Parker Wins Challenge

[Mike Franzen]

To be honest, one complaint I haven’t heard, “I never get to qualify because of the rules”. I have dreamed for years of making the Parker Team but so far I haven’t shot well enough. I don’t blame the event organizers, I realize there are better shooters than me and I need more practice. There are not many IMHO that want to put in the hours and rounds to be considered a competitive shooter. If someone is working towards that they realize right away it’s a highest score game. So they keep trying or they give up on becoming competitive. When we try to “Level the playing field” it’s usually because our team isn’t winning enough and there perceived unfair advantages. I say leave the challenges as they are - for the top guns. Spend time on devising shooting games anyone can enjoy. For example, in 2019 Ernie had some kind of flurry event you shot with a partner. John Davis and shot that together and had the best time. Ernie also had a game that was like shooting live birds where you had to break the target before it flew beyond the boundaries. Again, a lot of fun. We should be trying to attract more shooters, collectors and bystanders. Worrying about who wins these challenges is counterproductive. The vast majority of the different organizations members couldn’t care less when it comes right down to it. They go to these events because they want to have fun. If the whining and squabbling become the main thing it will soon die and fade away. Just look what happened to the Vintagers.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Mike, we started doing a Pro-Am Shoot here at our SXS event. We take the top 5 scores and bottom 5 scores in any 50 bird event and pair them up. Basically 1-10,2-9,3-8,4-7,5-6. Shoot-off has 5 report pair. The "Am" must shoot at each target first, the "Pro" can only shoot back-up. Keeps it interesting and gets more shooters involved into the competetive team concept. They all have fun and no complaints about the format. I like the FPC and FLC in the top 5 vs top 5 format, but will shoot it no matter what is done. Maybe a Pro-Am type deal as a new event with no differentiation between Parker or Fox shot earlier in the day? All scores put in the list and Pros and Ams figured from there. Only issue would be whether the 5-Stand would be busy or not.

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

Mike, we started doing a Pro-Am Shoot here at our SXS event. We take the top 5 scores and bottom 5 scores in any 50 bird event and pair them up. Basically 1-10,2-9,3-8,4-7,5-6. Shoot-off has 5 report pair. The "Am" must shoot at each target first, the "Pro" can only shoot back-up. Keeps it interesting and gets more shooters involved into the competetive team concept. They all have fun and no complaints about the format. I like the FPC and FLC in the top 5 vs top 5 format, but will shoot it no matter what is done. Maybe a Pro-Am type deal as a new event with no differentiation between Parker or Fox shot earlier in the day? All scores put in the list and Pros and Ams figured from there. Only issue would be whether the 5-Stand would be busy or not.

I like that idea Big Guy. Might be a way to satisfy everyone but it could turn in to a time/scheduling nightmare. Something to think about.

[Pa SxS]

Let me give you my thought per my perspective.

First the competition aspect and I'll just talk about the Parker vs. LC Smith Challenge at the Southern for now. Each year I ask myself if I really want to shoot the qualifier and pay 60 cents per target for essentially practice? Being a realist, I know I have a snowballs chance in hell of making the team. Every year I do it. Why? First, I like to hear the gun go off, secondly, I want to support my Association, and thirdly, some part of the entry fee goes to a good cause. 10 high gun shooters make the team for each Association. I don't know how many shooters shoot the qualifier but the shooting is continuous for all day Friday and a half day Saturday. That's a lot of shooters and the majority of them will never make their team. It's the same shooters who make the team year after year plus or minus a couple of new additions. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching these guys break targets in the shootoff that I can't hit in my dreams. No amount of practice at my age will bring me up to their level.

Now for the Fox Parker Challenge, I want to congratulate Steve, Craig, and Daryl for trying something new to get the "average shooter" involved in the challenge. It seems like many of the "Top Dogs" don't like it. I guess only 2 "Top Dogs" in the shootoff is not enough. They want it all, even though it's been that way in the Fox Parker Challenge for years, and it's always been that way at the Southern. I can tell you that my name was drawn for the Parker team and I was apprehensive about shooting. I didn't want everyone to see how bad of a shot I was (although many already knew) and cost the Parker team the win. I hadn't been in a shootoff in almost 20 years while shooting ATA. I sucked it up and shot but boy was I nervous as I'm sure Dennis Downs and Fox shooter Laura Beavers was. I can tell you this, my nerves were a wreck and my heart was pounding when I took the line. My memory of shootoffs long ago are still etched in my memory and this one will be too. Lets think of the average shooters in our Associations a little more, the "Top Dogs" will still get their bones. Big shout out to Laura Beavers for giving it her best shot.

[Pa SxS]

Some pictures of the Fox Parker Challenge. Moe, Larry, Curly

[Pa SxS]

Team Fox
L to R
Dick Mider
Jeff Stegmeier
Laura Beavers
Dana Farrell
Mike Smith

[Pa SxS]

Team Parker
L to R
Dennis Downs
Mal McGregor
Mike Koneski
Chuck Bishop
Dave Defernelmont

[Double Lab]

Well Chuck as it turns out you have nothing to apologize for. You shot lights out as that nervous, heart pounding condition served you well on the line. You channeled it just like you did when you were on your way to a 100 straight in your trap shooting days. As I said before I'm so glad you were chosen as you became our amateur- shooter- who- didn't -want -to -shoot-but-stepped-up-and- delivered guy. As it turns out letters are not the only thing you are good at.

Seriously, you and Dennis need to shoot for Fox next year. You both proved that this new system can work.

As a sidebar: The following morning while we were shooting the main I find out that a Fox shooter shot a 44/50 on the course but didn't know to turn in his card. He thought that we were OK for shooters. If he had turned it in the win would have been awarded to the Fox Assn. Live and learn. You were there and watched him break 67/80 for third place in the main event. He won't be 15 until next year.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Chuck Bishop

Let me give you my thought per my perspective.

First the competition aspect and I'll just talk about the Parker vs. LC Smith Challenge at the Southern for now. Each year I ask myself if I really want to shoot the qualifier and pay 60 cents per target for essentially practice? Being a realist, I know I have a snowballs chance in hell of making the team. Every year I do it. Why? First, I like to hear the gun go off, secondly, I want to support my Association, and thirdly, some part of the entry fee goes to a good cause. 10 high gun shooters make the team for each Association. I don't know how many shooters shoot the qualifier but the shooting is continuous for all day Friday and a half day Saturday. That's a lot of shooters and the majority of them will never make their team. It's the same shooters who make the team year after year plus or minus a couple of new additions. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching these guys break targets in the shootoff that I can't hit in my dreams. No amount of practice at my age will bring me up to their level.

I shot the 20 and 16 challenges at Sanford this year . Each three times I think and qualified for the 20 . Sorry to say I didn’t shoot the open challenge , I will next year several times . Didn’t name guns in June at Hausemann’s so I suppose I wasn’t able to qualify . I did at Mikes and qualified . And provided I’m
Alive and the creek don’t rise I’ll compete in all three challenges at Georgetown . To be quite honest I thrive on competition and Sanford got my competitive juices flowing again . Can’t say I consider myself top dog caliber but I’m damn sure nipping at their heels .