President's Day Fun Shoot

On Monday, I shot in my first sporting clays tournament, the Bull Run President's Day Fun Shoot.  There are four types of shotgun sports - skeet, trap, five stand and sporting clays.  Sporting clays is the closest thing to actual field shooting of all the shotgun sports.  The sport dates back to England in the early 1900s when trap shooting used live pigeons.  With the introduction of clay targets, the sport began to take on the popular form known today.  Rather than using standardized distances, target angles and target sizes (like skeet and trap), sporting clays courses are designed to simulate the hunting of ducks, pheasants and even rabbits.  Six different sizes of clay targets give the participant the experience of actual hunting conditions, so you can see why the sport is so popular with hunters and sportsmen.

The National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) is the governing body for the sport.  Each shooter is assigned one of seven classes - Master, AA, A, B, C, D or E - which are assigned based on skill level.  To move up in class, you accumulate a series of ‘punches’ based on your performance at NSCA registered events (not fun shoots).  Punches are awarded based on the number of competitors in each respective class at each event. The more competitors, the more punches and the deeper punches are awarded into the top finishing places. The most punches to be awarded in any one event are four and the lowest place awarded punches will be sixth place in an event with 45 or more competitors in that particular class.  It also takes an increasing number of punches to move from one class to another as a shooter moves up the classification levels. As few as four punches are required to move from E to D and from D to C but as many as sixteen are required to move from AA to Master.

Everyone starts out in class D.  Which goes well with my monogram.  :-)  After I shoot in a few more tournaments I'll ask to move down one level to E.  This way I'll compete against shooters who are closer in ability to me. 

Dave and I entered Monday's tournament with our friend, A.  He's a Class C, which is what Dave is.  They are both very good. :-)  Dave was the scorekeeper for our squad.

At Bull Run there are three stations that are under a pavillion.  No matter how easy the targets are set up, I never do well.  The echo of the shot against the roof of the pavillion really hurts my ears for some reason.  Dave always does well at these stations.

This is A.  He shoots a beautiful 12 ga Perazzi.  Dave and I have totally different tastes in guns.  For him it's all about the wood.  For me, it's the engraving.

I was very distracted by the squad behind us.  It was all because of this handsome guy.

As we came out of the woods, the sun really warmed us up and I took off my jacket.  You'd think the men on the course had never seen a lady in pink shoot a gun before.  I had so many people comment on my outfit. At least it wasn't muddy so I wasn't wearing my Joules wellies with the big blue grosgrain bow.  Can't imagine what the guys would have thought of that.

Dave did really well and we both had a great time.

I have a lesson with my instructor on Saturday and two more in March so I'll be ready for the Central Virginia Spring Fest tournament in early April.  And with warmer weather on the horizon I'll have more outfit choices as well. :-)