2012 Regional Champion, Don Greene.
The Fall Metric 2400 Regional at River Bend Gun Club was scheduled a month later this year to take advantage of typically cooler seasonal temps and decreased humidity. Match Director Tommy Steadman selected the best weekend of the year for a smallbore competition when the 2012 match calendar was drawn up many months ago. While blessed with great prescience for dialing up a chamber of commerce weekend, it was nonetheless disappointing when only eleven shooters were on the firing line Saturday morning with four additional on Sunday. A few of our regulars were not available for various reasons, others are just no longer shooting and I suppose others are watching football or shooting deer to keep the freezers stocked for the long winter months just ahead. I just go to the grocery store because that is what I learned as a kid growing up on the Gulf coast of Florida. I happen to have an incurable shooting addiction and cannot conceive of anything else I would rather be doing and would be at the range whether there is a match or not. It’s just more fun to share the experience with others having the same interest. Make it an NRA sanctioned regional championship with half-price Perry certificates, Distinguished Legs, gold, silver and bronze medals with huge cash prizes, the firing line should be crammed with shooters from one end to the other.
A lot of planning and work go into the matches at River Bend. The last several years have proven that our club produces a monthly program from March through November that has been the gold standard for any club in the country. Trying to maintain the support for such a comprehensive program is an ongoing challenge and takes the involvement of many individuals throughout the year. There are time challenges, of course, as multiple other interests, commitments and family responsibilities vie for disposable free time, income and resources. It’s all volunteer and a labor of love not to mention some money and more labor. The matches just don’t run themselves. As the season winds down, we need to assess where we are and where we want to go with the smallbore competition program. Consider this an open call for input and recommendations as plans for next year’s schedule will need to be determined. If there is diminished interest in participation, perhaps it is time consider having a different type of program.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled program. The pleasant atmospheric conditions including calm winds contributed to the highest scores for a metric match seen at RBGC in modern memory where conditions are typically much more demanding. Don Greene continued his hot streak of late and established the winning margin by the end of the first day of irons followed distantly by Charlie Kemp and Dennis Lindenbaum who were a point apart. Combined Marksman and Sharpshooter class was won by Jim Holliday with Mark Skutle in second. Don Greene won the Dewar and 100 Meter matches and Charlie Kemp took first place honors in the 50 Meter match.
Day two with scope revealed few differences. Don Greene took the anysight championship by five points over Dennis Lindenbaum and Charlie Kemp who were separated this time by a single X. Dave Rabin outpointed Mark Skutle for the SS/MK anysight victory. The Dewar match was won by Charlie Kemp, Dennis Lindenbaum took the 100 Meter stages, and Don Greene grabbed the 50 Meter match at the end of the day.
It was just a matter of doing the math as there were no surprises at the finish. Don Greene was awarded the gold medal with a final championship winning score of 2353-99X. Charlie Kemp carded a 2340-111X for silver and Dennis Lindenbaum drove away with the bronze medal scoring 2339-119X. Due to his margin of victory on day one, Jim Holliday won SS/MK class with 2296-66X and Mark Skutle was second and High Senior with 2281-68X.
A team match was held in the early morning hours of day two. Long-time partners Tommy Steadman and Charlie Kemp were once again side-by-side for the 50 Meter Anysight match and did well as usual. They were just two points shy of national senior record posting a 788-49X for match victory. The father-son team of Jim and Jimmy Holliday fared well with consistent scores and shooting all iron sights for next best.
The jury had no business this weekend as there were no challenges to the fine scoring by Tom Suswal and David Dye. Linda Steadman, Jan Kemp and Paula Holliday ran the stat office and match bulletins were available for posting within minutes after each match was fired. Dave Rabin made sure the flags and other gear were in the appropriate designated spots. Jim Hinkle was back on the line after a brief absence serving as chief range officer. Thanks to everyone who attended and participated in any capacity. It was a great weekend to shoot and be outdoors.
Next month’s Fall Foliage Metric match is scheduled on October 20th. Please make plans to attend and this would be a great opportunity to try a smallbore match.
2012-ga-RBGC-Metric-Prone (PDF, 61KB)
