Bianchi Cup Pro Shooter Clinic Begins in Just One Week
Lewis Creek Shooting School 05.13.13
Just a week and a half from now, the most prestigious action pistol match in the world will begin in Columbus, Missouri. The best pistol shooters in the world will converge on the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club for the 2013 35th Annual Midway USA & NRA Bianchi Cup National Championship. In 2012, international competitors haled from Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Russia, Switzerland, and the United States. Awards are awarded to various categories to include high law enforcement, high woman, high junior, high international, high newcomer, high senior, high grand senior, high service, high semi-auto, and high revolver. On Saturday night at the awards dinner the MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup will award the world famous Silver Bianchi Cup as well as Division Champion Trophy Cups to the Metallic and Production Division.
This year, the NRA has instituted a few measures to lower entry fee cost. A registered competitor will receive a $50 discount for each friend who has never competed at the MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup, each new competitor would also have an entry fee of $200. They also offer reduced fees for Juniors, Production Firearms, Active Duty Military, and those that register early.
While the actual match will begin on Wednesday, May 22 and end on Saturday, May 25, the first event is the New Pro Shooter Clinic held on Monday, May 20. Hosted to help newer shooters learn more about the Bianchi Cup’s events and get tips and techniques to make them more successful, the instructors for the Pro Shooter Clinic are some of the best shooters in the world and include many past Bianchi Champions.
Instructors are assigned to different events so clinic participants will spend time with the champions and pros in a small group setting. Rob Leatham, multi-time Bianchi Champion, will host the opening class and Falling Plate Event. Doug Koenig and Kyle Schmidt will be giving tips and hands on coaching for the Moving Target Event while Jessie Duff and Mickey Fowler will be instructors for the Barricade Event and Practical Events, respectively. Rob Vadasz and Carl Bernosky will be available for questions and advice during the clinic.
On Tuesday evening, a newcomer’s orientation will be held at the Competitor’s Meeting. Former and current Champions as well as the match staff will be in attendance to help new shooters in their first attempt at the MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup. After the meeting, competitors will get triggers weighed and pick up competitor packets with a goodie bag.
The MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup is a combination of speed and accuracy shooting at stationary and moving targets. It all starts with an interest and the sense of adventure to try this shooting sport. With social events almost every night and some of the friendliest and fastest shooters in the country, the 2013 Bianchi Cup promises to be a memorable week.
Dick Jones is an award winning outdoor writer and a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association Board of Directors. He writes for four North Carolina Newspapers as well as regional and national magazines. He’s hunted and fished most of his life but shooting has been his passion. He’s a former High Master, Distinguished Rifleman, and AAA class pistol shooter. He holds four Dogs of War Medals for Team Marksmanship as shooter, captain and coach. He ran the North Carolina High Power Rifle Team for six years and the junior team two years after that. Within the last year, he’s competed in shotgun, rifle and pistol events including the National Defense Match and the Bianchi Cup. He’ll be shooting the Bianchi, the NDM, the National High Power Rifle Championship, The Rock Castle AR15.com Three Gun Championship and an undetermined sniper match this shooting season.
He lives in High Point, North Carolina with his wife Cherie who’s also an outdoor writer and the 2006 and 2011 Northeast Side by Side Women’s Shotgun Champion. Both Dick and Cherie are NRA pistol, rifle, and shotgun instructors and own Lewis Creek Shooting School.
