[Edwin Obrecht]

Originally Posted by Kevin McCormack

Quite a bit of vendor / participant discussion sotto voce about this, Eric. Chuck posted some pictures and elaborated on the near-fiasco with the FPC when we couldn't locate one of our Fox shooters. Concensus is he never came back to check the leader board to see if he had made the team and most likely left the premesis before the 3PM shootoff! This, after having signed up, paid $50 for the qualifiying round, and coming back to turn his scorecard in!

There were in excess of 150 shooters overall but in typical fashion they trickled in & out in small groups according to their event classes and gauges. Hopkins staff did a good job checking with vendors through the tents periodically but nothing like prior events at other locations which shall remain unnamed. You have to remember that this is year 2 of Hopkins involvement in the VC; the learning curve IMHO is still steep for them.



Having been to every one of these things since the first one at Addieville (with the exception of last year), I can tell you one of the biggest problems with these events is advance publicity. Before the first VC at Pintail Point in MD, there was exactly ONE sign in the window of Albright's Gun Shop in Easton MD regarding the event. Last weekend at Hopkins, there was NOT ONE SIGN or notice at the full-service sporting goods store (think a "mini-Cabela's") or attached restaurant and quick-stop gas mart less than a half-mile away! I bet I talked to 20 people on Saturday who had no idea that they could go there for ice, paper towels, bottled water, bug spray, etc. And this at an establishment (Hopkins) that's been in operation for the better part of 25 years! After doing these type events since the 1980's, I'm convinced the key is a 'total immersion" approach with a little bit of Chamber of Commerce connection flavor (e.g., what's nearby, etc.). Also - ads in ALL the specialty mags, nearby storefronts, and on our BBS sights many months in advance. Without advance publicity these things happen in a vacuum.

I passed this on to the management of Molly’s ( mini Cabelas). Bet you see some signage in the future.