East Coast National Event

S

sgeorge

Guest
There is a thread on that other forum announcing the venue for the USARB National Championships. There is some discussion about having something closer to the east coast. Some excellent points being made. However, USARB is a sanctioning organization, at least the last time I checked, not a philanthropic group. Someone, with a great deal of help, needs to step up and put on an event that will rival anything that can be done out west. Call it something other than a national or a regional event. Call it the USARB Intercontinental Championships. Invite teams from all over the world. Find a place that has at least 15 benches, plenty of facilities, parking and access to attractions and amenities that families might find interesting. Think southeast in the winter months. It may have to be built, just as Joe Friedrich did in Oxnard, California. No, it will not be easy but few things really worthwhile are. I will raise my hand first to help.
 
2nd!

i 2nd Mr. George, something on the east coast is needed, and i'll help as well!
 
Whomever does it - - -

There is a thread on that other forum announcing the venue for the USARB National Championships. There is some discussion about having something closer to the east coast. Some excellent points being made. However, USARB is a sanctioning organization, at least the last time I checked, not a philanthropic group. Someone, with a great deal of help, needs to step up and put on an event that will rival anything that can be done out west. Call it something other than a national or a regional event. Call it the USARB Intercontinental Championships. Invite teams from all over the world. Find a place that has at least 15 benches, plenty of facilities, parking and access to attractions and amenities that families might find interesting. Think southeast in the winter months. It may have to be built, just as Joe Friedrich did in Oxnard, California. No, it will not be easy but few things really worthwhile are. I will raise my hand first to help.

Has their work cut out for then if they even rival Joe's Nationals. I have attended a lot of big matches over the past 18 or so years and I have never seen the like of what Joe put on, of course, I have never attended a World Championship so do not know what that is like.

Pete
 
The USARB is not bias in where the National will be held. We hear the same thing each year, a lot of feelings as to why not on the east coast or somewhere in the middle but not one club has stepped up besides Phoenix. We have guidelines in place and all is needed is a viable proposal from the hosting club that will adhere to these guidelines.

Todd Banks was the last I believe that held a Regional and that was years ago. It wasn't a great turnout if memory is correct.

My personal feelings on this matter, is quite complaining, you are all adults, it's not the Boards fault, we will work with you. Focus your energy on finding a place and at least committing to having a Regional for starters.

Regards,
Joe
 
I am lucky to be out here on the West coast and close by to Oxnard and Phoenix. I am all up for someone putting on a large comparable event that is USARB sanctioned. I would enjoy a trip east, I will be watching to see what develops.
 
Southeast

Riverbend gun club in Dawsonville, Georgia is an awesome club. They have great facilities and I used to be a member there and still know some people who are still members. Over 400 acres and very well maintained. I used to shoot smallbore until the economy killed my job in 2010. I noticed that there is an effort to create a spring piston class and I would like to get in on that. RBGC could be a possible venue. It is exceptional.
 
Joe,

In full agreement with your thoughts. You have stepped up and made it happen. If a national or otherwise event is going to happen over here, someone else needs to step up. You have earned our respect and we should all be grateful for everything you do. Thank you.
 
I'm in total agreement with both Steven and Joe.

Even though I've never met either gentlemen, I've had the pleasure of dealing with both when it comes to Airguns, along with Joe regarding Rimfires. I don't care who you are, or where your Club is, you just ain't gonna top what Joe has to offer!

Now, if someone wanted to set up a large Regional or International event (call it what you will) somewhere on the east coast, that would be great and I'm sure if the timing were right, would draw quite a nice crowd of shooters - and there are several facilities that could handle such an event.

I've never beend to Riversbend, and it may be the answer, but some of the ones that immediately come to mind are:

The Charlseton, SC range where the 2011 Worlds were held, I think the name of it was Palmetto. It's a 40 bench range localed not far from the outer edge of Charleston, meaning there are plenty of hotels and restaurants in the area, plus has already been proven to be able to handle a large Airgun event.

Kay C. Young's Black Creek facility just outside of Richmond, VA in Mechanicsville. There you would have tons of hotels and restaurants, along with an International Airport, all within 10 miles of the range, plus RV hookups at the range. Black Creek is a 60 bench range with tons of parking. And even though Black Creek isn't situated in the middle the country, it sure is smack dab along the middle of the east coast, meaning it's within a 9 hour drive from lots of shooters homes. The only drawback may be that the last I knew it didn't have a 25M target line, and I don't know how open they'd be to installing one. But my last trip down was in 2002, so that might have changed. Believe me, if I didn't live 9 hours away, I'd be willing to take the reins on putting something there as Kay C. has always been very open minded and great to deal with.

Then there's Kettlefoot in the very western tip of Virginia where the IR folks hold their Nationals. Again, I don't know if they have a 25M target line, but it's a proven range for handling large events.

And, of course, everybody knows the optimum range as for being centralized while also being capable of handling any sized event is St. Louis, but nobody has seemed to want to step up about trying to coordinate anything there.

I know, as I'm sure most of you do, that there are many more excellent ranges out there. But, as always, the problem is to get somebody who's fairly local to those ranges to step up.

Just my opinion. But if you want it to happen, don't just sit back and wait for it. Make it happen!

Dave Shattuck
 
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Riverbend gun club in Dawsonville, Georgia is an awesome club. They have great facilities and I used to be a member there and still know some people who are still members. Over 400 acres and very well maintained. I used to shoot smallbore until the economy killed my job in 2010. I noticed that there is an effort to create a spring piston class and I would like to get in on that. RBGC could be a possible venue. It is exceptional.


Come to our Florida Ultimate Benchrest (FLUBR) Challenge on Jan 30, 2016 in Dade City, FL and we can discuss this more. Some of us want to organize an Eastern Region match, but don't have the facilities to do so.
 
Size of airgun benchrest participation hasn't grown in all regions

The USARB is not bias in where the National will be held. We hear the same each year, a lot of feelings as to why not on the east coast or somewhere in the middle but not one club has stepped up besides Phoenix. We have guidelines in place and all is needed is a viable proposal from the hosting club that will adhere to these guidelines.

Todd Banks was the last I believe that held a Regional and that was years ago. It wasn't a great turnout if memory is correct.

My personal feelings on this matter, is quite complaining, you are all adults, it's not the Boards fault, we will work with you. Focus your energy on finding a place and at least committing to having a Regional for starters.

Regards,
Joe
Hi all
Having worked with joe on open grove events and shooting at the 2014 nationals , and watching a single guy effort at a Sac. Regional I have to say it's a tough task to stage a national level event . If like AZ. You have a large base to help and a decent facility it's possible . And if you have dedicated patron of the sport like we do at open grove it's possible ,I watched Jim at his sac. Regional work his tail off with set up and scoring witch Wayne helped him with . I watched joe try and source some middle ground for the 2015 national and the logistics of man power and equipment and cost took it out of the realm of what the participation of our sport can support .

If there is any club who can supply everything needed to support the basic requirements for just the three current classes and on a time table that makes it possible for shooter to be able come and get back home without allowing a week please step up . I'm willing to travel to a well organized well scored event . But unless the sport grows and new enthusiastic blood grows I don't see it happening . Just my observations .
 
From what I have seen

Clubs don't often provide much in the way of people helping run big events. Generally it's the people competing in the event that do the work or someone they hire to help. I have seen a few non-shooters who score sometimes or run tagets but mostly it has been the shooters themselves who have done all the work. I ran a Nationals 5 or 6 years ago. It went well but I spent a week preparing, with the help of one other shooter. We hired a scorer and target crew. The event went well, as I said but it was a lot of work; once in a lifetime thing for me, I might add.

Pete
 
Humor me and make a list of requirements. I'll see if I can locate a range or ranges capable of hosting the event....and try to convince them to host it.
 
Riverbend gun club in Dawsonville, Georgia is an awesome club. They have great facilities and I used to be a member there and still know some people who are still members. Over 400 acres and very well maintained. I used to shoot smallbore until the economy killed my job in 2010. I noticed that there is an effort to create a spring piston class and I would like to get in on that. RBGC could be a possible venue. It is exceptional.

Unfortunately, the guy that puts on the RBGC RF BR matches [ and has a killer Daystate CRX BR rifle ] got whacked with cancer back in August. After a complex surgery his prognosis is quite good but he still has chemo to deal with until at least May. Then if there is no metastasis he can start to regain his strength and stamina. Probably be 2017 before he is capable of the exertion required for a national event.
 
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