I'm not a member so this really is none of my buisness .

However ...........................................,

If I were a member a sporting clays course would not be a selling point for me .

Having shot skeet and trap for a good many years I still have a target shooters mentality and don't like shooting sporting competitively just for the simple fact that I'm 100% sure a 100 straight is out of the question . But then my years of 100 straights on the skeet or trap field aren't what they used to be either .

Anyway "if" I were a member something other then a sporting clays venue would be a better draw for me personally . Perhaps someplace like the Homestead in VA or the Greenbrier in WVA . Or Pinehurst in Carolina .

Actually a PGCA meeting/shoot at the Homestead or Greenbrier would be intresting something in the shooting of say 50 skeet , 50 trap , 50 5 stand and 50 Sporting Clays .

The primary idea is to provide a venue of interest for the Collector while not leaving the shooters out. What I'm saying is that we don't decide on a venue for our Annual Meeting based primarily on what it can offer the shooters. In 1993 the PGCA was founded as a 'Collectors organization' but renewed interest in shooting old doubles over the last few decades has brought many hundreds of new members on board and we are delighted to have them and learn from them as well as from our very savvy Collectors. Probably the best way to "please most of the people all of the time" is to provide a venue which might offer something for those on both ends of the spectrum.

Thats all good and fine so why not consider one of the places I mentioned and see if you could coordinate it with the Fox Collectors and LC Smith Collectors associations and bring all three together ?

I'm sure you could find enough so called "expert collectors" that would be willing to give seminars on their own area of expertiese . Hell I'd even be willing to come to the Homestead or Greenbrier as a guest speaker and tell some self proclaimed lies of my own LOL's !

And of course send invites to certain venders !

Maybe even make it a team challenge type thing etc etc .

I suppose my idea's versus those of others explains why I usually prefer to be a GDI :whistle:

But then it's like I said in my earlier post , this is none of my buisness !

Its two days drive for me to the Southern , three to Rhode Island. That's two days enroute, two days return. If I fly, its one full day and haul one gun, drive then I can haul many more for exhibit.

So last year we ran the PGCA exhibits at the PF and NRA shows, that's close to $1000 each time, each person , and it was a two day drive to Houston. After all the talk about how the PGCA never does anything beyond the east coast and how much people would like to see a Parker exhibit, the PGCA membership turnout at the NRA show and who came by the 50 gun Parker exhibit was more than mildly disappointing. There were even those who lived less than 40 miles away who had complained about the PGCA not doing anything in their area who did not show. The NRA show and Parker exhibit was a major event with evening dinners after and I counted less than 20 PGCA members who identified themselves among close to 200,000 in attendance.

Over the years , seven years of Pheasant Fests, and two of NRA shows, I figure we have brought the Parker and PGCA message to close to one million firearms enthusiasts, made close to $50,000 for the PGCA and cost the association almost nothing. We've sent the Parker message out through free radio, television and print advertising paid for by the NRA or PF....who knows how many people that went out to.

So I'm surprised when people say that the PGCA is involved in only one or two events per year at the Southern or Vintagers. I guess our efforts don't count.


Louisville is a one day drive, Ohio is one day. Much easier for me to make those, and I would. Most members are east coast but occasionally there is a good Parker out here in fly over country.

:dh:

Well said, Mr. Day. This organization is in better shape today than it has ever been and many thanks are in order to members like you, Charlie Herzog, Ed Morgan, Dean Romig, Chuck Bishop, and others who freely give of their time, talent, and treasure. It takes a lot more to keep the PGCA humming than many folks think.

As with any organization made up of volunteers, lots of "you should do this" and "you should do that" followed up with "I am too busy to help make it happen...."

[/QUOTE]As with any organization made up of volunteers, lots of "you should do this" and "you should do that" followed up with "I am too busy to help make it happen...."[/QUOTE]


Here here. I agree completely

John, maybe I'm dense but I don't understand. Is me saying that the PGCA has had yearly major events beyond the east coast beating a dead horse?

Bruce, thanks for the work at PH and NRA! I know it takes a lot of effort by the folks that put any event together. Don't let the low PGCA member attendance discourage you, I'll bet a lot of people at the show really enjoy what you do and maybe we gain a new member or two in the process.

Also, I would like to point out that I t doesn't take the PGCA directors to put a Parker event together and I suggest anyone wanting to gather Parker shooters together in their area to set one up.

I attend two Parker events each year that is all Parker and not "paid for" by anyone other than the shooters. A PGCA member gets his club to allow us to dominate their trap &skeet range on the first day of the year here in New Hampshire. We pay for each round shot and the club makes some good money; people bring a hot dish to share at lunch and we all eat well. Also, in the spring we get together any PGCA members and guests (Fox guys) interested and meet at Addieville, RI and shoot sporting clays. Again, we all bring something to eat and because we have a good history as PGCA members they allow us to use their clocking facilities. Each of these events grows in attendance each year.

There is more than a little Parker talk and show and tell going on too, all great fun. No tents or sponsors but none the less all Parker and a lot of fun.

I am not sure what the "paid for by the PGCA" is all about. At the annual meeting I don't seem to get discounts or free stuff. Actually, at The annual meeting at Addieville I pay more to shoot a round of sporting clays than I do at the spring shoot and on top of that I shoot 1/2 as many birds, no discount there. I also pay to attend the banquet, nothing free there either. The PGCA does the leg work to find a good place to stay and works to get a discounted rate, although I'm not sure it is any better than my "old person" or AAA discount?

I suggest you set up a shoot at one of these places suggested and let us know and I for one will make every effort to attend. I have never been to any of these locations and I am sure they are nice places. I think I would enjoy a visit there and the opportunity to meet new Parker shooters!