Records Fall at Northeast Regional Field Target Championship Hosted by Crosman
OutdoorHub 07.16.14
Back-to-back days of blistering heat and torrential downpours did not dampen the competition at the 2014 Northeast Regional Field Target Championship hosted by Crosman. A record turnout of 100 participants across seven shooting disciplines posted impressive scores on the challenging course held on the world campus of Crosman Corporation July 11 and 12.
“What began five years ago as the Northeast Regional Championship has evolved into the largest field target pro-am event in the country,” said Mark DeBoard, Shooting Services Manager for Crosman. “Professional and casual field target competitors from fourteen states and Canada, plus youth shooters and families, help make this a fun weekend for everyone.”
The two-day rifle event requires competitors to shoot 60 targets each day. Targets are placed at ranges between 15 and 50 yards. A “hit” is scored when the shooter successfully knocks down the fall-away target. “We had kids as young as ten years old this year and squadded them with veteran shooters so they learn the sport, etiquette and proper techniques,” added DeBoard.
Registration Day / Quigley Bucket Challenge
NRFTC participants are encouraged to arrive in time to enjoy Friday’s activities including a Crosman Factory Tour, Crosman Store with fantastic deals on all products and even a sneak peek of unannounced, coming-soon products. The day wraps with the Quigley Bucket Challenge: a re-creation of the dramatic scene in the film “Quigley Down Under” starring Tom Selleck in which Selleck’s character must shoot a bucket at an estimated 700 yards. Scaled for airguns, this equates to a 1.75″ target placed at 55 yards. Shooters must use a 6.5 ft lb rifle using only open / iron / non-magnified sights.
Participants get five chances to hit the target. In case of a tie, there is a shootoff to determine the winner. In the five years of the competition, there has never been a first round winner and no one has ever hit the target more than twice in a single round. This year, that changed.
Fred Eichler, Benjamin Prostaffer and host of Predator Nation, stepped up and knocked down the target a remarkable 3 out of 5 shots to win. Among the other 24 shooters, only Greg Sauve and Levi Rogers scored a hit.
WFTF PCP
Day One began with sunny skies and temperatures rose into the high 80s about halfway through the match. World Field Target Federation (WFTF) division competitors were on the Hillside course, known for deceptive wind currents and shady maple trees. The WFTF PCP class ended the day with the top competitors separated by just five shots. Inclement weather moved in early on Sunday, bringing winds pushing 20 mph and rain. Tom Holland, in third place after the first day, was able to to post the highest score on Sunday to jump into second place, just three shots behind winner Greg Sauve. Sauve previously won the NRFTC WFTF PCP title in 2011 and 2012.
WFTF Piston
Ray Apelles and Jerry LaRocca finished Day One tied at 41 with Veronika Ruf just two shots back. Art Deuel and defending WFTF Piston champion Hector J. Medina-Gomez remained threats at five shots back. As the rains moved in, Ruf and Deuel fell of the pace while Medina-Gomez made up enough shots to take third place. LaRocca outlasted Apelles to win it by two shots. LaRocca previously won the Hunter division in 2011.
Hunter PCP
The Hunter PCP class featured a record 44 shooters with over half shooting 50% or better. Winner John Tyler stayed consistent by posting a 46 each day for a 92 total. Kevin Kunkle and Greg Shirhall finished tied at 89 and Kunkle took second by winning a gentleman’s coin toss. Alan Harold came all the way from California for his first NRFTC and placed fourth. Justin Heckert, Design Engineer for Crosman, placed fifth. A number of shooters, including 2010 and 2013 winner Bill Day, had to log DNFs due to the bad weather on the final day of the match.
Hunter Piston
Scott Hull showed no signs of road weariness after driving 40 hours from California as he walked away with the the Hunter Piston title by 29 shots. Defending division champion Paul Manktelow was just three shots behind James Wilcox who placed second.
Open PCP
Matthew Sawyer finished Day One two shots behind Skip Tenney, then fought off a hard-charging Dennis Eden to win the Open PCP class. Eden made up eight shots to move ahead of Tenney into second place by a single shot.
Open Piston
Paul Bishop was the last man standing when the torrential rains moved in on Sunday. He started the day ahead by ten shots.
Pistol
The pistol competition took place Saturday afternoon and shooters competed in three classes: Hunter, Open and Hands-Supported. Participants shot at 30 targets on Crosman’s Hilltop course.
Craig Evans bested Bill Day in Hunter Division by one shot while Thomas Wade won a tight race in the Hands-Supported Division. Jerry LaRocca successfully defended his Open Division title.
