Clay Target Nation

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

Blackbird Open

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The Blackbird Open was held at Generations Skeet Club near Patton, Pennsylvania, on May 7. Thirty-four shooters participated in this two-gun event, 12-gauge in the morning and 20-gauge in the afternoon. The weather was overcast with scattered rain showers, mainly in the afternoon, but relatively warm and not too windy.

Chris Kline took HOA honors with a perfect 200. Pat Leyo and Mark Eckert both posted HOA scores of 197. Debra Meade was Ladies HOA champ with a 195. Great shooting by all!

Kline’s 100-straight won the 12-gauge event outright. Meade’s 98 was good for Lady Champion. Class winners in the 12 included: Leyo (AA-97), Jack Harshbarger (A-99), Meade (B-98), John Avolio (C-97), Don Steinert (D-95) and George Gleich (E-89).

Kline was also 20-gauge champ, but not until he bested Leyo and Frank Smithmyer in a shoot-off of 100-straights. Missy Vescovi was Lady Champion with a 98. Class firsts went to: Smithmyer, Leyo, Mark Eckert (99), Scott Hazlett (94) and Andrew Hazlett (86), AA, A, B, C and D, respectively.

Kudos to Ryan Holtz for running the desk and Michael Vescovi, who was chief referee. Non-shooting referees included Renee Calvert, Andrea McMullen, Alex Farrell and Braden Holtz — great job, refs! Thanks also to Pat Leyo for doughnuts and to Renee Calvert for cookies!

Many skeet shooters agree that recruiting young shooters is one of the most important tasks we face as a sport. Generations’ next generation of skeet shooters is on the way! Sub-Junior Luke Holtz (13) and Juniors James and Braden Holtz and Gabe Smithmyer shot on a squad with Gabe’s dad Frank who showed them how to do it with his 100-straight.

Nine pairs of parent and child competitors participated in this shoot. Families represented included: Harshbarger, Sutton, Hazlett, Vescovi, Steinert, Smithmyer and three sets of Holtz teams.

Junior shooter Zak Sutton of the Lawrence County Young Guns from Wampum, PA, shot and did quite well (two 95s). Sporting clays is the main focus of this group of several dozen young shooters, but they also participate in trap and skeet. Zak’s dad, Ed, shot his first registered skeet and finished with very respectable scores.

And speaking of young skeet shooters, Generations also hosted the PA SCTP Championships on May 20, with approximately 90 young people participating. Kudos to Joe Gans 3 for all his efforts with the kids!

– Contributed by George Gleich

Blackbird Open

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The Blackbird Open was held at Generations Skeet Club near Patton, Pennsylvania, on May 1.  Thirty-four shooters participated in this two-gun event, with 12-gauge in the morning and 20-gauge in the afternoon. The weather was not great, with rain most of the day, but the shoot must go on; at least it wasn’t windy. There was one straight on the day and numerous scores in the high 90s, despite the rain.

Jeff Holtz took HOA honors with a nice 197, followed closely by HOA runner-up Jack Harshbarger’s 196.

Jeff Holtz’s 100 straight won the 12-gauge event outright. Class firsts went to Joe Vescovi (AA-98), Michael Vescovi (A-99), Jack Harshbarger (B-98), Tim Holtz (C-96) and George Gleich (D-92). Debra Meade’s 97 made her Lady Champion.

Jared Shaffer won the 20-gauge event with a 99. Class winners included Jeff Holtz (AA-97), Jack Harshbarger (A-98), John Avolio (B-95), Colby Eckert (C-95) and Emily Harshbarger (D-92). Allison Shaffer was Lady Champion with her 98.

Thanks to Ryan Holtz for running the desk.  Michael Vescovi was chief referee.  Non-shooting referees included Paige and Andrea McMullen, Renee Calvert and Alex Farrell — great job in the rain, folks! Thanks also to Pat Leyo for bringing doughnuts, to Joe McGarvey for preparing a large container of hot stew, and to Renee Calvert for the chocolate chip cookies.

– Contributed by George Gleich

Leyo and Grossett Winners at Blackbird Open

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Scott Grossett wins 12GA Champ and earns his first 100 Straight

The Blackbird Open was held at Generations Skeet Club near Patton, Penn., on May 6. Seventeen shooters participated in the 20-gauge event in the morning, and 15 shot the 12-gauge in the afternoon. Pat Leyo posted a 198, the high total score for the day. It was cool, overcast and rainy all day long, but not windy. (Some folks think it is always windy at Generations – not true!)

Leyo won the 20-gauge event with a nice 99. Class winners included Tim Vescovi (AA-97), Tom Shields (A-97), George Gleich (B-96), Bryan Long (C-91) and Joe McGarvey (D-86).

Scott Grossett ran them in the 12 gauge and was a bit damp, but outright champion. Class firsts went to Tim Vescovi (98), Leyo (99, with a shoot-off with Joe Vescovi), Mark Postlewait (95, with a nice 5-station shoot-off with Shields), McGarvey (95) and Long (92), AA, A, B, C and E, respectively.

It was a day of firsts: Scott Grossett shot his first ever registered 100 straight, Tim Vescovi ran his first registered 25 and 50 straights and was AA-1 in both guns in his first registered shoot, and Vance McLaughlin booked his first registered 25 straight. Scott’s and Vance’s hats were vented, but Tim left early, so his hat will be addressed later.

Thanks to Katie Eberhart for running the desk and Michael Vescovi for serving as chief referee. Young, non-shooting referees included Adam Bobak and Jake Beebe – good job! Thanks also to Pat Leyo for bringing many delicious doughnuts and Scott Grossett for a steaming pot of homemade pheasant chili; perhaps the way to win the shoot is to bring food?

– Contributed by George Gleich

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