Barefoot at the NRA Smallbore Championships

Port Clinton, Ohio – There was a little excitement this morning as the storm clouds laid anchor to the Young and Rodriquez range here in Camp Perry during the NRA’s National Smallbore 3-Position Championships. While the darkness and rain didn’t bother them so, the lightening was enough for officials to send shooters to the showers … so to speak.

Per tournament rules, shooters must leave the range for a set period of time after any lightening strike.

One of those shooters was Joe Barefoot out of University of Tennessee at Martin. Thought it was only a fifteen minute delay, I couldn’t help but wonder if the break caused any disruption in his performance.

“I first off about four of five shots for sighters,” Barefoot explained. “I didn’t shoot anything for match so I should be okay.”

The delays and weather anomalies are nothing new to Joe. As a four year veteran of Camp Perry, he understands that something form of distraction will always come into play. If not the rain, then maybe the heat. In his first 2012 round, however, it doesn’t appear to be slowing him down.

“I shot a 200 in that relay,” said Barefoot. “Hopefully I can keep doing well for the rest of the day and the match.”

So if this is nothing new, then what was his most challenging weather related experience here at Perry?

“My very first year at Camp Perry, I remember being up on point 181 where I was positioned in kind of a mud trench because of the rain,” he laughed. “Hey, at least it was cool.”

Taking the victories where you can find them.

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