MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup

[gm iprod]

Russel,

You will be "pleased" to know that we had a summer of Columbian humidity this year. Went to a match in our Far North and had to sleep on the floor as the Hotel had no AC, it was the coolest place around. But it is cooling of nicely just now.

Anyways, no later than the 2nd weekend in June seems to be the best compromise. After that Camp Perry etc etc., before that there is the NRA Convention.

The whole calendar of shooting that exists through the US summer has evolved over a number of years, making sudden and wholesale changes to one significant match will have follow on effects.

Just try and get NASCAR to mover the Daytona 500 and see the result, I suspect there would be burning tyres (and not in a good way) all round.

Down here we have essentially adjusted our post Christmas / New Year Action Pistol calendar to take into account the Bianchi Cup. Shooting essentially occurs from January 20th or so throught to late April, usually 4 matches then nothing until June (Cameron Cup) and then we go all out till October, then bugger all until January again. That is through our Winter. I want more matches from November to January and less after the Cup but it just doesn't happen.

[ohiopinblastersenior]

I would like to see it moved into the first or second week of June. The kids are out of school and you can bring young folks who are interested or the the whole family. If we want to grow this sport we need make it available when family's can come as a family and experience the Championships and want to return every year. For many years I attended the Second Chance Shoots in Michigan. It was a great piece of Americana that we will never see again but there were a lot of family's and wives that would attend and do other stuff during the day when the shooters were doing their thing but get together in the evenings for the social functions.

You also have a lot of graduations high school and college in May that will affect people's attendance with kids or relatives.

I understand the shooting schedule is full and folks have a lot of choices to make but for those shooting AP this is their Championship and they will prioritize it in their schedule. Cross over shooters will have to decide on their own where the importance of this shoot lies for them. AP shooting is a specialized sport with the equipment we use in open it doen't have a lot use anywhere else. I have always got the impression that AP was never to concerned about the cross over shooters from other shooting disiplines and this sport is driven by a several hundred hardcore AP shooters.

It sounds like range improvements are being made to increase the volume of shooters. I am somewhat confused by the grow the numbers of the match and shorten its length approach to run the match. If I had to guess I would say that maybe Green Valley is having a hard time coming up with enough RO's and volunteers to help run the match. The same problem most gun clubs have. Less days require less people. I know with the exception of the mover a lot of the ranges are done by 3pm in the afternoon with some cushion for bad weather. RO's do a great job and have long days but maybe it is time to supplement them with folks from outside the Green Valley Gun club. Just a thought.

See Folks in May

Dave

[Chuck Anderson]

The downside to the first or second week of June is it still doesn't cover all the schools. Most of the schools in Oregon don't get out until the end of the second week, some even the third. The NRA has made some great steps in attracting cross division and new shooters with Production division. It would be a shame to lose those gains so quickly. AP, if it is just Metallic and Open is a very hard sport to attract new shooters to. The guns are very specialized, even Metallic. Without an entry point it's difficult to talk someone into spending 2-5K on a new Open gun that they can't use for any other sport.

As far as the NRA looking to grow AP by attracting new shooters I think the reason is pretty clear. No offense, but you guys are old. I would imagine the average age in AP is significantly older than IDPA and USPSA. Without attracting new shooters to the match and getting new blood it will be difficult to continue AP in 10-20 years. I'm having a heck of a time getting folks to shoot AP locally even. We ran a match last weekend for 4 shooters. I was the youngest. The next was 57 and it went well up from there.

As far as making the match shorter. It's easier for non-retired folks to get time off work for a shorter match. It's easier for everybody to pay for the match if they have 1 day less with a rental car and hotel.

If AP gets to the point where the match is filling beyond capacity and it's alive and healthy, awesome, move it to a part of the calender that's packed with other matches and let people pick. But when you're not able to fill the match now, cutting off a key portion of shooters is not a strategically sound move.

Yes for those at the match that AP is their primary sport they will shoot the Cup. Doesn't matter when you put it. But the goal isn't to hold the match for the 150 (probably less) hard core dedicated AP guys who will shoot this match over anything else. The goal (if I understand correctly) is to increase participation in the Cup as well as local matches, throughout the country. To make AP a popular sport that will bring the Cup back to it's glory days as the premier pistol championship. But I'm just guessing.

[JecClark]

3 Key things need to happen

1.All dates will have ups and down but bottom line is THE MATCH NEEDS TO BE SHORTER! normal people cant afford to take off a week from work, pay their entry fee-fees, and then spend on motels ext. I agree with jess and the other guys we all agree the match needs to be shorter esp with the banquet being mandatory.

2.The capacity from the range all the way to the room of the awards banquet needs to be expanded, especially the range so we can get done with the match sooner.

3. One suggestion i would make is if push comes to shove use the practice range as part of the competiton or at least use their mover, anything to speed the match up.... maybe have the production shooters use the practice range for match competiton just a thought. i personally like the idea of the bianchi cup going to florida as much as i love columbia.

[oldtrooper]

3 Key things need to happen

1.All dates will have ups and down but bottom line is THE MATCH NEEDS TO BE SHORTER! normal people cant afford to take off a week from work, pay their entry fee-fees, and then spend on motels ext. I agree with jess and the other guys we all agree the match needs to be shorter esp with the banquet being mandatory.

2.The capacity from the range all the way to the room of the awards banquet needs to be expanded, especially the range so we can get done with the match sooner.

3. One suggestion i would make is if push comes to shove use the practice range as part of the competiton or at least use their mover, anything to speed the match up.... maybe have the production shooters use the practice range for match competiton just a thought. i personally like the idea of the bianchi cup going to florida as much as i love columbia.

[Chuck Anderson]

Something else to throw in the mix. Looks like USSA was sold on March 30, 2011. The guys that bought it say they are planning to leave it open. This range really does have a massive amount of space and could more than accommodate the main match, practice range and heck probably even another practice match. Not that I particularly want to go back to Tulsa but the NRA should at least consider all the options before making a decision.

[DWFAN]

Also have to consider that some sponsors may not be as generous if the venue is moved.

Possible? Yes, but i hope thats not the case.

[gm iprod]

The big thing I have against moving it is that me personally and a few other Kiwi's are well looked after by some locals, to the point of having LARGE amounts of gear in storage.

The next main reason as DW says is that some fair sized sponsors are there because of the history of the event and where it is, Mr Potterfield especially, it is in his backyard. I am sure once he came on board (thanks to Tom and his team) in the way he has over the last three or so years more and more large sponsors were happy to stick their hands up as well. Not as many as expected, but hey where it was 5 years ago it is light years ahead.

I want to see the Cup get bigger, because it can only go the other way if it is not getting bigger, but it has to happen carefully. Not neccessarily slowly but carefully. Shortening the match to accomodate some that just want to turn up and shoot and then clear off just turns it into any old match, and the Bianchi Cup is not just any old match.

This is one of the most prestigious matches of it type. No other match has a similar format and tradition. No other match has people turning up from all over the world a couple of weeks in advance to be able to do their level best. Even at the World NRA Shoot many turn up early, leave late. It just seems to be the way AP shooters are.

If it has to move to grow, to get the local shooters interested more (or more shooters interested) and the sponsors are happy then those of us who are coming from overseas had better be prepared for that.

USSA is one logical choice. I understand there would be some issues should the weather turn to crap, but that is fixable. Weather in MO can be sometimes "difficult". I know the problems that have beset the staff at Green Valley in the past.

But I tell you one thing, you know you have a good thing going when guys travel 8000 miles and are willing to help mow lawns and fix movers just so that it goes smoother and easier for all. I bet a lot of guys travel a shit load less and do less.

Edited April 1, 2011 by gm iprod