NSSA Shoot Reports

Oregon’s Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees

April 23, 2020 By Cara Woodard

Last September at the Fall Classic event held at Mid-Valley Clays, an appreciative crowd of shooters and family members celebrated the inaugural Oregon NSCA Hall of Fame (HOF) induction of three icons of the sport. It was exactly two months to the day since the topic of creating a potential HOF was discussed at the State Championships awards dinner. Although Oregon doesn’t have an official NSCA Association, the question was asked, “Why can’t we create a Hall of Fame program?” Well, we did just that, and a program was crafted, vetted by HOF Committee members, and nominations were received and voted upon.

The votes were unanimous, and there are now three inductees initiated into the newly created Oregon NSCA Hall of Fame. The 2019 inductees are Carl “Skip” Zapffe, Achievement Award; Walt Badorek (posthumously), Service Award; and Beverly Zapffe, Service/Achievement Award. Congratulations to our inaugural inductees.

Skip’s achievements are well documented: 23 continuous years as an All-American Team member, captain in five of those years, plus 50+ various other trophies within the Western U.S., usually earning three or more per event.

Beverly, too, has amassed many national, regional and state awards, however, many of today’s shooters aren’t aware that she was Oregon’s first National Delegate during NSCA’s initial 10 years of development. She emphasized communication and participation by all members and clubs joining the NSCA movement in the early years. Skip and Beverly were among the initial shooters to start sporting clays in their home state of Oregon. They have become beloved fixtures at all our sporting events locally, regionally and nationally.

On a national level, soon after sporting clays became a division of NSSA, Walt Badorek from Klamath Falls served as NSSA President (1990-1992) and helped create a solid foundation of the sport we love today. His induction into Oregon’s HOF completes the recognition of Walt’s previous NSSA and NSCA Hall of Fame honors.

All three have unofficially served as Oregon’s ambassadors of the sport and have represented the state well on the local and national stage. Visit the Oregon Sporting Clays website, www.ornsca.org, and the tab “Oregon Hall of Fame” to learn more of these folks’ accomplishments.

– Contributed by Tom Jones

Comstock Open

April 23, 2020 By Cara Woodard

This year’s Comstock, hosted by Vegas Skeet Association, was a great event attended by shooters from as far away as New Zealand, Canada, Massachusetts and at least eight other states.

With the impending coronavirus scenario threatening to close the county-owned facility, we managed to finish the shoot just under the wire.

Friday’s doubles event was in doubt due to rain early in the day, but the weather cleared up by shoot time. With overcast skies, the shooters were challenged. John Lyman bucked the weather to take the doubles with a score of 99, with James Murphy taking runner-up at 97.

On Saturday, the skies cleared and the wind pick up slightly. Neal Whitney and Sean MacWalter each shot a 99, with Neal Whitney victorious. MacWalter kept shooting well and broke 100 straight to take the 20-gauge title, with Randy Gutirrez taking runner-up with a score of 98.

Sunday brought about good weather with a slight breeze. Neal Whitney followed up on the previous day’s score with a 100 straight in 28-gauge for the championship, and Victor Cordova scored a 99 for runner-up. The .410 event proved to be tight, with Neal Whitney and Mark Saussure taking champ and runner-up.

Neal secured the HOA title with a score of 390, and John Imbt claimed runner-up with a 380.

The annual $500 Bender BCDE Challenge shoot-off came down to four shooters: B-class Larry Miranda and Gary Richter (with two misses allowed), C-class Aden Wyckoff (three misses) and E-class Jeff Galliher, with six misses. The shoot-off lasted a while, with Larry Miranda holding on to win the event and Aden Wyckoff and Jeff Galliher taking runner-up and third, respectively.

Thanks to Todd Bender for his generous support of the Vegas Skeet Association and the Comstock.

The fabulous Clark County Shooting Complex is where Vegas Skeet Association hosts their 11 annual events and multiple leagues. If you’re ever in Las Vegas or wish to attend one of their events, contact them at vegasskeet@gmail.com or visit nevadaskeet.com.

– Contributed by Bob Donovan

Red Nose Open

March 13, 2020 By

At zero dark thirty, the roads were clear, the sky overcast and the air temperature a brisk 26 degrees. An hour later, a quick-moving band of rain/sleet/snow dusted the area, but none of this dampened or deterred 18 brave and hearty shooters from coming out to the Red Nose Open at Fairfax Rod and Gun Club in Manassas, Virginia, on the morning of January 18. A week before, we had clear skies, still air, and 70 degrees – weather we ordered for the Red Nose Open but delivered a week too soon. Shoot management has spoken to the provider and requested that our preference is for our solicited weather to be delivered on the exact date. Cold weather and less than ideal conditions on this morning probably prompted some to stay in their warm beds and hibernate a little bit longer, but they missed the roaring fire, hot coffee and fresh Krispy Kreme donuts served up in the pavilion.

After noses warmed and fingers thawed, Jonathan Honey captured the gun championship with a solid 99, missing only one target by a single millimeter. Runner-up was Jason Armstrong, and third was Col. T.W. Williams. Class firsts, with no shoot-offs required, were Bob Myers (B), Garret Baisey (C), Sam Rathbone (D) and Mike Osgood (E). Some interesting results were posted in our options: only one shooter won the handicap option with a 99 and took all the handicap money. Sometimes it really pays to participate in the option events.

Starting with the Red Nose Open, Fairfax has a registered skeet event every two weeks into mid-March. These early shoots at Fairfax focus on getting new shooters involved, introducing shooters from our two winter leagues into registered skeet and showing both of these groups of shooters how much fun we all have coming out, breaking targets and making smoke. The newer shooters today become the experienced shooters of tomorrow.

We had one honey of a squad participate in challenging conditions, but all participants had a good time catching up with shooters that they had not seen since last year. Everyone is looking forward to all the other 12 planned shoots at Fairfax later in the year.

Thank you to our club manager Jamie Martin for getting up with us and to the referees for performing their duties on such a chilly day.

– Contributed by Jeff Bond

Indiana State Championships

March 13, 2020 By

The crowning of the 2019 Indiana State Skeet Champion, Owen Knight, was the end of a shooting season of many firsts for him. The skeet shooting season began with the announcement that Owen made the 2019 NSSA Sub-Junior All-American First Team. In May, when the shooting season was just getting underway for most of us in the Midwest, Owen traveled to the Detroit Gun Club in Walled Lake, Michigan, to shoot the Lou Raden Open, where he posted his first 100 straight in the 12-gauge event and won his first High Over All title. The following weekend, he entered the 3-I skeet championships held at Peoria Trap and Skeet Club in Peoria, Illinois. Another first was posted as he shot his first 100 straight in the doubles event.

By mid-summer, Owen had won many individual gun championships and HOA championships. He then traveled to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, home to the 2019 Junior World Skeet Championships, and accomplished another first: He shot his first 100 straight in the .410 event, earning him the Junior World .410 championship and contributing to his High Over All runner-up finish.

This achievement, as well as being the 2019 Indiana State Championship, contributed to a year that included 16 100 straights, eight High Over All championships, and 14 event championships for Owen.

– Contributed by Mike Kick

The Grizzly at New Pioneer Gun Club

January 17, 2020 By

With near-perfect weather conditions over the Labor Day weekend, skeet shooters from seven states came to track down the coveted trophy at The Grizzly shoot at New Pioneer Gun Club in Waukee, Iowa. It was also a renewal of the old traditions that have made this mid-size shoot one of the finest in the nation. The club brought back the High Handicap All-Around (HHAA) event, a prize-rich event that can be won by shooters of any class. The trophy was a Browning Buck Mark .22 pistol, valued at over $500.

Along with the trophy and other riches, there was fun, music, food and friendship. This shoot has brought good friends and new participants together for years. The New York strips were catered in from Rubes steak house and the live music was performed by Rob Lumbard. It doesn’t get any better than that.

The winner of the HHAA, with a 499, as well as the 12-gauge, was Mark VanderBloomer from Minnesota. Bob Rick, also from Minnesota, won the 20-gauge and 28-gauge with awesome shoot-offs, after running 100 straights in both. Iowa’s Dave McMillen won the .410 with a lone 98. Best of all, he brought a delicious cake for all the shooters to enjoy. Doubles was captured by Mike Jones from Iowa, with a 99. HAA and HOA honors went to Iowa’s Keith Brace with a 490 and 393, respectively. Keith did an outstanding job of coordinating the shoot committee and reaching out to Scheels to partner with us to be our main sponsor of the shoot. Chuck Follett also raised advertising funds for event sponsors. It’s a team effort, and we know next year will be even bigger. Thank you to Keith, NPGC board members and volunteers, sponsors, and most importantly, the shooters that came to Iowa to share this weekend.

– Contributed by Frank DeMarco