The official magazine of the National Skeet Shooting Association and the National Sporting Clays Association
NSCA was on the ground August 4-6 at the Western Regional Sporting Clays Championship at Longmeadow Clays Club in Colorado. We have hundreds of photos to share with you. If you see yourself or your friends, you’re welcome to download the photos.
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Photos by Kaleigh Lawson
In observance of the recently passed California Assembly Bill #2571, NSSA-NSCA must cease all advertising and marketing activities directed at individuals 17 years and younger in California. This includes ceasing to distribute Clay Target Nation magazine, Target Talk/Target Talk Lessons newsletters, CTN Extra newsletter, event promotions, and other association communications to affected members. We have purged all mailing and email lists of affected members for magazines, newsletters, and other communications. Processes are now in place to maintain compliance as affected member numbers change.
In addition to ceasing all advertising, marketing, and other communications with affected members, we have taken the following actions to ensure compliance with AB #2571 and mitigate risk to our association, our clubs, partners and affiliates:
You can learn more about California AB #2571 at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2571.
Any questions relative to NSSA-NSCA’s actions in response to AB #2571 should be directed to NSSA-NSCA Executive Director Michael Hampton, mhampton@nssa-nsca.com.
The annual Maryland State Skeet Championship was held at Loch Raven Skeet and Trap in Phoenix, Maryland, on August 27-29. The beautiful weather made for a great event.
Since the Maryland State Championship is an open state shoot, there are both open winners and state winners. Quite often they are the same person, but many times they are not. Here, we’re including the Maryland State Champions, but Open champions are included in the chart.
Doubles started on Friday, with a rain delay pushing the last rotation to the following morning. Alessandro Vitale had the lone 100 for champion, Sam Armstrong was runner-up at 98, and Jonathan Myrick was third with 97. State class winners in doubles were John Wells Jr. (AA), Gil Traore (A), Dan Cimbora (B), Bert Devonald (C) and Ethan Ruark (D).
Saturday’s 12-gauge event had 100s shot by Dylan Lee (his first) and Sam Armstrong. After a shoot-off, Armstrong was the 12-gauge champion and Dylan Lee runner-up. Following the 100s, there were three 99s who shot off for third place, with Bernie Warnowicz winning the shoot-off. Class winners were Alessandro Vitale (AAA), John Wells Jr. (AA), Mike Wollard (A), Jeremy Dvorak (B), Tom Fowler (C), Robert Senesi (D) and Murrell Smith (E).
The 20-gauge competition resulted in three perfect scores. When the shoot-off concluded, Sam Armstrong was champion, with Bert Devonald as runner-up and John Swidrak in third. Class winners were Alessandro Vitale (AAA), Mark Gay (AA), Bernie Warnowicz (A), Jacob Ruark (B), Dylan Lee (C) and Paul White (D).
After shoot-offs, the shooters were treated to dinner from Corner Stable and a raffle was conducted. After a spirited and successful raffle, the 2020 Maryland State Team awards were presented. Following presentation of the state awards, Sam Armstrong was presented with an award for 25 consecutive years on the Maryland State Team.
Kicking off Sunday morning was the 28-gauge event. After Dylan Lee’s hat was shot for his 12-gauge 100, Mark Gay and Sam Armstrong shot off their 100s. Mark Gay won the shoot-off, taking champion, and Sam Armstrong was runner-up. Three 99s shot off for third, with Gil Traore taking the third spot on the podium. Class winners were Alessandro Vitale (AAA), Jonathan Myrick (AA), Maj Tavakoli (A), Dylan Lee (B), Joe Weinbrecht (C) and Brian Vess (D).
Sunday afternoon concluded with the Maryland State .410 event, and Alessandro Vitale claimed the champion spot with the lone 100. Jonathan Myrick took runner-up with a 99 and George Giammittorio took third with a 98. Class winners include Sam Armstrong (AAA), John Wells Jr. (AA), John Swidrak (A), Skip Spessard (B), Jacob Ruark (C) and Joe Weinbrecht (D).
Sam Armstrong and Alessandro Vitale tied for the HOA with 396 targets, with Alessandro Vitale claiming the championship after a shoot-off. Jonathan Myrick took third place with a 390. Class winners were John Wells Jr. (AA), George Giammittorio (A), Jacob Ruark (B), Dylan Lee (C), Robert Senesi (D) and William Fields (E). The Lady HOA champion for the weekend was Danielle Murdock with a 382, followed by Debbi Perry at 352.
Many thanks to our sponsors and volunteers. We could not have a successful shoot without all the volunteers. Thanks to Loch Raven Skeet and Trap for hosting another great event and to Paul D’Amato for working tirelessly on the machines to give us good targets. All of the Maryland State officers deserve a big thank you for all the hard work. See you next year at the 2022 Maryland State Championships.
– Contributed by Danielle Murdock
Memorial skeet shoots are all about remembering and memorializing some of our greatest shooters. That’s the case with the Gil Rodler Memorial. He attended every Pennsylvania State Skeet Championship from 1954 until 2013. Further, he won more of those PA Championship titles than just about anyone. But the longevity of his year-after-year PA State Championship attendance does set him apart – 60 straight years.
But there’s more. He won national titles like the U.S. Open Doubles Championship. While Gil shot a Krieghoff Model 32 for most of his 4-gun career, he shot Doubles with a Perazzi MT6 with a Modified choke in the second barrel. He was noted for shooting the second doubles target way, way out there and smashing it. Gil was also well known as not only a serious competitor, but one with grim determination that showed on his face, his body, his every muscle. These days we’re told to relax while shooting. Rodler never shot relaxed.
September 3, 2018, was the fourth annual Gil Rodler Memorial. It takes place at the Tarentum District Sportsman’s Club near Sarver, PA. Our tradition for this shoot is always Labor Day – as well as 50 targets in the .410, 28, 20 and 12 gauge – in that order – so a one-day shoot. With the club’s three fields we are limited to 30 4-gun shooters (four flights), and this year’s shoot was filled within 24 hours of announcement – testimony to local shooters who have such respect for Gil Rodler, and to the Tarentum District Sportsmen’s Club as well, with its totally renovated clubhouse and all new Lincoln skeet, trap, 5-stand and sporting clays traps.
Well-known Pennsylvania shooter Roy Holtz won the High Overall Championship with a 195. Josh Crofutt was only one target behind for runner-up. Crofutt also won the .410. Tom Shields was 28-gauge champ, Josh Crofutt the 20-gauge, and Tim Holtz won the 12-gauge.
The club always puts out a great lunch spread, and this year’s Rodler Memorial was no exception. Kudos to kitchen help Regina Nemergut, Marie Palmer (who also shot the full program) and all the others who helped. Running the shoot was Dave Cominsky, using the NSSA skeet shoot software.
This club intends to keep the Rodler memory alive with a Labor Day shoot for years to come. The 50-target, 4-gun format has been very popular with our local shooters. We shoot the 12-gauge last to eliminate the need for cleaning barrels by tube-set shooters. We shoot 50 .410s first. Shooters bring their 28-gauge guns or tubes and shells. Consequently, immediately following the 50 .410 targets, we’re able to start the 28-gauge with no delay. Same with the 20- and 12-gauge events: shoot the 20 first and go right into the 12-gauge with no time lost. We find this an efficient way for each competitor to get in 200 targets in the day. We try to finish shoot-offs early enough that shooters can get back to their families for the rest of the Labor Day holiday.
– Contributed by Nick Sisley
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