Fairfax Rod & Gun Club, located in Manassas, Virginia, hosted its first 4-gun shoot of the 2018 season during the weekend of April 20. The competition included 66 shooters, several of which were new shooters and new to the 4-gun format.
Jim Hart shot amazingly across all events during the weekend to take HOA Champion. Clay Gormish finished as HOA runner-up, with the legendary Bob Myers finishing up third overall.
Jeff Bond, a long-time member of Fairfax Rod & Gun, recently took over responsibilities for managing NSSA shoots at Fairfax and he is off to a great start. Jeff worked to recruit several new shooters, including many club shooters who had previously shot only a 50-target format during the Thursday night club league.
Due to Jeff’s efforts to revitalize the Fairfax skeet community and grow the sport, he was able to recruit six new shooters who joined the NSSA over the weekend, receiving a one-year complimentary membership to the association. Kudos to Jeff! While the shoot wascomprised mostly of local Virginia shooters, the Virginia Open also hosted several visitors from New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Transitioning out of what was a very cold winter in the Mid-Atlantic, shooters were blessed with wonderful weather conditions. In the Doubles event, Jim Hickerson was gun champion, with Jon Honey earning the runner-up position and Dick Weinley finishing up in the third place. Cynthia Yellen (who also happens to be Jon Honey’s amazing mother) earned the Ladies Champion title.
In the 12-gauge event, Jim Hart shot his first 100 of the year to claim gun champion. Alan Gale earned runner-up and Mike Ramsey took third, beating out three others in a shoot-off on Saturday evening. Meredith Tunick was Ladies Champion.
John Snyder shot a perfect 100 during the 20-gauge event and took the gun champion title, with Brian Platt taking the runner-up spot after beating a competitor in a shoot-off. Bob Myers claimed third for the 20 gauge, and Meredith Tunick was the Ladies Champion.
Fairfax Rod & Gun Club members hosted the shooters and their guests for dinner on Saturday night, providing a traditional meal which featured steaks and several accoutrements. The club takes great pride in continuing to offer competitors a delicious meal as part of the competition, as it promotes community, fellowship, and a friendly environment to re-live all of the missed targets of the day.
In the 28-gauge event, Clay Gormish took the top spot as gun champion, with Dick Weinley earning the runner-up spot and John Snyder finishing up in the third position after a hard-fought shoot-off. Ladies Champion was Meredith Tunick.
Jim Hart earned gun champion in the .410 event, with Dick Weinley coming in as runner-up, and Fairfax Rod & Gun Club President Jeff Bolster claiming third. Meredith Tunick was Ladies Champion.
With all of the side bets and side games (including the 3-Man Blind, which was split between two teams), 31 shooters in total received money back. The Virginia Open also incorporated the B-C-D-E 12-gauge option, in which eight shooters participated.
A huge thanks to club manager Jamie Martin who does more work in a shoot weekend than most of us do in a month. Thanks also to all the referees, cooks and volunteers that helped to make it all come together.
– Contributed by Meredith Tunick