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Editorials
ATA considers handicap 27 yardage plus The
ATA Committee Structure, 1 oz loads, 10 targets per station, punching past the
27, 1 money gets 4 options, more ATA trophies…
(should you choose to write your Senator and/or Congressman you can find their address in the lower left border of this page)
From: Robert
R. Hartman DeWine, Mike
(R - OH) Voinovich, George
(R - OH) Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich Subject: Gun Laws – Part I and Part II Dear Sir: Part I - What ever your views prior to September 11, 2001 regarding gun laws in the United States, I strongly urge you vote gun matters in favor of the most strict interpretation of the 2nd amendment “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Whether or not bills or laws are disguised under “anti gun,” “gun safety,” or “anti terror,” any restrictions of gun ownership calling for conflict with the 2nd amendment should both be rescinded and/or voted against. Please comply. Part II – The September 11, 2001 attacks on the United State gave clear evidence that our Country and every Citizen among us is targeted with life threatening danger (ask any surviving family member). Thus, in order to protect our country and its citizenry, I request that you initiate legislation which mandates every man, women, and child to be properly instructed in gun usage and safety. Further, once each individual successfully passes such instruction, they be provided full rights under the 2nd amendment regarding gun ownership, their choice. Please inform me as to when you intend to introduce such legislation. Respectfully, Robert R. Hartman
The image of Sportsmen/women with guns, and how to
increase our ranks: Past: Present: Today, the perceived image
has been basically reversed, thanks to the mainline media spewing false and
misleading facts with sensationalism. Future - What can be done to reverse this trend? FieldandClays has produced a 30-second television spot entitled “ You meet the nicest people while shooting clay targets.” This is a take-off of the Honda motorcycle slogan that worked big time by reversing a negative image and turning it positive. Our TV spot will 1) Impress the public that we are the good guys, 2) Impress the public that our sport is a wholesome challenge, and 3) Enlighten the public that they can enjoy the sport at a local club. By accomplishing these goals, acceptance and growth of our sport will occur. This TV message can go on-air Nationally and reach literally hundreds of thousands of viewers with our message. For example, ESPN2 programs “Outdoor” shows on weekend mornings reaching a quarter of a million households each week. Viewers in these households obviously are interested in outdoor sports, but not all are currently shooters. In a thirteen-week campaign over 3,000,000 households can be reached and over 4,000,000 adults aged 25 – 54. This is our key market that can afford to shoot, right now! This is a prime audience for us to reach because they may be easily convinced to try Trap, Skeet, or Sporting Clays. Once they try it, we all know what happens… they can’t get enough, just like us. Then they bring their friends and our sport grows itself. We will not attempt to convert the anti gun folks because no amount of money we can afford will do so, but, we will attract those who have always wanted to try the shooting sports. And, as our ranks increase so do our votes vs the antis. Nice idea, but: Funds must come from donations and/or grants. Please click on the survey page (http://www.fieldandclays.com/surveys.htm to give us an idea whether this project is realistically possible. This project is at least a starting offensive effort aimed
at reversing the trends of our ultimate demise and getting us back to positive
growth in the shooting sports. Hope it works!
The ATA Committee Structure, 1 oz loads,
10 targets per station, punching past the 27, 1 money gets 4 options, more ATA
trophies… The ATA recently formed a sub-committee
structure. Naturally, this new structure is meant to disperse assignments,
workload, problem solving, solution gathering and a host of other chores.
Effectiveness? Sub-committee reports are due in the April EC meeting. Among many things, here are a few of the items under discussion. You might consider providing your input in the Fieldandclays Survey section and also the Forum.
Adoption of 7/8 – 1 oz loads would
obviously affect the long yarder more so than the short yardage groups. Use your
standard load until you reach the 27 then when you win there, to 7/8 – 1 oz
you go. Fair or not fair, that is the question. Will this equalize the game and
give the handicap system the balance for which it was designed. Shooting 10 targets at a station. Will it
move the game along faster, get more events into a crowded day, get folks home
quicker. Hmmm, how about carrying all those shells to the line, hot steamy days
when 5 per station seems more than enough, if concentration on 5 per station is
tough – how about 10, is a boredom factor reachable. Or, get to the beer tent
more quickly. Punching past the 27 yardline. We’ve
covered this in past editorials, but it is alive and being considered. You might
want to keep making your voice heard. One money gets you into four options. This
could attract those who don’t play any of the options. In addition to a Lewis
Class @ say $10 plus the 25s @ say $20 plus the 50s @ say $20 plus a purse @ say
$35… How about adding an option @ say $10 that include a Lewis Class, 25s,
50s, and a purse (four events). The payout would obviously be less than the
traditional option event but your 10 bucks would buy you into a lot more active
action. Should clubs adopt such an option? Expansion in the number of events to win ATA trophies. Various mixtures of Club trophies and ATA trophies are offered at specified shoots. Host clubs, in the opinion of some, do not provide a sufficient quantity of trophies for the number of entrants in the later events. Should the ATA expand the number of events in which they provide trophies? These questions will be adapted into
Fieldandclays.com survey section and you can cast your vote there. Also, if
anybody wants to post a question in the Fieldandclays forum about any of these
subjects, I’m sure it will draw interesting responses. And, the survey votes
and forum responses just may help the Committees guide the BOD and EC in the
right direction. Hope this helps!
In the year 2000 it was announced that the Amateur Trap Shooting Association (ATA), the National Skeet Shooting Association (NSSA), and the National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) planned to combine efforts to promote the respective three shooting disciplines i.e. Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays. This merging of resources would materialize into the formation of the Professional Clay Target Association (PCTA). Activities of the PCTA would include televising a series of competitions in a tour of professional clay target shooters. Later, concerns were expressed that the three organizations would merge into one. This concern was deflated as not being the case and that the three organizations would go traditional paths, but, were looking at working together for the mutual good of sport shooting. Many Questions surface such as: Is this a base of a good idea? Could all three disciplines benefit from some sort of merger or combined effort? Who would spearhead the effort? How could such an undertaking be funded? Would you like to see the ATA, NSSA, and NSCA merge? Your comments can be expressed in the Fieldandclays forum
and you can vote in the Survey section. Survey results will be made available to
respective organization's leadership and management.
ATA considers Handicap system to include 27 yards
plus….. Suggestions are now being considered to revise the ATA handicap system to include yardage past the current limits of 27 yards for those who earn punches past that limit. The qualifications to earn yardage would remain the same i.e. if you qualify for a punch under current parameters it will become possible to move past the 27 yard line under new rules, if adopted. Except, it is expected that new rules may include punches for 50 straights, if the competitor plays the 50 options. Currently, if you earn yardage, you may move to the backfence (27 yard line), but not beyond. If new rules are put into place there will be no limits to yardage, 27 to 28, to 29, to 30 and beyond. There would no longer be a backfence in that it would become very portable and go back as far as anyone can earn yardage, yardage, and more yardage. Why tamper with the current yardage system? In some circles it is believed that only a few shooters consistently win major handicap events. They are those who basically earn a living in the sport or have developed shooting skills far above the rest because of their access and availability to shoot more frequently. Since this is an amateur sport, a new handicap system may allow the more skilled to compete more evenly with those who are less skilled on a more true “handicap” basis. Also, for those who play the 50 options, the potential for “Sandbagging” will be diminished if not eliminated. Believe it or not, some competitors are suspected of running fifties at shorter yardage just enough to win the money, but then dropping enough targets in the remainder of the contest to avoid earning yardage. By so doing, they can remain at short yardage and take the option monies from those who play the game honestly. Who will a new ruling most likely affect? The most affected will be the already proficient 27 yarder who consistently wins handicap events but earn only honorary punches, not physical yardage in distance. Also, those who sandbag to avoid yardage in order to keep an unbalanced advantage over those who strive for and readily accept yardage as a true reflection of their acquired skill level. Potential questions: How far back is enough? If these new revisions are adopted, the answer to “how far back” will be limited only by ones skill level in meeting the shoot requirements of earning yardage. Will a punch for 50 straight discourage the sandbagger and encourage one who seeks yardage? If one earns yardage past the 27, on what trap field will he/she be able to compete since most all trap fields now only go to the 27. Plans for the new ATA home grounds are now providing for yardage back to the 34 yard line. Other trap fields, or at least some banks, at local clubs would be expected to accommodate the longer yardages. And, with whom would a 31 yarder shoot, certainly not a 27 yard or below shooter. Your opinion: Your opinion can be expressed on the “Survey page” of fieldandclays.com or you can email us, staff@fieldandclays.com. In either case, results will be passed on to the proper authorities at the ATA for inclusion in their decision process. Dear Fellow Shooter: My name is Bob Hartman, Publisher of Fieldandclays.com. A little about my career: After graduating from Ohio State University my career led me into the media business, first with a trade magazine of Hearst Publishing, then to Look magazine, Cowles Communications. Then on one momentous day I watched on television Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald (killer of President Kennedy). Instantaneously I knew my career path must be TV because of its tremendous communications capability. Since then I’ve managed TV stations in Cleveland, Toledo, and Chicago. I enjoy working in the media world very much. Hartman Communications Group, a media marketing company where I now work in Cleveland, is involved in media with growing interests in the Internet. One of my pet projects is to promote and strengthen a positive image of the shooting sports and most specifically Trapshooting, my personal favorite. Now I’m building a web site to accomplish my objectives of promoting the shooting sports. A little about my affiliations: Life member ATA, Past Director Ohio State Trapshooting Association, Past Director Dover Bay Trap Club, Member Sportsmen Gun and Reel, Member NRA, Life member NSCA, Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Vet US Army, Vet Ohio National Guard, Officer of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Officer Bay Presbyterian Church, Chairman of National Marketing Committee of INTV (Independent Television Association), Member NAB (National Association of Broadcasters), President of TBAL (Television Broadcasters Association of Louisville), Member OAB (Ohio Association of Broadcasters), Member TVB (Television Bureau of Advertising). About my Trapshooting experiences: I am a past Director of the OSTA from the Northeast Zone and a life member of the ATA. Some accomplishments as a director include making tough pro-active decisions. Some of which were unpopular at the time, but were all aimed at and have since proven to strengthen both Trapshooting in Ohio and the Ohio State Association. · Helped transform the OSTA directorship from a good-ole-boy club to a dedicated group of shooters willing to work hard for all shooters in Ohio. · Helped initiate the OSTA daily fee structure, not popular at the time, but now helps maintain the Ohio Association as one of the strongest and most influential in the country. · Initiated the acceptance of advertising in the Ohio State Shoot program. These ads help our supporters (advertisers) and the revenues help defray the cost of the State Shoot thereby keeping your cost down. Along with classifying, conducting shoot-offs, promoting the OSTA, working the State and Zone Shoots, these are just a few of the many activities I’ve experienced as a Director and I now put my experience, enthusiasm, and energies back to work for shooting through Fieldandclays.com. I remember my very first Grand American, which I attended with my beloved brother Jerry. We were so excited we couldn’t sleep. Well, wouldn’t you know, we won a bunch of money on our very first try, we shot penalty. I was so proud; I would be receiving an official check form the Amateur Trap Shooting Association. A copy hangs in my office today; it reads ATA, pay to the order of Robert R. Hartman… $12.50. And yes, even though I haven’t yet, I still dream of winning the Grand. Thanks for reading this note. I wholeheartedly ask for your help in my quest. Sincerely and good shooting y’all! Robert R. HartmanPublisher Fieldandclays.com
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