton, and Bill Chiswell, and assisted by Marti, Shelby and Hannah Austin, and Stephanie and Alaina Whitley. State Teams were recognized and presented their plaques. Highlights of the evening included the presentation of VSSA Sportsman of the Year, awarded to Jeff Bond, Referee of the Year posthumously awarded to Chris Isley, and the President’s Award, presented to Lane Hartle.
Saturday brought rain. Of course it rained – it’s 2020 – but that didn’t hold back dedicated shooters making the shoot happen and trying their best to compete in difficult conditions. Jeff Bond won the 12-gauge event, Mattison Russell was runner-up and Jim Hickerson third. Class winners were Garrett Jordan (AAA), Mark Scott (AA), Jacob Davis (A), Clarence Dawson (B), Charles Maddox (C), James Reinhold (D) and James Jenkins (E). Doubles saw John Snyder, Frank Davis and Garrett Jordan capturing the top three spots.
One of the highlights of the State Shoot is always the special B-C-D-E HOA Shoot-off. Class winners were determined by shoot-offs and then the lucky four (B-Joe Helms, C-Charles Maddox, D-Roger Warner, E-Robert Tucker) returned to the shoot-off field to vie for the $100 prized generously donated by Mark Scott. When the dust settled, Charles Maddox was the 2020 B-C-D-E HOA winner. Shooters and their guests enjoyed a delicious barbecue dinner hosted by Arrowhead after shoot-offs, and some lucky shooters got to take home a variety of prizes generously donated by Billy Williams at Briley.
Sunday brought the .410 and more rain. Mattison Russell took top honors, followed by John Snyder, runner-up, and Mark Scott, third. Class winners were Jeff Bond (AAA), Tom Vance (AA), Jim Hickerson (A), Monty Sprouse (B), Matthew Hamilton (C) and Charles Russell (D). High Overall title went to John Snyder, with Mattison Russell runner-up and Garrett Jordan third. Mattison was also the Lady HOA champion, the Junior HOA champion, and the Champion of Champions. Logan Ellis, grandson of long-time Arrowhead shooter and friend to all, Ed Ellis, was Sub-Junior HOA winner. Our Sub-Junior and Junior shooters continue to enjoy the support and generosity of the Milton Mills Memorial awards and benefits, as well as the Bond NSSA Life Membership Award and the VSSA Award.
There is no way to adequately thank the outstanding shoot management team (Mark Parker, our Chief Referee, Tonda Finney, Kristi Garstang and Darlene Parker on the desk, and Darlene coordinating awards and trophies) and Tom Hill, for all their hard work to make this shoot a success. We especially appreciate our dedicated referees, who came from far and near to help make this shoot happen.
This State Shoot weekend, with all the bumps in the road leading up to it, provided many moments of wonderful fellowship, friendships, and sportsmanship, and reminded us why we are grateful for this sport we love – in good times and in bad.
We look forward to next year’s 83rd Virginia State Skeet Championships, to be held at Conservation Park of Virginia, September 8-12, 2021.
– Contributed by Hannah Goddard
– Photos by Tonda Finney and Jack Stebbins
