RATON,NEW MEXICO 2013-US NATS & World's Championships

Some pictures from Raton



































Our Canadian individual medalists: Ron Hilchey, Bill Watts, Kevin Chou, and Jonathan Laitre


The F-TR Team


The F-TR team on their way to a 2nd place finish


The F-Open Team


F-Open Team getting ready to shoot


The 2013 Canadian National F-Class Team
 
Thanks for all the great pictures FTRRookie. I sure hope you or someone else writes a nice long article for the next issue of the Canadian Marksman all about our guys' shooting in Raton.

Now *this* photo pefectly captures the Raton experience in my mind (the flag, the dust cloud, the firing line, the background scenery):
FTRRookie said:
Click to expand...
 
This may have been on the 1000 yard line just before the rain. Trying to hold down your gear, keep your ammo dry, and dope the wind all at the same time lead to some humbling scores.
 
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Ron, it was a pleasure to meet you and so happy you got to bring home a medal for yourself. Great shooting.

Sorry, we missed each other at the Awards ceremony but there was just too much stuff going on to get away.

Congrats...

Jerry

AWESOME Pics indeed.
 
just to help clarify the results regarding my performance:

US Nationals:

7th Master (10th overall)
won 2 match's, 1 match 3rd place and another 5th
finished 2nd daily aggregate Day 4

Was my first string shooting match ever. Learned the strategy to use. I was shooting WAY too slow but made my best wind calls ever...needed to forget about Bisley style shooting.

F-Class world:
finished 31st
crashed big time at 1000yds Day 1 (shot a 54 %^&*%^&*%*&)
managed a strong comeback on Day 2, finished 3rd Daily Agg.

My FCWC have been "destroyed" by a crazy bad relay. At this point I learned not to engaged a full value, high velocity wind from the left side at this range !!! I stand by my decision to engaged, I knew what I was doing, no excuses....just the wrong decision (((( Sadly, It screw up my total placement within the ranking. One thing that i'm ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED, I belong in the top 10 in the world, no doubt about it.

Jonathan Laitre
 
A few more pictures

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Phone started with a vengence half way through Wyoming and it's been hair straight back since.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved and say it was a privelege and honor to be included with such a fine group of gentlemen.
Thank you all. Team Canada 2013 will not be forgotten.
Cheers, Glen
 
It sure was a honour to be on the Canadian Team. It was truly amazing when the entire team worked together as a single unit. The F-TR team was so efficient on the second day it was like clockwork.

It felt effortless to call the wind spot-on with the help of Canada's best, Jonathan Laitre and Bill Watts. Their ability to see subtle changes and steady condition in the wind made all the difference. With the 4 of us wired-in, Canada F-TR was unstoppable.

As for the Shooters, they really stepped up their game and delivered perfect shots on a world class level. Words can't describe how strong their delivery was when it counted. You guys make it happen.

Special thanks to Head coach Ed Bergsma for providing guidance to time management and team psychology. Your experience and wisdom is greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all Canadian Team members who made the competition fun and memorable. Big thanks to all our sponsors/supporters. Until next time, see you in Connaught 2017.
 
I agree 100%, this Team came all together on the 2nd Day of the world when every one was crazy efficient helping is teammate and delivery was crazy accurate !!! Was impressive to look from the back !!!!!! We were soooooooooooooo close of the gold, NEXT TIME !!!!!!!! we got the skills to make it a gold....
 
A job well done to everyone, it was a pleasure seeing some familiar faces and some new ones compete at the highest level. You certainly let everyone know that Canada will be a force to be reckoned with in 2017. It will be a challenge to both shoot and organize the event but I'm going to let Larry B's performance serve as my inspiration and plan to do both to a very high level.

Scott
 
Arrived home yesterday after a somewhat long return trip and have a LOT of unpacking and laundry to do. Raton coal slag and dust is abundant in EVERYTHING.
My apologies.. once I started this thread with some pics,my camera got lost and I got cut off by email security couldn't get the computer to work properly. High techy failure.
Even the Garmin Dash B i t c h took me on a wild ride home cross country......

Let me say here, without reservation,that EVERY Canadian who attended the Raton matches "represented" exceptionally well. Comments by range officials and other competitors
about our Canadians ,made me proud to be a part of the organization.
The hard work by Larry Bartholome and his wife Bev and ALL the help by his volunteer group,The Eagles Nest,and the NRA Whiddington Center,pulled off THE LARGEST most successful
F Class gathering in the history of F'ing.....(a special thanks to Larry and Bev who loaned me a piece of equipment that made it possible for me to make it through.)

In the coming days I will be putting my thoughts and notes together to submit to the DCRA for future Canadian Team development....2017 is just around the corner.
For those that are interested in becoming part of "The Team for 17" ,stay tuned for developments as Captain Eric Bisson will be starting the process of planned development .

As an aside...for those who questioned my Classification as Expert. I had shot 2 US Nationals and 1 America's Match over a 4 year period . The NRA takes these actual scores submitted
by the Match Directors and issues a classification based on them. What does it takes to shoot better than Expert Class ......PRACTICE ! and then MORE PRACTICE :)

Thanks to all for the kind words and emails. Endurance proved a little more challenging than I had anticipated,BUT without question,I would do it again....

While there I met a good number of old friends and made a heck of a bunch of new ones from around the world. Not often one gets the chance to do this. So I encourage ALL
who would like to share in this experience to plan now,make the commitment,set your goal ,to develop and practice and attend the next WORLD F Class Championships HERE
in CANADA and the beautiful Connaught Ranges......

Gotta get started unpacking...and checking for skorps...
Regards
Gord O :canadaFlag:
 
A winning team is not about doing great when things are good... its about being Amazing when things are tough.

We know we have had great 800 and 900 yds relays but so has everyone else and not all teams are posting scores - 1000yds - last relay day 2, make or break.

Team is moving like clockwork - wind coaches are on a swivel dialing in every possible condition (yes, 8 eyes are better then 4). Conditions are far from ideal but first shooters do great.

I am put on the line early and set up. I know that my sighters will be used as pilot shots to gain some info on the winds. Aim is called, sighter 1 is sent. Shot comes up positive and a barrage of lead goes down range. I just remember watching 2 targets bop up and down with a 10 to 15sec turnaround. We score well.

Then a huge GULP as a shot doesn't go where it should. We hit a mechanical problem - OMG. But what follows next is what great team work and preplanning is all about. When it is diagnosed that there is a mech problem, tools and work on the line occurs to try and remedy WHILE other shooters take over their relays. Wind coaches are still working the air, shooters are still sending lead center ignoring the issues to their side.

Rifle has to be swapped out.

New rifle is brought on the line and "rebuilt" to fit the shooter. Shooter has never seen this rifle but hunkers down and finishes off the relay with a solid performance. That is grace under pressure!

Conditions absolutely tank and I am now part way through my relay but put on hold...... a very long hold.... and we wait.... and we wait. All other teams have now stopped but every now and then, you hear a pop. You know that shot doesn't go well cause there is no follow up shot. Just lost points. Our coaches hunker down and hold up. Things shift and hint at openings... you hear a pop nearby.... but no follow up... someone is bleeding points.... we wait.

After about 20 to 30 mins, things start to smarten up. Coaches who have not taken their eyes off the conditions start to sit up. Info is discussed, decision made, we are back in our scopes.......

BANG!...... target goes down...... start breathing in and setting up to shoot.... target goes up and its a great shot.... DIAL SCOPE..... HOLD -----....... "GO ON".... And we start launching lead. I have no idea how long or how many shots but all I can remember is cycling the action, popping another rd in, getting back on target, having an adjustment put on my scope, a direction given and squeezing the trigger... BANG..... Working that bolt again.

The last of the shots are fired, we score well, we are down to 1 shooter and...... LESS THEN 5 MINUTES LEFT. Good grief, we aren't going to finish.

If anyone said Canucks don't know how to "gun", they got schooled at what came next.

Believe it or not, there was a wait as conditions were confirmed then the call to fire was given and I have never seen anyone shoot a bolt gun that fast with that level of precision. FREAKING AMAZING.

Relay ends with just over 1 minute on the clock. That is not just fast, that is SMOKING......

So on that relay, I am proud to say a group of Canucks showed up, got it done despite the ups and down, saved points and truly deserved the medal they won.

For those reading and have not shoot Team before, I strongly recommend you give it a try. I now know why team shooting dominates F class in many other countries. It is so fun, rewarding, and takes Precision shooting to a whole new level.

Thanks again, to all and especially to the Coaches who worked with us through all the ups and downs.

It has been a honor...

Jerry
 
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a good reason why its so fun is the INCREDIBLE COACHES we are pleased to have dedicated to us. These Chou bro's are among the best this planet have to offer. I will never thank enough all the time and money investment they gave for us. You guy will make the F-Class in Canada step up big time..

an absolute privilege to be part of this.
 
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