The 2015 NRA Conventional Prone Regional and RIRRA Championship
by Digby Hand
American Pharoah won the Belmont Stakes on June 6, becoming the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first since 1978, ending a drought of 37 years. Two weeks later Jeff Doerschler won the 2015 NRA Conventional Prone Regional winning the Rhode Island Smallbore Triple Crown, the first to do so since Hap Rocketto accomplished the feat in the late 1980s. It was not a trot around the track for the old warhorse as he was severely challenged by a prancing filly, Elizabeth Dutton.
The day began with Bailey Urbach taking the 50 yard metallic sight match with a 400-32X, the best of seven clean shot. Shawn Carpenter, Dutton, and Michèle Makucevich were knotted at 400-31X with the tie breakers placing respectively. Dutton settled for first combined Expert/Sharpshooter with Katherine Garlo the top Marksman.
The tough Metric match was the second event on the schedule and Dutton held on to the lead overall with a 399-34X score to win the match. Jeff Doerschler won the Master class with a 399-33X. Expert/Sharpshooter class went to Steve Roby who shot a 397-27X with Marksman Michael Jerome taking class honors with a 3912-18X.
The Dewar Match, 20 shots each at 50 and 100 yards, opened the any sight phase of the match. While many shooters switched from metallic to ‘scopes Dutton stayed with irons and was one of four who cleaned the match, won by Erik Hoskins who posted a 400-32X. Doerschler’s 400-31X made him high Master and brought him within one point of Dutton’s aggregate score. Dutton was first in the combined class and Jerome took the Marksman class.
Going into the final 40 shots at 100 yards Dutton had a slim one point lead on Doerschler but was behind him by one X. The pair was shooting side by side only to adding to the excitement. After the first stage the score was tied as Dutton lost a point and Doerschler remained perfect upping his X count lead.
It seemed the tension on the line could not be any higher until someone casually mentioned, within Dutton’s earshot, that she was on the verge of establishing a new Woman’s and Intermediate Junior National Record in the mixed 1600 course of fire. Unfazed she went on to shoot a 200-12X to nail down the record but Doerschler also went clean with four more Xs.
In an incredibly tight finish Doerschler took the Gold Medal with a score of 1698-125X and completed the Rhode Island Smallbore Triple Crown. Dutton, the new record holder recorded at 1598-119X. Joe Graf, 1597-110X, slid into third place in front of three 1597’s shot by Rocketto, Makucevich, and Shawn Carpenter. Rocketto’s 117Xs gave him the class win the Master medallion.
Urbach was awarded the Expert class medallion, Sharpshooter Matt Lazarski accepted the Sharpshooter class medallion while Jerome hung the Marksmen medallion about his neck.
In the piggy back Rhode Island Revolver and Rifle Association match Graf and Dani Makucevich won open and junior laurels respectively.
The Smithfield Sportsman’s Club proved to be an excellent venue on a near perfect day for one of the final warm up matches before the National Championship to be held in Bristol, Indiana in late July.
2015-ri-conv-prone (PDF, 51KB)
