Stiff Competition for Bianchi Falling Plate Champs

Columbia, Missouri – At the MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup, the Falling Plate event is one of the most popular to watch. The sound of the rounds connecting with the steel, watching the plates knocked down, and the focus of the competitors all make for an exciting event. Earlier today, some of the top competitors took to the range to shoot the Universal Coin & Bullionsponsored event.

Reigning Production Champion Rob Leatham has some stiff competition this year. Today on range he shot alongside two of his toughest opponents — Enoch Smith and Kevin Worrell. New to the competition in 2011, Smith and Worrell have returned to Columbia to chase the title of Production Champ.

Smith and Worrell are experienced shooters — both earning top five finishes at the NRA National Police Shooting Championships (NPSC). As Border Patrol Agents, shooting NPSC is in their comfort zone, but the Bianchi Cup presents new challenges.

Of the four men in their relay, however, the only competitor to shoot the plates clean was Kyle Schmidt. Such a performance definitely puts Schmidt in the running to be this year’s Production Champion.

After the top male Production competitors completed the course, women in the running for the Ladies title were up on the Plates. Favorites Jessie Duff and Julie Golob already have Ladies Champion titles under their belt. But to take top honors in 2012, they’ll have to contend with last year’s Junior Champ Tiffany Piper. Duff, Golob and Piper all shot in the same squad today — making for quite the exciting relay. Who knows … maybe young Piper is ready to to push her more experienced counterparts aside and snag her first Ladies Championship title.

Keep checking back, because we’ll have more from the 2012 MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup, including a scoring update first thing in the morning.

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