Winter Offhand Match – March 10, 2018

Well, the 2018 – 2019 Winter Offhand Matches came to their close this Sunday afternoon.  Nine shooters and an observer came out into the wind for the last match of the season.

To say that it was not a good day for offhand shooting would probably be an understatement. It was windy – no one had one of those nifty Kestrel meters, but I would guess gusts well above 20-MPH.  (National Weather Service says 25 with gusts to 39). To aggravate the wind, it came from the west to north-west, which put it in the right eye of shooters.  Between bleary eyes and wind pushing rifles around, no one had a really good day – no season’s bests were set today.

The season had five matches scheduled and we shot all five of them – the first time we’ve been able to do that for several winters – no weather cancellations.  The winner for the season aggregate score was set as the best three matches of the five.  Although there were shooters who shot all five matches, their season aggregate scores were the best of their five matches.

Season three match aggregate winners and awards are:

Mike King                   1141 – 21X      $43.00 First Place plus $5.00 X-Man Award

Mark Walters             1095 – 13X      $22.00 Second Place

Jeff Beierke               1049 – 14X      $11.00 Third Place

Five match aggregate scores were:

Steve Kage                 1566 – 8X

Kris Hartwig                1514 – 3X

Jeff Beierke                 1351 – 14X

Congratulations to the Three Match and Five Match top three finishers.

And, in the best traditions of the sport, Joe Freiberger came out and shot all five matches and he wins the Anchor Man Award for hanging in there and giving it his best with his 1917 Enfield!

Joe Freiberger             752 – 0X          Anchor Award  $5.00

I want to thank all of the shooters.  We had 52 entries for the year and all of you helped me with setting up, putting things away, running a smooth and safe line and being respectful to your fellow shooters by taking the light hearted social chatter off the line so as not to disturb folks still shooting.

I’m looking forward to the High Power Clinic on March 30 and the first 50/80 Match on April 13th.