I have found that all happy skeet shooters are alike; each unhappy skeet shooter is unhappy in their own way. (Apologies to Leo Tolstoy – Anna Karenina.) So it was at the Mo-Joe Memorial Open and Club Championships, May 31 – June 2 at Fairfax Rod and Gun Club in Manassas, Virginia. Shooters from Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, and New Hampshire gathered together under near perfect conditions – ordered months in advance – in search of that elusive 100 straight.

Doubles, on Friday, resulted in champion Jerry Schaefer, runner-up Mike Ramsey, and third-place Muhamed El-Zoghbi. Class winners include Bob Shelly A1, Bob Myers B1, Steve Kling C1 and Mark Polansky D1.

The first event was the 20 gauge, and 99s and 98s were the order for the day. A three-way shoot-off for champ resulted in Jim Hickerson, champion; Fred Wood, runner-up; and Garrett Jordan, third. Class winners were John Snyder AA1, Steve Kling A1, Dick Weinley B1, John Liberty C1 and David Latimer D1.

Only two perfect 100s were posted during the weekend, and those were in the 12-gauge by T.R. Williams and R.U. Myers. Myers, with over 565,000 registered targets to his credit, has broken more Doubles than any other shooter. After going four stations, Myers won the shoot-off to claim the championship, with T.R. Williams at runner-up and Garrett Jordan at third. Class winners include Mike Ramsey AA1, Bob Shelley A1, Muhamed El-Zoghbi B1, Joe Scott C1, Colton Barrick D1 and Garrett Baisey E1. Each received a large can of Virginia peanuts, so, yes, they were all shooting for peanuts.

We had a short visit from NSSA Vice-President Chris Naler on Saturday during the shoot, which was an unexpected pleasure for his extended skeet shooting family. Unfortunately, we were not able to talk him into getting a gun and popping a few rounds off, but we were all glad to see him and sincerely appreciate having him out at our facility again.

Saturday evening, all shooters and guests were treated to thick, juicy steaks, baked potatoes, salads and an array of wonderful desserts brought in by various club members. David Latimer helped us all to take a few moments to remember James “Mo” Mozisek and Joe Hockersmith, as well as other Virginia shooters who are no longer with us.

In the 28 gauge on Sunday, David Outen and Brad Olson were the only ones posting 98s for champ and runner-up. This was a personal best for Brad Olson. The two were pulled out of B class for the event, and after saying the prayer that all those in shoot-offs secretly say to themselves (“Oh, Lord – just let me get off of station 3”) they cleared station three, and both crushed their pairs at station 4. However, at station 5, Brad narrowly missed one target. Third went to Gil Traore. Class winners were Garrett Jordan AA1, Meredith Kling A1, club president Jeff Bolster B1, Jeff Key C1 and David Latimer D1.

With the threat of a late Sunday afternoon thunderstorm, the .410 event was compressed into two rotations, thanks to the flexibility of Chris Christopherson and Bill Hobson. We were able to complete all shoot-offs in time, and the .410 event resulted in champion, Muhamed El-Zoghbi; runner-up, Garrett Jordan; and third, Gil Traore. Class winners were John Snyder A1, Fred Wood B1, Jeff Key C1 and Cynthia Yellen D1.

Garrett Jordan earned the HOA for the second year in a row with an uncontested 390, runner-up went to Muhamed El-Zoghbi (386) and third went to Gil Traore (383). HOA class winners were John Snyder AA1, Fred Wood A1, Dick Weinley B1, Jeff Key C1 and David Latimer D1.

Fairfax club champions were Doubles – Jerry Schaefer, 12-Gauge – R.U. Myers, 20-Gauge – Jim Hickerson, 28-gauge – Brad Olson, .410 Bore – Muhamed El-Zoghbi, and HOA – Garrett Jordan. Our Lady HOA Champion for the second year in a row is Meredith Tunick Kling.

Thank you to all our referees that kept the squads moving smartly throughout the weekend.

Of course, we all know that without the expert attention to the fields and machines by Jamie Martin, club manager, our shoots simply could not occur. Our new DOE (Dinner Organizer Extraordinaire) has risen to the task and makes sure that all the dinner supplies and appetizers were prepared for all the grazing that we skeet shooters do while waiting to be called to our shoot-offs. Thanks to Dutch Hillenburg for the coupons to the Pro Shop. Lastly, a very special thanks goes to Connie and Van Keys for lunch and dinner support. You are all very much appreciated.

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