Articles -> The Worlds 2007, Roz's Hollow, Tennessee
On our way
Were on our way as we set off from Heathrow Airport at around midday on 9th October (in what would be the first leg of our holiday) but first, the competition being held at the Good Ole’ Boys Club or “Roz’s Hollow” as it is known. Our flight across the pond takes us to Washington DC Dulles, a journey of around 7 hours. On arrival we, like all foreign visitors to the USA, now have to contend with even longer queues, while the officers take our finger prints and photos, these being the extra security measures introduced following the tragic 9/11. All of this information I assume, being stored on computer for future reference. The immigration form completed on arrival is stamped and a section detached which then has to be handed back when you leave the country.
After about an hour we move on to retrieve our baggage and here we find our luggage has been removed from the carousel along with the rifle cases! After picking up our luggage and gun cases we then head through a further customs check point having been nowhere else in the airport. All liquids, i.e. drinks etc. are disposed of, even though they could not have been purchased anywhere other than airport side at Heathrow. I’m somewhat bemused by all this but there you go, this is in the interest of public safety.
Now we need to catch a flight to Huntsville, Tennessee. We decided to make absolutely sure that our luggage would make it to Huntsville so; we change our destination labels to indicate that our luggage is heading on to Huntsville and our eventual destination the Richland Inn. It was somewhat strange leaving our luggage on the floor with loads of other bags before moving on through the airport. I suppose this is because we were not being checked in again or leaving Dulles Washington Airport. Further delays at Dulles Washington ensure our flight does not take off for some time and, by the time we arrive in Huntsville we have all been up and on the go for about 19 hours and, to our surprise, all our luggage comes off the carousel including the gun cases. We collect our luggage and pick our 4x4 up from Alamo which is a surprisingly speedy process. I would recommend Alamo and, it has to be said, the most efficient and quickest part of the trip so far, well done Alamo. This six cylinder gas guzzling Toyota monster that we hired would cost a fortune to run at home but, is small in comparison to what our friends on their side of the pond run around with. What a great car. About an hour later we arrive at the Richland Inn having been followed by a patrol car soon after getting on the highway, I did feel somewhat worried. Special rates had already been arranged by our hosts and we are all more than ready for bed now. London time is 4am in the morning and to say we are tuckered out is an understatement.
Roz's Hollow
We all awake like early birds in the morning - our body clocks being well out of sync and, after a brief breakfast, head off to Roz Sumpters’ place, the Good Ole’ Boys to check our zero out on our rifles and get in some plinking practice.
Before the trip, I had decanted all the air from the cylinders of our rifles; this was a decision I was to regret when it came to my own rifle. My first surprise was that my cylinder attachment did not fit any of the diving bottles, they all had scuba fittings and I had brought my normal Din fitting. Help was at hand though and our American friends soon found someone with a scuba fitting with a quick fill adaptor which fitted our Air Arms rifles. One rifle recharges with no trouble but mine leaks air from around the ‘O’ ring seal of the cylinder and the regulator -oh this looks like trouble I say to myself. After starting to fill the cylinder I decide to give up and put the rifle down on my bean bag. I ask Roz if there is anyone who might be able to help and he suggests David Slade, although Roz is unable to contact him after repeated attempts on his mobile, Roz has more than enough to think about without messing about trying to find someone to help me with my rifle. The course is not completely laid out and the guy is very busy. I am now coming to terms with the fact that I may not be shooting this competition and may only be observing from the sidelines so to speak. After an hour or so I thought I might just try again and pester our American friend to fetch his filler gauge from the car for another attempt This time I continue to fill the cylinder until the pressure finally causes the ‘O’ ring to seal to expand and seal the rifle cylinder - wow - game on. I’m going to compete after all, I’m a happy bunny.
After some practice rounds we all head back to the Richland Inn for a good rest and thinking that it might just have been a good idea to have travelled over a few days earlier.
You enter Roz Sumpters’ place along a tree lined route of pine trees planted some 5 or more years ago. The ground is set in what I believe to is about 50 to 60 acres of absolutely beautiful grassland again with large areas of pine trees planted, I would assume about the same time as those mentioned above, some might say this is paradise and who could argue with them. If Roz had this amount of land in England he would be regarded as wealthy, is he anyway?
The day before the event we did take a day out to visit Chattanooga, what a fabulous place. We definitely should have stayed in Tennessee longer, a day here was never going to be enough so much to see and experience.
Day 1
The morning of Friday 12th October and we’re all up at six thirty and after getting ready and a small breakfast we head off to the Good Ole’ Boys Airgun Club. We arrive at about 8am and collect our official passes. After charging our rifles with the aid of another American friend we get down to some serious plinking. The club has set out two practice areas each side of the main open sided building - a sort of giant gazebo - where there is plenty of seating and, what becomes the general gathering place to discuss how you did on the day.
As the Americans were hosting this event and they knew that overseas competitors were competing with less than 12ft Ib rifles an International Class was created. However, that did not mean that the title would necessarily go to a competitor competing with a high power air rifle. The overall winner shooting whatever class of rifle would still take the title but, it has to be said, that a PCP rifle was always going to be right up there.
As all the overseas competitors knew the majority of the American competitors, whether they be shooting PCP or spring gun rifles, that their power rating was likely to be over 12ft Ibs and, more than likely to be in the region of 15-18 ft Ibs, with a flatter trajectory and, of course, heavy pellets, they would be less affected by the wind. I would hardly think they were making many adjustments to their top turret?
The Good Ole’ Boys had laid out three courses: red, white and blue. White and blue course was laid out in the beautiful adolescent pine forest. After some confusion on the lane designation of the competitors of the blue course we were all set to go, the weather at the start of the competition could either be described as fresh or cold but soon warmed up as the sun rose and the temp stepped up above the 70°f figure. The Americans operate a different method to stopping and starting the competition which is by way of calling either, a hot or cold line, no whistles or hooters were used throughout the competition.
There could be no reason to shoot the targets out of sequence on any of the courses because on every lane you shoot the nearest target first, obviously twice. An idea I liked and, back home, if we were to adopt this method, it would avoid much confusion and sometimes the loss of points because we were not paying attention to the number on the target, there being no target numbers on the courses.
No competitors were to start on either a kneeling or standing lane on any of the courses each day. Each course had fifteen lanes with two targets on each lane. The competitor would shoot at the nearest target on each lane twice and, having scored a hit, a cross would be placed on the competitor’s card for each hit or in the case of a miss a zero, therefore, if you hit the two targets twice a score of four would be entered on the card. A possible score of sixty could be obtained on each course with a maximum of one hundred and eighty over the three days of the event. This was a new experience for me, as I have never experienced competing in this way before.
As usual the target lengths varied from the minimum to the maximum allowed. However, it was the target kill zones which would present the biggest challenge to us under 12ft Ib competitors, just a little wind is all it would take to move us out of the kill zone and that’s without twitching. I believe I started on lane 12 with a young man called Kevin and Bob Zimmerman two Turkeys in the field followed and even though I did not score the full compliment of hits on these targets when I did hit the targets, they both fell down very slowly with me thinking, are they going to go down! When they did, it was with a clear clonk, boy were these some heavy targets! When I got round to lane 5 a 25 yard squirrel with a kill zone of 1” it was at this point that I started to think about David Slades’ comment about all the targets going over at around 3ft Ibs. I aimed at the squirrel square on and fired, to my surprise I saw my pellet bounce off the target, what’s going on here I say to myself, I reload and aim at twelve o’clock to get more leverage on the paddle - this time the target goes down. I had lost thirteen points on the first day of the competition and things were not going to get better. Overall the course was great fun to shoot and although I’m not a great advocate of shooting such small targets this was a serious challenge to my shooting ability.
I am of the opinion that the Americans have reduced the kill zones to make it more difficult for them to compete, a form of compensation for the use of their high powered air rifles. The blue course, like all the other courses, had one lane of kneelers and one lane of standers, therefore making a total of eight targets.
Day 2 - The red course, the one to be feared
Saturday and day two of the competition it was the red course beckoning us. We had all heard from other competitors that the red course was the one to be feared. This course was laid out mostly on a steep hill on the far left hand side of Roz’s property or it may have been in his neighbours property, because I did here someone mention this. With one particularly hard target up a tree and a very small kill zone on a tree snake this course was living up to its reputation.
Many of the targets laid out on the hillside were placed on the opposite side of what, would normally be a creek with running water. This was not the case as the area, and I don’t just mean Giles County, was suffering from a severe drought and there was no water in the creek at all. Much like the blue course the target kill zone sizes would present the biggest challenge and with a little wind the red course was to live up to its standing that would test the most determined field target shooter and this was to become apparent when trying to shoot the targets next to the scarecrow in the field. Lane 14 had two targets in the dry creek where the wind was entering from the field to make for two difficult shots. Following on to lane 15 with a full on 55 yard target and 30 yard sparrow, this area was to play havoc with me and I dropped some more shots here.
From time to time we experienced some strange happenings, and the Good Ole’ Boys could not have planned for this one, as two cows headed down the steep hill and onto the course nearly trampling one target but managing only to break the line which was quickly fixed.
The red course had the capability of crushing all your hopes and I thought that it was indeed the most difficult out of the three courses.
Our hosts have an array of gear, apart from the jackets now being worn at home, they have a rig that keeps there legs positioned and supports their back and some have an extensive array of knee pads and rolls made specifically for kneeling shots as well as attachments that bolt onto their rifle as the need arises and removed when not necessary. One of the most interesting aids on the course was the use of a tripod on the standing lane to assist with scoping in the targets. The liberal use of such equipment is somewhat questionable to say the least and, I have concerns about the use of their gun totes which are common place here.
Our hosts, with what must have been a limited budget, albeit that we paid a very small fee for food, laid on packed lunches and drinks for two days and on the last day they even managed an excellent buffet with the help of many local people together with wives and friends who travelled with the competitors, well done.
Day 3 - Killing fields
Sunday, and day three - the last day of the competition has arrived and the wind is up on the previous days, which was to give not only me but many others a great deal of trouble, more than I could handle! Lane 15 of the white course was laid out either side of the forest and after a briefing and prayer we were all on our way.
The course was much the same as the others and the vast majority of the targets were of relatively short distance but, with the reduced kill zones and wind making all the difference. The weather was excellent and the heat throughout the day rose making this by far the hottest day of the competition.
Many of our American friends needed to take time out during the course of the matches to recharge their rifles because of the amount of air being used, reducing their capability to complete a 60 target course on a single charge.
The white course became my killing fields so to speak and the worst score out of the three days pulling in a meagre 38.
I would like to say a special thanks to the guys that I can remember shooting round with - the very talented young man Kevin; Brad, Bob Zimmerman and Tony Lightfoot whose company I found to be especially enjoyable. Best of luck with your shooting in the future Tony.
Splendid event
Like all competitions whether they are the worlds or not we all think about the ones that got away from us and how we should have done much better. When all is said and done, this was a most enjoyable experience and the host nation should be congratulated for putting on a splendid event. I am concerned that our American friends will find it hard adopting the 12ft Ib rule and, I can see many of them continuing to use their high powered air rifles just because they can and, to be fair, I suppose if I was living in the USA, would I not be doing just the same, most probably. However, field target is fast becoming an international sport and we must accept that a standard power must be adopted and, this has already been agreed internationally at 12ft Ib. I personally don’t think the power issue should detract us all from realising that it is the skill of the game, competing at the power of 12ft Ibs and this is proven not just by English competitors but many other competitors around the world. Because of the lower power, a far greater skill is required to overcome all types of weather conditions be it rain wind or snow. Overall the adoption of the 12ft Ibs allows many other nations to compete in what is, a most gratifying sport that I hope will become popular amongst a wider audience. We need numbers in this game to be able to retain shooting as a safe hobby that can be enjoyed for many years to come. The anti shooting lobbies are everywhere let’s not give them any opportunity to spoil our fun.
What’s the future for field target shooting in America? I can see many Americans retaining their high powered rifles and competing in just the same way as I have experienced during this competition. That’s not to say that they will not compete internationally but, the numbers travelling abroad will be small. How can I comment on the numbers of Americans travelling when so few British competitors bothered to travel to America. I would have to say that it was a poor turnout by my compatriots.
As for the timing method, there was five minutes to shoot four targets from the time your bum hit the bag or acquired the target for the disciplined shots. The competitor starts the clock which is set to countdown your time. I thought there was plenty of time and very few problems were experienced during the event. The only comment I have is, I would like the clocks to be on view to the buddy marshals who are supposed to be checking the competitor’s time, during his period on the line so as to ensure the competitor does not exceed the time limit.
Would I travel to America again to compete? Sure I would, and I would go to Roz’s place to shoot any time. A great guy and what a great place Pulaski is.
Special thanks should go to the Mayor of Pulaski for welcoming us to Giles County and the welcome pack issued to all the competitors.
Results
Well how did it turn out in the end, here goes:
- Top shot and World Champion - Paul Cray
- Piston Champion - Jeff Paddock
- International Champion - Andy Calpin
- Highest Lady Scorer - Rosie Smith
- Highest Senior - Bill Howarth
- Highest Junior - Landry Walker
Team Honours:
- 1st Place - USA
- 2nd Place - England
- 3rd Place - South Africa
With thanks to John Walker for the article.