Clay Target Nation

The official magazine of the National Skeet Shooting Association and the National Sporting Clays Association

3F Summer Classic at 3F Club

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The 3F Club in Lewiston, New York, hosted the 3F Summer Classic on July 15-17. The 3F continues to host one of the top money shoots in New York, with over $2500 added money. The weather for the weekend was great with sunny blue skies and light winds. Mother Nature was kind this year compared to last year’s monsoon rains.

Friday’s doubles event resulted in two 98s posted by Brian Milanese and Dave Cooley, setting up a battle of the southpaws. Milanese took the championship, and class winners were Mat Kelley (AA), Matt Lenehan (A), John Boone (B) and Doug Goodman (C).

Saturday’s bright morning sun for the 12-gauge brought out the dark shooting glasses. Dave Cooley posted the lone 100 for the championship, and four 99s shot off for runner-up – Kody Hoth, Steve Wood, Jeff Ventry and Colin Smingler. After a lengthy shoot-off, Hoth claimed the runner-up title. Class winners were Steve Wood (AA), Jeff Ventry (A), Jon Zywiczynski (B), Dan Holdsworth (C), Owen Cooley (D) and Victor Stirpe (E).

After the lunch break sponsored by Ventry’s Pizza, shooters took to the fields to start the 28-gauge event. Two 99s were posted by Dr. Michael Ferchaw and Jon Zywiczynski; Ferchaw won the championship and Zywiczyski runner-up. Class winners were Steve Wood (AA), Bernie Lenehan (A), Brian Milanese (B), Cindy Johnson (C) and Owen Cooley (D).

Saturday night shooters and guests were treated to pulled pork, Natural Link locally made Italian, Polish and jalapeno sausage, shrimp, fruit trays and a dessert table. Thanks to our key sponsors this year, we were able to keep our traditional added money pay-outs in these uncertain times: Manth Manufacturing (our keynote sponsor for many years), Dawson Enterprises (ammo and reloading supplies from Massillon, Ohio) and Cambria Game Farms. Jimmy Johnson had the luck of his Swedish heritage, winning both 50/50 raffles, that paid for his weekend instead of his shooting.

Sunday had ideal weather conditions for the day. The lone 100 in the 20-gauge was posted by Kody Hoath, taking the championship. This was also Kody’s first 100 in the 20-gauge. Dave Cooley captured the runner-up title with the lone 99. Class winners Steve Wood (AA), Matt Lenehan (A), Christopher Dole (B), Doug Goodman (C) and Victor Stirpe (D).

In everyone’s favorite event, the .410, 97s were posted by Victoria Ferchaw and Aaron Burnett, with Aaron outlasting Victoria in the shoot-off to win the championship. Class winners Mat Kelley (AA), Jon Zywiczynski (A), Matt Lenehan (B), Victor Stirpe (C) and Owen Cooley (D).

The HOA crown came down to a pair of 389s posted by Mike Ferchaw and Steve Wood, squaring off on the shoot-off field. Ferchaw outlasted Wood for the win. Class winners were Mat Kelley (AA), Victoria Ferchaw (A), Christopher Dole (B), Doug Goodman (C) and Owen Cooley (D), as well as Junior Champion.

Thank you to all of our dedicated sponsors – without them, the shoot would not happen. Thanks also to our referees who did an excellent job and had the stamina to hang in there, and to all our volunteers who made this shoot possible – Mike Clarke, Fredo Vanoni, Dave Sobiegray, Jeff Ventry Rich Falcone and Tim Baldwin. Our thanks to Jackie Ventry and Lisa Kelly for running the shoot and dinner table and to all the shooters for making our event a growing success. Please join us again next year and bring along your new shooting friends. Hopefully things will get back to normal by then.

– Contributed by Dave Sobiegray

Generations Awards President’s Cup to George Gleich

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As an ambassador to skeet, one name that stands out among all is George Gleich. George has supported and promoted the game of skeet all across the country. He has shot over 250,000 NSSA lifetime registered targets at sanctioned events at gun clubs in 16 states. But more importantly, George has supported his club, Generations Skeet Club, and the Generations family. From attending league nights, rain or shine, to shooting all the club’s registered shoots and doing write-ups and photos of all those registered shoots for Clay Target Nation (and previously Skeet Shooting Review) for many years, to running the club on Sundays, George has been an amazing member of the Generations skeet family. He is helpful to all and will lend a shotgun or ammo to anyone in need or to help get a new shooter started.

George Gleich

George is a Level 1 NSSA Certified Instructor and has been a registered referee for years. He volunteers to referee the SCTP State Championship held there each year.

You won’t find a more honest or gracious man in the game than George.  He is a constant gentleman on and off the field. For these and many other reasons, Generations has awarded the first Generations Skeet President’s Cup to George Gleich.

– Contributed by Roy Holtz

Oregon Celebrates 30th Championship and Hall of Fame Inductees

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Oregon celebrated its 30th anniversary State NSCA Sporting Clays Championship on June 23-26. Host club Mid Valley Clays and owners Dave and Vandy Fiedler put on a great event enjoyed by 193 competitors from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Hawaii, Montana, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. At the traditional Saturday night awards banquet, the Sustain Oregon NSCA Fund raffled 40 boxes of shotgun shells as a large group of enthusiastic shooters and guests enjoyed a great BBQ dinner.

Dave Abel, Ellen Deleganes, Jerry Martin

A highlight of the annual awards banquet is the Hall of Fame (HOF) induction ceremony. A Nomination/Selection Committee looks back over the years and identifies those individuals who have achieved significant shooting accomplishments and/or made significant contributions in advancing the development and success of our sport. Congratulations to the following Oregon NSCA HOF inductees for 2022:

Shooting Achievement Award: Jerry Martin, Sr.

Service Award: David Abel and Ellen Deleganes

Each recipient received a crystal award, had their names added to the Oregon Hall of Fame Perpetual Plaque and their photo and career highlights displayed on the state association’s website, which you can see at www.ornsca.org/hof.html.

– Contributed by Tom Jones

David Abel
Ellen Deleganes
Jerry Martin

ORSA Youth Skeet Camp

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Oak Ridge Sportsman Association, along with NSSA, put on its 11th Annual Youth Skeet Camp in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on June 7-8. Fifteen youth athletes aged 8 to 17 years old attended the camp. Lead instructor, NSSA Level III Benji Turner, along with four additional certified instructors, taught the camp.

Turner reported, “The ORSA Skeet Camp was awesome, campers were motivated, and some learned a lot. Some of the advanced campers picked up a few more techniques to add to their skills. We had a couple campers hit 5 and 7 targets on the first round and ended with 20 and 19. We also had some campers shoot their personal high. We were blessed with good weather and a little rain, but the campers still eagerly went outside and shot. Great staff made this camp run smoothly. Food was great, and all seemed to learn a lot and had a great time.”

“Safety is the number one goal,” said Rick Andrews, Youth Camp Director. Safety briefings were held each day before the camp began, along with the instructors stressing safety on the fields.

The camp offered instruction for beginners to advanced shooters. Gun fitting, eye dominance, proper stance and advanced techniques were taught. The ORSA skeet facility threw more than 4,000 White Flyer targets through its new Lincoln skeet machines during the clinic.

Thanks to our many ORSA members who helped with the camp, providing food and water and filling up the machines. Without these volunteers, we could not put on our camp.

The 2023 ORSA-NSSA Skeet Camp is slated for next June. Dates and entry forms will be available this winter.

– Contributed by Cletus Mitchell

   

NSSA-NSCA Response to CA AB #2571

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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:

  • Requesting that member clubs immediately cease promotions to affected NSSA-NSCA members, as well as evaluating their communications and event/product promotions to ensure they are in compliance
  • Notifying our advertisers, sponsors, and industry partners of NSSA-NSCA’s actions being taken in response to AB #2571
  • Notifying MySkeet, Score Chaser, Winscore, other third-party registration and scoring platforms, and other vendors who communicate with NSSA-NSCA members, that they must refrain from marketing events to affected NSSA and NSCA members
  • Adding exclusionary language to digital and print publications, newsletter sign-up forms, and media kits
  • Instructing staff on maintaining compliance with this law
  • Notifying NSSA-NSCA Chief Instructors of AB #2571 and requesting that they refrain from contacting and marketing to affected members.
  • Notifying NSSA-NSCA governing bodies of the law and the actions being taken

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.
 

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