Just back in from Lodi and getting caught up on mail and email etc.
I want to add my congratulations to ALL the shooters who experience the LODI match and especially C.Ballard in F Open and D.Biggs in F T/R .
Additionally I want to share a little insight and praise the performance of an outstanding Canadian competitor,Dale Rathwell.
Everyone of us has our own story,but let me say that Dale truly rose to the occassion to win SILVER in 2 daily 1000 yrd matches and SILVER in the overall Agg.
Dale arrived in Lodi extremely ill suffering from some grunge bug he picked up in his travels.It progressively worsened as the days for the match approached (I was ready to dig the hole out back of the hotel if it got any worse)By Thursday match day 5am I wasn't sure if he even had a pulse,but he dragged his but to breakfast after we loaded the truck up for the drive.
In spite of his near death experience with the "Grunge",Dale managed to shoot well in some really challenging conditions.He sucked it up and by Saturday finished a close race and took 2nd Place Agg.
Keep in mind while shooting his FT/R 308 he managed a total score HIGHER than MOST Open Class shooters.
To say that the Lodi Range was challenging is an understatement and only those there can really appreciate what I mean.
An excellent performance by a gentleman sportsman and deserving of true
recognition of his peers.
At the awards ceremony another competitor questioned why a shooter of his caliber was not on the US Shooting team.(he hadn't noticed Dale sporting his
favorite DCRA cap) and was informed just 1 small issue.Canadian eh?
Hopefully next year at Butner,we may be able to enter a team of Canadians or at least have some more Canadians travel down to "represent" as well as Dale did this year.
It was enjoyable,frustrating,exhausting and I'm damn glad I went.The host club and the Liebetreau(sp?) family stepped up and organized a well run match,even assisting a group of disabled shooters with the necessary assistance to be able to shoot.So many people to Thank and so many to
look forward to seeing again.
Not sure Dale visits here,but if you get a chance to meet him,he's earned
his stripes and deserves the applause.
Gord O
I want to add my congratulations to ALL the shooters who experience the LODI match and especially C.Ballard in F Open and D.Biggs in F T/R .
Additionally I want to share a little insight and praise the performance of an outstanding Canadian competitor,Dale Rathwell.
Everyone of us has our own story,but let me say that Dale truly rose to the occassion to win SILVER in 2 daily 1000 yrd matches and SILVER in the overall Agg.
Dale arrived in Lodi extremely ill suffering from some grunge bug he picked up in his travels.It progressively worsened as the days for the match approached (I was ready to dig the hole out back of the hotel if it got any worse)By Thursday match day 5am I wasn't sure if he even had a pulse,but he dragged his but to breakfast after we loaded the truck up for the drive.
In spite of his near death experience with the "Grunge",Dale managed to shoot well in some really challenging conditions.He sucked it up and by Saturday finished a close race and took 2nd Place Agg.
Keep in mind while shooting his FT/R 308 he managed a total score HIGHER than MOST Open Class shooters.
To say that the Lodi Range was challenging is an understatement and only those there can really appreciate what I mean.
An excellent performance by a gentleman sportsman and deserving of true
recognition of his peers.
At the awards ceremony another competitor questioned why a shooter of his caliber was not on the US Shooting team.(he hadn't noticed Dale sporting his
favorite DCRA cap) and was informed just 1 small issue.Canadian eh?
Hopefully next year at Butner,we may be able to enter a team of Canadians or at least have some more Canadians travel down to "represent" as well as Dale did this year.
It was enjoyable,frustrating,exhausting and I'm damn glad I went.The host club and the Liebetreau(sp?) family stepped up and organized a well run match,even assisting a group of disabled shooters with the necessary assistance to be able to shoot.So many people to Thank and so many to
look forward to seeing again.
Not sure Dale visits here,but if you get a chance to meet him,he's earned
his stripes and deserves the applause.
Gord O
