Dear Friends and Foes,

Winnsboro Gun Club held our quarterly meeting last evening to discuss the upcoming Southern National matches for 2007.

Our unanimous decision is as follows: If the NRA Silhouette Rules Committee that is part of the NRA Competitions Division does not restore the 2007 NRA National Air Rifle Silhouette Championship match by November 15, 2006 to Winnsboro Gun Club, Winnsboro Gun Club WILL host APPROVED matches for both the air rifle (in a 60-shot format for the three rifles) and the smallbore rifle matches.

This decision was not taken lightly and discussed for over an hour. Winnsboro Gun Club and every one of its members fully support the NRA and the Friends of the NRA banquets and realize that the NRA is the reason that we still have the right to bear arms; however, the Competitions division is a separate part and has NOTHING to do with defending our rights to bear arms. In my opinion, they do not even defend the rights of the small group of competitive shooters to have matches and match venues that they want.

The decision was reached for honor and integrity. It is my belief that one should do what they say and the Competitions Division of the NRA has neither honor or integrity because they awarded Winnsboro Gun Club the 2007 Air Rifle Silhouette Championship last year. and took it away late this year. WGC immediately started making plans to host an event on par with the Southern National Smallbore Rifle Silhouette Championship and secured some major funding from the Louisiana Legislature. We have been lied to and decieved for many years by the NRA Competitions Division and are simply sick and tired of being treated like second-class citizens.

We have to make a decision by November 15, 2006 so that we can make plans for both matches and the direction that they will be in - either APPROVED or a REGISTERED STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. That is the only two choices that we will make and we will NOT be held hostage by the NRA Competitions division.

We will run both matches with equal amounts of prizes and publicity. We are also planning on making the matches run faster by eilminating shoot-offs for daily matches with the exception of Match Winner and using reverse animal count for all other places. We will also begin the matches at 8:30 AM on Saturday and 8:00 AM on Sunday to help get people on the road earlier. We are deciding how to streamline the awards and have some ideas that were given to us.

Please post any suggestions for making this match bigger and better or email me.

David,
Well thought out and explained. I am sure you will have the full support of all . Everybody knows you and the WGC want only whats best for the sport and the shooters. However it goes - I'm in.

Ron Cope - powding

David

Stick in there. It is a shame when a group such as WGC expends the energy, talent and resources to help our sport flourish and get lied to and stonewalled by a few who have an agenda of God knows what.

I have been at all the Nationals since

Thanks guys.

Hey Limey, Dawg and Kitty - cat got your tongue?

Just glad to see the positive responses and support for our match.

Duckgumbo,
I have competed in state and local silhouette matches since 1978, only at the nationals for the last ten years but will say that WGC runs the finest silhouette event for any competitor.
Your reasoning listed in the thread is fantastic and I can't agree more, it's time the competitions deivision started listening to the customers (competitor) request, and responding in a positive direction. Keep up the good work.

Amen

Innocent Mary Watkins[/b]

David.... yeah, what you said. With no offense meant to Mr. Culpepper, I don't have a dog in this fight since I don't shoot airgun but I DO have a sense of outrage at the apparent "double secret probation" that WGC seems to have to endure from the cadre of drones at NRA/Comp. My former statement about a 'one-chair barber shop', although nine years old, seems to still be accurate. Stick to your guns... you don't need their blessing, consent, or approval to hold the best match in the sport. We'll be there.

Bill

I agree with David's reasoning and applaud his and WGC's courage to stand up for what is right. There is no way that taking away the air gun nationals can be construed as "for the good of the sport". The Southern Nationals are what every match should aspire to be. It didn't get there by accident, but became that due to the hard work of the folks that put on the show. I think one of the most significant things that David and the WGC have done is to get the Louisiana State Legislature to realize the value of having a big time match in their state. Stop anywhere in Winnsboro and the merchants are glad to see you. They go out of their way to show you their hospitality. Folks, in general, that just ain't happenin' at the NRA Nationals.

I believe that the competition committee (David correct me if I'm wrong) cited financial reasons for withdrawing the Air Gun Nationals from Winnsboro. My question to the committee is "Just what is it going to cost"? I believe WGC is underwriting the match. Great exposure for a great sport, doesnt' cost the NRA a dime, everyone wins. My personal observation is that if the NRA would cut out at least 1/2 of the useless junk mail that they send us (or am I the only one that gets this stuff?) and quit pleading for me to extend my membership (I'm a life member....I question the benefit of extending my membership beyond the grave) that they would have plenty of funds to go around.

We need the NRA to be our unified voice to help us keep and bear arms and to make sure we are fairly represented in the pollitical arena. It's good to have them as a sanctioning body and to provide a fair venue of rules to make our shooting sports consistant across the cournty. And it's good to have a recognized national champion. We do not need them to play power games with our shooting sports and we certainly don't need them to send mixed signals by saying one thing and then doing another behind thinly veiled excuses like "lack of funding for new championships"

I plan to be at Winnsboro whether the matches are registered or approved, or if the folks and Winnsboro decide we're going to shoot for fun. I plan to be there because I like being there, I like my extended shooting family, and I like to shoot

The difference between registered and approved matches boils down to recognition of a resident state champion, paying the high junior's fees to the nationals, and a tidy sum of money that is sent to the NRA for each shooter that participates. The only leverage that a club has that it can use to make sure it's voice is heard is the tidy sum of money that will not be sent the NRA if WGC decides to hold an approved match. If that's the only way they will listen, then let's all speak loudly.

Kitty

Kitty,
Well said.

Innocent

KItty,

Thanks for the great words, but you are construing that the junk mail and endless membership extension requests have something to do with the Competitons Division. TOTALLY erroneous in that the main legistative body of the NRA exists for protection of our rights and has NOTHING to ddo with the SCmpetitions Division.

Let me ask everyone a valid question. How can they justify holding National Champion venues for less than 50 shooters (that is true - just look at past participation in all silhouette or other venues) and take away our National Champion venue due to a "so-called" budget short-fall. I say total bullshit as we have offered to run the match (which we think that we do a better job of) and send them ALL the profit!

We will konw in less than thirty days. Maybe Dawg and LImey want to get up a wager and let Chicken George hold the $'s!!

We truly would like to hear some negative thoughts so that we can have both sides in the argument.

I just have to agree with everything those above have said, and they have said far better than I could. Kitty you are a word smith. I have spent about 2 hrs on the phone to/with the NRA, and just got pissed around. No one will take responsibility for decisions that the committee has made and no one will tell you who the committee is or when they next meet. The Competition manager is on Holiday until November. (Michael Krei 703-267-1450) . If I could get his email address I would send him all these posts, but no cant let you have that

Limey,

I think that the bet would be if the NRA will re-award the 2007 Air Rifle Nationals to WGC. I think that Mongo would also like to get into the fray, but he must first consume a gallon milk jug of Bud! I am real sure that Chicken would be glad to hold the $'s!

Is there any one who thinks they will? I put $20 THAT THEY WONT. Bet they do next year...if you ask.

David,

What else is left to say, we come for the entertainment, you maybe the one entertaining or the one palming $. Piss on the fire and call in the dawgs this thing is a done deal and let the committee choke on their own pride, hate, stubboness, pig headedness or whatever they want to call it. We will still be there having the same big time we always do.

Limeaux,

I thought you had gotten some kinda northern legel begal to draftup some kinda drunk no fault betting law to keep your short term memory from costing you the farm. But if you stop and read the fine print on the Franklin Parish sign before you get to Winnsboro, it states " No yankee laws apply, you's in the south now, where men are men and you better get feared up." I have no idea how they will react to a feller who has an affiliation with the across the pond aggression bunch.

CWS,

I'm a free range dawg, no fence for me.......but you have already seen that.....LMAO

Genphideaux
I was trying to find a honest Legal Begal to do just that, but after interviewing 481,321 of them I gave up. My short-term memory is fine as long as I keep away from that white truck with the taps on the side. Who in there right mind leaves such a thing lying around at a shooting match any way, and full, I know, the kind of person who has a screaming cat as his ring tone....LOL.
As far as the sign entering Franklin Parish, That went missing 2 years ago. I have no clue how this happened but about a year ago it appeared on my garage wall!
And my affiliation is not helped by certain Southern Mississippi residents calling my home when I

Careful about talking about that "contrabnd" (Franklin Co Parrish) sign on your wall........Half the guys in those orange jumpsuits that are so helpful at the Southern Nationals started their illustrious careers just that way.......Very few have a british accent though.......You might want to practice up on your southernisims before next time at Winnsboro.....Phrases like "I'll gut you", or "Come on up in heah" are handy. Can learn a few phrases where you string them all together like "You come on up in heah an put yo han in mah grits an I'll gut you" will serve you well.........

Kitty