Jean-Louis Espinet

[Bill Gammon]

I am truly touched to inform that my friend and benchrest team mate of 22 years Jean-Louis Espinet aka the PIGMAN didn’t survive an heart operation this week in Paris and passed away yesterday. He came to benchrest in 1992 from high power rifle shooting when we first met and managed to keep both activities for a while until concentrating exclusively in our favorite sport. He was a fierce competitor and a truly straight character always ready to help anybody and lately devoted a large part of his time and skills to help developing the 22 rimfire Hunter Class competition in France and turn it into the success that it became. He will be missed and our benchrest matches in France will never be the same without his famous songs when the Mistral was blowing. My thoughts and prayers go to his wife Wanee, doughter Fee and family.

For those not knowing this was the fellow who sought after and organize the match in WBRF in France 2011. I met him about 5 or 10 years ago at Kelblys and he was the shooter who help us alot in France. Great person and a great competitor.

[John VM]

 Jean-Louis was an icon in this sport, always friendly and a clown at heart and yet a fierce competitor that was always willing to help. The sport has again lost one of its true icons and top competitor.

[Bill Gammon]

I read my post and I have to correct something, The first paragraph was from the now President of the WBSF, the second one is mine.

[Bill Gammon]

A picture of Jean-Louis and me at the 2005 Worlds at Kelbly's range.