Victor Rod and Gun Club hosted the 31st anniversary of the JTH Agency Classic on June 7-9. This was the 16th consecutive year that John and Elizabeth Hessney, owners of the JTH Agency, sponsored the event. Shooters traveled to the club from Western and Central New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Canada. After a wet spring in Western New York, the weather turned sunny, much to the delight of everyone. Thanks to the efforts of the members, the grounds looked like a well-manicured golf course.

The JTH Agency Classic started with the Doubles competition on Friday afternoon, with 36 shooters taking to the fields under clear skies and warm temperatures. A perfect score of 100 was elusive, but Rick Laurito, Ian Smingler and Don Lewandoski were able to post scores of 99. In a long shoot-off, Laurito prevailed as Doubles champ, with Ian Smingler claiming the runner-up title. Lewandoski took the A1 class title. Other Doubles winners were Bill Kalwas (AA), Victoria Barner (B), Doug Goodman (C) and Joe Messineo (D).

Saturday’s weather was perfect for skeet, as the winds were calm all day, and the blue sky presented a good background. A total of 49 shooters took the field for Saturday morning’s .410 bore event. Junior shooter Hunter Dickerman posted a fine score of 99 to beat the field and become the .410 champ. Four shooters finished with the next-best score of 97, with Scott Janowski winning a spirited shoot-off to finish as the .410 runner-up. The balance of the .410 field of winners were Ian Smingler (AA), Rick Laurito (A), Ed Call (B), Doug Goodman (C) and John Cicora (D).

Saturday afternoon featured the 20-gauge competition. Steve Wood, Dess Ivanov, and Colin Smingler ran all of the birds for the first 100s of the tournament. Steve Wood outlasted his rivals in the shoot-off to take the 20-gauge champ title, and Dess Ivanov claimed 20-gauge runner-up. The balance of the class winners were John Kapron (AA), Colin Smingler (A), Mark Jesske (B), John Yackiw (C) and Terry Prem (D).

Again this year, shooter Randy Cook generously donated $300 in added money for a special 20-gauge handicapped event for B-C-D class shooters. Mark Jesske, Joe Messineo and John Yackiw all posted handicap-aided scores of 97 and split the prize money.

Partly sunny skies, temperatures in the 80s, and a stiff breeze were in store for the 50 shooters for Sunday’s lead-off 28-gauge event. John Kapron posted the lone 100 in the 28-gauge event. Wood and Dickerman were one bird behind, and after a suspenseful shoot-off, Wood emerged as 28-gauge runner-up, with Dickerman the AA class winner. Other winners included Peter Bogdon (A), Mark Snyder (B), Victor Stirpe (C) and Todd Abbey (D).

The 12-gauge event concluded the four guns on Sunday afternoon. Scott Janowski, Steve Wood and Justin Aldrich all crushed 100 targets. Janowski was the victor in the shoot-off to take the 12-gauge champ crown. Wood finished as runner-up, making Aldrich the AA class champ. Other 12-gauge winners were John Kapron (A), Jim Grundman (B), Larry Filmore (C), John Yackiw (D) and Terry Prem (E).

After the conclusion of the four-gun events, Steve Wood strolled his way to the HOA title uncontested with a fine 395×400 score. Canadian John Kapron was only one target behind Wood and became the HOA runner-up. Other HOA honors went to Ivanov (AA), Hunter Dickerman (A), Jim Reilly (B), Mark Jesske (C), Joe Messineo (D) and Terry Prem (E).

For the eighth year, the HOA competition featured the added handicapped HOA Challenge, with all four-gun shooters automatically entered. In previous years, this event was named the JTH Challenge. This year it was renamed “Joe’s Challenge” in memory of Joe Strazzeri, a stalwart member of the Victor Rod and Gun Club who passed away last year. John Kapron won the Joe’s Challenge event for the second year in a row and received a Beretta A-300 Outlander shotgun. Hunter Dickerman claimed second place to win a $600 Briley gift certificate. The third-place prize of a Beretta over/under shotgun hard case went toJim Grundman.

The JTH Agency Classic is a great source of pride for the members of the Victor Rod and Gun Club. Special thanks to our shoot chairman Andy Nolan, chief referee Dan Caryl and his crew, to advertisers in the shoot program, and to the shooters who keep this event on their shoot calendars each year. We can’t thank sponsors John and Elizabeth Hessney enough for their support and generosity. We look forward to seeing everyone again in 2020!

– Contributed by Wes Bailey

Generations Skeet Club (formerly the 7-H Skeet Club) near Patton, Pennsylvania, hosted their 16th annual Ralph Holtz Memorial Shoot on May 31 through June 2.

Forty-one shooters shot at least one gun. Mike Wollard was HOA Champion after he won a shoot-off of 388s with Clay Gormish, runner-up. Meghan Darrough was the Ladies HOA Champion.

Seventeen shooters shot Doubles on Friday afternoon with partly sunny and breezy conditions. Mitch Chirdon’s 98 made him the outright champion. Class firsts went to Chris Kline (AA), Roy Holtz (A), Dave Cominsky (B, after a shoot-off of 96s with Tim Holtz), John Davies (C) and Joe McGarvey (D).

The 28-gauge shooting began on a sunny and warm Saturday morning, with 39 shooters participating. Roy Holtz was outright champion with a nice 99. Class firsts were Kline (AA), Wollard (A), Mark Saussure (B), Paul Hunt (C) and Jack Makdad (D).

The 3-Man Blind event (to be based on Sunday’s .410 scores) was set up with lively auction bidding for the 10 computer-picked teams before the meal on Saturday night.

Food was served in The Barn, adjacent to the skeet fields, on Saturday evening. Joe Vescovi provided delicious smoked cheese and grilled venison hors d’oeuvres. Grilled chicken quarters and Swedish meatballs highlighted the main menu with fried potatoes, several pasta salads and coleslaw also available. No one went away hungry – or thirsty, as beer and homemade wine were provided along with soft drinks.

After eating, several shooters and friends went over the hill from the skeet fields to relax, discuss the weekend’s events, have a drink and recreate around Lake Eddie. Several folks brought their fishing rods, and some nice-sized bass were caught and released. Storms moved through the area overnight, but the weather moved out by early Sunday morning.

The 3-Man Blind winners were Gary Nace, Mark Saussure and Debra Meade, who won $50 each. Bill Straub bought the winning team and took home $405.

The 20-gauge event, with 36 shooters, was last and took place on Sunday afternoon under changeable skies and a brisk wind at times. Kline and Frank Smithmyer shot 100 straights. Kline won the shoot-off and was champion. Smithmyer, Wollard, Nace, McGarvey and Hunt, respectively, took firsts in AA, A, B, C and D classes.

The shoot management team included Ryan and Matt Holtz in registration and scorekeeping and Michael Vescovi, chief referee. The young and efficient non-shooting referees were Abby Lansberry, Paige McMullen, Adam Bobak and Zach Stoltz, and all did a great job. As usual, Pat Leyo provided yummy doughnuts, much to everyone’s delight.

Ralph Holtz, the namesake for this shoot, died in 2003. Ralph’s wife Mary Louise, the Holtz family matriarch, died in October, 2018 at the age of 93. Both Ralph and Mary Louise are in the Pennsylvania Skeet Shooting Hall of Fame. Beginning next year, the Ralph Holtz Memorial Shoot will be renamed the Holtz Memorial Shoot in honor of both of them. The year will be retained, i.e., next year’s shoot will be called the 17th annual Holtz Memorial.

– Contributed by George Gleich

Congratulations to Jerry Classen, 2019 inductee to the Nebraska Skeet Shooting Hall of Fame. Classen is shown with his family at the awards banquet.

 

Also honored were the 2019 Nebraska All-State Team, based on the 2018 shoot year. Rob Predmore was named captain of the team. Other team members include Dave Meisinger, Jacob Uphoff, Kurt Mann and Tim Hartzog.

The Virginia Open at Fairfax Rod and Gun Club (Manassas, Virginia), on the last weekend in April, began at high noon on Friday on a windy note, with bands of rain coming through later in the day. This time the Virginia Open featured five handmade Damascus steel knifes, made by the Virginia Knifemakers Guild, which were awarded to each of the gun champs. Additionally, large cans of Virginia peanuts were given to each of the 12-gauge class first winners … so, 12-gauge shooters were literally shooting for peanuts.

For the seven scheduled flights of Doubles, only 11 brave and bold souls ventured out for the challenge of turbulent targets. Clay Gormish (PA) persevered and claimed the Doubles gun championship with a 94, winning his first knife. Doubles runner-up at 90 was Mike Ramsey, and third, at 88, went to Jeff Miller.

The winds continued into Saturday morning for the 20-gauge event, but the rain had already passed through. With wind gusts creating havoc with our clay targets, 20-gauge shooters had to have a strong mental focus. There was a three-way tie for the top three spots; following a spirited shoot-off, Clay Gormish was Champion and collected his second knife. Jim Hickerson finished as runner-up, and Mike Ramsey captured third.

By the time 12-gauge targets were being released, the weather was near perfect, and the 53 shooters had calm weather, comfortable temperatures and no more weather excuses. There were only two 99s posted, and after a lively shoot-off, Mike Ramsey was declared Champion and won the largest of the knives. It was the young man heading off to the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) soon – Paden Levy (99) – that took the runner-up position, and Doug Frazier (98) was third. Those winning the Virginia peanuts for class first were Jason Armstrong AA1, Col. Tom Williams A1, Jonathan Honey B1, Jeff Miller C1, Colton Barrick D1 and Jeff Key E1.

Dinners at Fairfax are our specialty, with thick steaks, baked potatoes and all the fixins. Our steaks were prepared by our pair of extraordinary pitmaster cooks, Jeff Bolster and Bill Richbourg.

The great weather conditions carried over into Sunday morning, and the 28-gauge Champion was again Clay Gormish, posting the only 100 and claiming his third knife. Runner-up at 99 was Doug Frazier, and third (98) was Jason Armstrong.

Once the .410 event started, the winds returned and were back up to their old tricks – some targets dropped like stones, others took off like rockets, a few reversed directions in flight, and at least one just floated in one position, daring to be shot. Three shooters were able to hang onto 93s for a three-way shoot-off for Champion. After a screaming target took John Murphy out for third, Clay Gormish and Jim Hickerson battled in the longest shoot-off of the weekend. Under a little less than ideal conditions, each would double-check their hold-points, their look-points, take deadly aim and call for the pair. The battle went from station to station and back again – when would this madness end? On their second time back on station 5, the anticipated finally happened — a wind gust made the outgoing target jump just enough that the shot stream missed it by a fraction of an inch and concluded the shoot-off. Clay Gormish won the .410 event and his fourth knife for the weekend, completing his cutlery set. Jim Hickerson claimed .410 runner-up.

With his fine shooting, Clay Gormish was the HOA Champion, Paden Levy claimed HOA runner-up and Jim Hickerson earned HOA third. Additionally, Patti Day (MD) was the Lady HOA for the weekend.

Our thanks to the referees for pulling all the targets and remaining steady throughout the changing weather conditions; Jamie Martin for keeping everything working and making adjustments as required; Dutch Hillenburg for donated coupons to the Signal Hill Supply Pro Shop, and Connie and Van Keys for supporting our dinner functions. Special recognition goes to Terri Bolster for taking on the role of being the new DOE – Dinner Organizer Extraordinaire – we all thank you.

– Contributed by Jeff Bond

It was spring in Texas, and anything can happen, especially related to weather. How many times has bad weather been predicted prior to a shoot and then the weather was not a factor at all? Not so for the Penny Penwell Memorial Shoot on April 12-14, hosted by Grand Prairie Gun Club. The Doubles Event started and ended on Friday as normal for any three-day shoot in Texas – but that would not be the case for the rest of the shoot.

On Friday, Doubles were dominated by Grand Prairie members. Forty-two shooters participated in the event, with Grand Prairie shooters ending up at the top of the leader board. Jason Foshea was Champion, Will Chisum, runner-up, and Adam Roberts, third, shooting 99, 98 and 97 with no shoot-offs.

The 12-gauge event began bright (well, not so bright) and early on Saturday morning. Several days prior to the shoot, rain and thunderstorms were predicted for Saturday. Many were hopeful the weather prediction was wrong, but those hopes quickly dissipated as 40 shooters showed up to do their best in spite of the rain and thunderstorms. The 9:00 a.m. squad was delayed in starting, and shooting stopped twice during that rotation for lightning in the area. As the morning continued, it was evident it would take all day with the delays that continued to plague the 12-gauge event. Richard Funk, Adam Roberts and Cody Sergeant captured Champion, runner-up and third, respectively.

You are probably wondering what happened for the 20-gauge event, since the 12-gauge took so long to complete. Shoot chairman Randy Walhood wisely made the call to cancel the 20-gauge after the 12-gauge event was completed about 3:00 pm. No complaining from shooters on this decision!

What a difference a day makes! On Sunday, the weather had cleared up and sunny skies were once again the norm. Volunteers from the Grand Prairie Gun Club worked to clear the stations of water and mud. They swept the water away to dry off those shooting pads – that is just a small picture of how dedicated the Grand Prairie members are to hosting a great shoot. Fifty-one shooters showed up for the 28-gauge event. Donny Penwell was crowned Champ after winning the shoot-off of the 99s with three other shooters. Donny is the son of longtime Grand Prairie member Penny Penwell, for whom the shoot is named. Richard Funk and Troy Behrens ended with runner-up and third, respectively, for the 28-gauge.

Fifty shooters stuck around to complete the .410-bore event. Jason Foshea once again dominated the field with the lone 100. Bradley Pang captured the runner-up position with a 98 and was also the Junior Champ. Cody Sergeant captured third with a shoot-off of 97s.

Thirty-eight shooters competed in the HOA championship. It is no surprise that Jason Foshea once again reigned supreme as the Champ with a 295. Cody Sergeant and Richard Funk were in a shoot-off once again with 293s, with Cody ending up as runner-up and Richard at third.

The Grand Prairie Gun Club is known for holding great shoots with great food and targets. What may not be known, though, is that it is a volunteer club. Meals are organized, cooked and served by members. The skeet fields are maintained by members, and they are dedicated to ensuring fields are in tip-top condition for shooters. They were there in the rain, walking the fields, loading the houses, removing trash, and all of the things that are required for a shoot. A big thanks to all of the Grand Prairie members who volunteered to make this such a successful shoot and one that will not be forgotten. And a big thanks to the Texas referees for their professionalism in giving their best to every shooter. Sponsors are a necessity now for our great skeet shoots – Mike Gerschick with 3on8, Mica Crane, Jeff Nekuza, and Classic Chevrolet – thank you! And last, but certainly not least, Grand Prairie Gun Club would not be what it is without its leadership – Richard Kummer as president, Jeff Zwiebel as secretary, and Randy Walhood as treasurer and shoot chairman.

– Contributed by Jo Ellen Collin