Third Annual Mission and District Rod and Gun Club Fraser Valley Varmint for Score Championship.
July 5, 2015 (by Jim Latham)
We knew we might have an issue two days before our Match when Joe Mendham and I went out to check everything at the range and sight in. As I looked through the scope into the mirage I could swear I saw Lawrence of Arabia on his camel. Joe said no that was two dragonflies doing the nasty…. And July 5th was predicted by infallible meteorologists to be one of the hottest days since creation. So we had to make contingency plans. On Match day we presented two options to our 21 competitors- Shoot our planned 20 score rounds at each of 300, 200 and then 100 (because in the afternoon 300 would have been impossible) or go to the traditional 100 200 with 25 shots at each range. Anyway but formal motion, seconding and calling of question it was decided by the majority that we would dispense with 300 yards and go to a traditional 25 score rounds at each of 100 and 200 meters (+or-) . We did not however go to the traditional Score plus Bull count; we stuck with the 11 point system we like. Democracy in action. A free vote; no one had to vote according to whims of the Party Whip!! Too bad they don’t do that in Victoria or Ottawa.
That turned out to be a very good decision. It sure was hot as predicted, but meteorologists had not predicted the huge winds coming from every clock direction, and of course they never say much about mirage. We thought we were in the Sahara during a dust storm. That is an exaggeration, but only slightly. But those of us from Mission concurred we had never had to deal with dust everywhere including in our guns. So when you look at the scores, give us a break; it was tough.
That is not to say that we did not have some superb individual targets and aggregate scores shot under those conditions. At 100 meters no one shot a perfect 55, but Aubrey White, Mark Dumont, and Robert Dunn each had a 54. And this was Roberts’s first match! That was the Benchrest Group. In Factory Class Dave Holbrook had a 53 and Gord Dale a 52. The 100 Meter Benchrest Aggregate was extremely close with Aubrey White first, Mark Dumont second, and Richard Nicol third. Only 1 point separated them. In the factory class Dave Holbrook led, followed by John de Best and Paul Koivukoski.
By the time we took an hour for lunch and the ever important BS and occasional truth, and were ready for the 200 meter session we were into the heat, wind, dust and mirage that would make the afternoon really challenging. After round one, where the possible was 55 with one shot per bull, we fired two shots per bull for the last two targets so their maximum possible was 110 each. Daniel Zaccanti Jr. shot the only 50 on that first target, and Gord Dale’s 48 was the best in factory. For the final two targets the best score was a 99 shot by Art Harder, and Gord dale shot a 97 in factory (better than a whole lot of BR guns!) So the 200 aggregates placed Art Harder first, Richard Nicol 2nd, and third went to Daniel Zaccanti Jr. Our factory leader this time was Gord Dale, followed by Dave Holbrook and John de Best.
Grand Aggregates were incredibly close as well, with a single point separating our overall winner Richard Nicol with 500 points (take a look at the equipment list) Mark Dumont in second and followed by Art Harder in 3rd. In the factory class 3 points separated winner Dave Holbrook from Gord Dale and another 3 from John de Best.
A major part of why this event is a success has to do with the generosity of the many sponsors who provided us with a combination of vouchers and product to pass on to our competitors. These are the folks we appreciate and whom we hope everyone deals with. Great thanks to each of you and your companies. Here they are:
Gary Eakin at Bighorn sales, Dan Opel at Plenty o Patches, Pat Reagin at PMA Tools, Steve Theye at Benchrite, Rick Graham Wind Flags, Dan Zaccanti Jr. and his “Flying Pigs” bullets, Ron Hoehn Sales, Italian Sporting Goods, Sinclair International, Hirsch Precision, and Berger Bullets.
As organizers Joe Mendham and I were pleased with the turnout, the good shooting, the lunch and camaraderie, and managing to get it all done, with awards and prizes and folks on their way by around 4 pm. MDRGC members chipped in to provide assistance as needed throughout the day and I am mostly recovered as well! See you in 2016!
Mission VFS Championship July 5th, 2015 ResultsMission VFS Championship July 5th, 2015 Equipment List
Topic: Mission 2015 VFS Championship - July 5 (Read 5083 times)