The end of an Era?
Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 11:23 am
The Announcement, at the BPTR Nationals this year, of 2015 being the last year at Raton for Nationals and that 2016 Nationals will be at Camp Perry Ohio, came as quite a shock. The past repeats it's self, NRA quit holding the matches for competitors due to a perceived lack of shooters in the 1880's. The NRA has always told us what they are going to do, letters to the BP committee where wasted, D. Willing had, along with G Connors, decided their course of action and they will not change it. The BPTR Nationals after 2015 will be gone, July at Camp Perry is brutal, heat index's are in the insane level you will not be able shoot and wipe, you can not drive too the pits, or individual yard lines, you must use A cart of some sort to haul all your gear, only hope they, have thought of and will provide transport to the pits, insane when you consider the age group of Creedmoor shooters, and I have not touched the subject of Mid-range matches. A Side note you must also leave all your gear at the firing line while your in the pits. The smart thing to do would be to start at the longest target and move forward, doubtful that they have thought of that but maybe?
The history of the BPTR nationals, 1996 we had test run at 800 yards, a full match in 1997 with 54 shooters, a high attendance in 1999 of 97 for Creedmoor, in 1998 we had 65 shooters, in 2000 we went to 2 days for Creedmoor and 74 shooters, It always has varied, it is a hard game, if it was easy we would call it golf. 40 odd shooters per Nationals event is not all that bad as it is made out to be, the Whittington Center charges $15 A Day per Shooter period, target costs are needed to be added to the tally also. So these are costs that must be considered, per event, Along with consideration of housing costs for the match personal.
A loosely formed BPTR Federation needs to be formed, and hold our own BPTR National event in Sept 2016 at Raton, it can be done, we have two very skilled experienced match Directors that could do this, if they would be willing to do so, neither are spring chickens if they were to decline who could blame them.
That leaves us with still forming a federation, and making Phoenix our BPTR Creedmoor Nationals for 2016, and Riverbend our BPTR Mid-Range Nationals, use the two existing Matches And make them Our (the BPTR shooters) own National Events. This option is very doable and the matches are already in place and established.
For my own part, in 2016 for fall in September, if no match is held at Raton, I will host a 4 day event of traditional steel Creedmoor mid and long range Matches at the Wasserburger Ranch.
The history of the BPTR nationals, 1996 we had test run at 800 yards, a full match in 1997 with 54 shooters, a high attendance in 1999 of 97 for Creedmoor, in 1998 we had 65 shooters, in 2000 we went to 2 days for Creedmoor and 74 shooters, It always has varied, it is a hard game, if it was easy we would call it golf. 40 odd shooters per Nationals event is not all that bad as it is made out to be, the Whittington Center charges $15 A Day per Shooter period, target costs are needed to be added to the tally also. So these are costs that must be considered, per event, Along with consideration of housing costs for the match personal.
A loosely formed BPTR Federation needs to be formed, and hold our own BPTR National event in Sept 2016 at Raton, it can be done, we have two very skilled experienced match Directors that could do this, if they would be willing to do so, neither are spring chickens if they were to decline who could blame them.
That leaves us with still forming a federation, and making Phoenix our BPTR Creedmoor Nationals for 2016, and Riverbend our BPTR Mid-Range Nationals, use the two existing Matches And make them Our (the BPTR shooters) own National Events. This option is very doable and the matches are already in place and established.
For my own part, in 2016 for fall in September, if no match is held at Raton, I will host a 4 day event of traditional steel Creedmoor mid and long range Matches at the Wasserburger Ranch.