Posted by Tom Archer on February 21, 2013, 6:54 pm
2013 CHALLENGE CUP SHOOTING EVENT
It is incredible how rapidly the weeks and months have literally flown by since April, 2012; but the 2013 CHALLENGE EVENT is now only weeks away! For 2013, our much anticipated annual Challenge shootout and social event will take place at the Deep River Shooting School in conjunction with the Southern Side x Side Championships to be held April 26 – 28, 2013 in Sanford, NC; and incredibly, mark the 10th anniversary of the L.C. Smith vs. Parker Bros. Challenge Cup, as well as the 6th L.C. Smith vs. Parker Hammer Gun Challenge. As a group of shooters, the LCSCA has some work to do; for in spite of the fact that the LCSCA remains UNDEFEATED in the Hammer Gun Challenge (a record we certainly want to remain unblemished); we have only 3 wins against 6 losses in the coveted Challenge Cup Event.
In an effort to reverse this embarrassing trend, yours truly has elected to step aside as Team Captain for 2013; and have appointed Jimmy Baker, perhaps LCSCA’s most rabid clays shooter, to lead the charge. I’ll still be on hand in my usual role promoting the organization, signing up members, and answering gun related questions; but am convinced that having Jimmy’s invaluable assistance as captain of the LCSCA shooting venues will only serve to improve and increase our chances at redemption.
The Challenge Event itself is perhaps the most enjoyable shooting event hosted by the LCSCA each year; and for new members, and older members who have never had the opportunity to attend, this is the shoot format. The Challenge Event is held in two formats beginning with the Event One qualifier. Event One begins on Friday (likely around noon), and continues into Saturday afternoon until everyone who wishes to participate in the Challenge Event has had the opportunity to register their score. The Challenge Event entry fee is $10.00 (all Challenge Event entry fees go to charity); and of course, all participants must possess a current membership in the LCSCA. But Challenge Event entry is never a problem, as we will be selling LCSCA memberships at our booth; and we even provide “loaner” guns to any Smith shooter in need of same! In addition to the Challenge Event entry fee, all shooters will pay a 5-stand target fee; which, for the 2012 Challenge Event, was set at $15.00 per round of 30 targets.
Challenge Cup Teams for Event Two will be composed of those 10 shooters from each collectors association with the highest scores from the 60 target Event One qualifier. The Challenge event itself typically begins around 3:30PM at the 5-stand field will be composed of another 30 target venue to be shot on a re-configured 5-Stand target layout. The 2013 Challenge Cup will be awarded to the 10-person team with the highest number of broken targets out of the 300 target venue presented to each team.
Sunday morning will be reserved for the annual Hammer Gun Challenge; which event typically commences around 8:30AM following Brother Charlie Brooks devotional service held under the pavilion. Event entry and target fees are the same as for Event One of the Challenge Cup event; but the format is simplified so that the 10 best scores fired by the collective team members from each association are used to determine the Hammer Gun Challenge winner. Team Parker seems to suffer, to some unknown degree, from a severe shortage of Parker hammer guns; so if any of our LCSCA members have one of those obscure and forgotten hammer Parkers (with bent barrels) squirreled away in the back of some dusty closet; then be a good sport and bring that old relic to the event. Your magnanimous gesture of lending an old hammer Parker to a needy member of the PGCA can only serve to enhance inter-organizational fellowship.
On completion of the Challenge, individual awards will be presented to those four shooters who distinguish themselves with superb performances in the Challenge Event as follows: Top Gun (highest Challenge Event score), 2nd Place, 3rd Place, and 4th Place; and in addition, awards are presented to the High Lady and High Junior participants in the Challenge Event (both awards were won by LCSCA members in 2012). Top Gun and Runner-Up awards are also given in the Hammer Gun Challenge Cup Event for the two highest shooter scores. Additionally, the LCSCA will award trophies for the best scores with a Smith gun shot in the 12-bore Main Event (the Bogardus Cup) and in the 20-bore event (the Dreu Bowman Cup). Our Challenge Event trophies are first class, are highly prized; and some of the nicest awards presented in any shooting venue.
So make your plans now to attend; and in the interim set aside ample time to practice, practice, and then practice a bit more. Prior to arrival in Sanford, LCSCA shooters must already be prepared if we ever hope to reclaim the Challenge Cup and restore this great trophy to its rightful ownership; so I’m counting on you guys to be ready, and to permanently reverse the current negative trend with a convincing victory in 2013! In the interim, I’m hoping everyone is as excited as I am at the opportunity; and I’ll be looking forward to greeting each of you there real soon! Tom