Well, the submissions are in, and word is there are a lot of them. I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to make one.
I was also given the opportunity to give an oral submission to back up my written one. I’ve done them before, but they’re kind of stressful, and I have to work hard not to use short, colourful words or be too blunt. Now we’ll have to wait and see how much they have listened.
On a far more relaxing note, The Blenheim Pistol Club held a day shoot with seven IPSC stages. Joel and Mark designed the stages, and with help from other club members, they did a good job. The stages were challenging, even if they kept telling me I couldn’t do this or that. It wouldn’t have made much difference anyway, as my pistols were playing up. I had a few jams and a couple of light strikes, that’s when the firing pin doesn’t hit hard enough to set off the primer. These things can really ruin a man’s day at times. So, while my results were poor, shit happens, it was a relaxed and enjoyable day overall. There was a good turnout, with the usual crowd from the Motueka and Cable Bay clubs.
We also had a father-and-son team from the Westport club. This was the first shoot Alex had attended. Their club is a bit restricted in what they can do, but John (Dad) has been around a few years and has always shot well. Alex was doing well too, proof that learning early is key. His gun handling was top-notch, and while he wasn’t going for speed (which was smart, as that’s a skill that takes practice), his ‘A’ count was high, far better than mine. He has been hunting for a while, but that’s a very different kind of shooting, and of course not with pistols. Pistols can only be used on certified club ranges.
These matches are a lot of fun and a good way to step things up from regular club days at your home range, without the bigger jump to an Islands or Nationals match (and they’re a lot cheaper too). They also bring together shooters of varying skill levels. We had a few new shooters, which was great to see. It gives the newer competitors a chance to get some coaching from those of us who’ve been around a while. We’ve been running these shoots for a long time because they’re a great way to improve the overall standard of shooting within the club.
On that note, here’s hoping that my oral submission goes well and that the oral submitters make a difference for all of us shooters.
