Last spring O.S.T.A. proposed a rule which would require shooters to shoot their longest yardage in any association or league. (Rule Proposal OR 1-2015.) This rule was approved at the 2015 Grand Pacific.  Since that time, several major problems with the rule have been brought to the attention of the Executive Committee and the Central Handicap Committee.  On November 2, the Central Handicap Committee and the Executive Committee met and voted to table that rule (delaying its implementation) after a lengthy discussion. The vote passed 9 – 2. The committees met utilizing the Urgency Clause, Article VII, Section E of the PITA Corporate By-Laws.

Due to this action by the Central Handicap Committee and the Executive Committee, this rule will NOT be added to the PITA Official Rules for the 2015-16 shoot year.  Please notify all members, particularly those who work at the handicap tables, that no change has been made regarding shooting your longest yardage.  The current rule may be found on page 26, Handicap Rules, Handicap Yardage Assignment.  The provisions on page 29 under Handicap Yardage Advancement (d), the use of “established ability” still applies and should be used whenever appropriate.  Advancement by “established ability” may only be determined by Executive Committee members and State/Provincial Board members.

If you have questions please contact Nadene Pope, Chair of the CHC/Rules Committee.

To view all the rule changes click HERE.

Implementation of OR01 passed by the Rules Committee at the 2015 Grand Pacific has been delayed pending further review.  If you have comments please contact a member of the Executive Committee or your Central Handicap/Rules Committee member.

 

► Page 2 of the Official PITA Rule Book, Section A:  MEMBERSHIP (add to 1^st paragraph):

Any life member not registering PITA targets for three consecutive years shall be considered as “inactive status” and will not receive the annual membership/averages card or other mailings from PITA.  Life members will be considered as “active status” if they meet any one or more of these conditions:

1. Register PITA targets at least every third year.
2. Request in writing they remain as “active” and receive all ordinary correspondence.
3. Sponsor one or more youth shooter’s annual dues.
4. Purchase the current Averages and History yearbook.
5. Advertise or sponsor in the Grand Pacific program.

All annual members are considered “active”.

 

► Page 2 of the Official PITA Rule Book: change PITA ALLSTAR TEAM:

At the end of the target year, 11 five person PITA All Star Teams consisting of a top five team, two men’s teams, two ladies teams, a veteran team (65-69 for the two major shoots), a senior team (70-74 for the two major shoots), an elder team (75 or older for the two major shoots), two junior teams (under 18 at the beginning of the target year) and a sub junior team (under 15 at the beginning of the target year) will be named by the PITA Administrative Office. Members of the respective teams are required to have met the following minimum target requirements:

Category	16 Yard Targets Required	Handicap Targets Required	Doubles Targets Required
Top five	1700	1700	1100
Mens	1700	1700	1100
Ladies	1200	1200	600
Veterans	1200	1200	600
Seniors	1200	1200	600
Elders	1200	1200	600
Juniors	1000	1000	500
Sub Jr	1000	1000	500

 

Team placement will be determined as follows:

1. All shooters, not awarded a spot on the “top five” team  shall be eligible for All Star Teams in any category for which they may be eligible; these being both gender and age related.
2. In the case of being eligible for two teams (these being gender and age categories) they shall be awarded a position on one team only, determined by whichever team they placed

highest. In case the shooter qualifies for two teams at the same position, they shall be awarded the position in the age related category.

Selection of the All Star Team is based on the shooter’s ability as evidenced by their averages. The average is computed by dividing the sum of your singles average, handicap average and doubles average by three.  Targets must include at least 100 singles, 100 handicap and 100 doubles each, shot at 5 different PITA hosted shoot locations. Cross registered targets shot at an ATA sanctioned event and submitted to the PITA will not be counted in the 5 club requirement for All Stars.

 

All members of the respective teams are required to participate in the High All Around events (200 Championship Singles, 100 Championship Handicap and 100 Championship Doubles) at two major shoots. Major shoots are the Grand Pacific, any PITA State/Provincial Shoot, the Western Canadian Championships and the Canadian Championships (when held in BC as a PITA shoot).

 

► Page 3 of the Official PITA Rule Book titled CROSS REGISTRATION add to #3:

If a score of 96 does not earn a punch in a PITA shoot, an ATA Shooter cross-registering will have his/her ATA card punched to reflect a half yard increase.

Change #6 a.:  Publish a program of events or post a copy of the official program on the gun club website to ensure all shooters are notified of the availability of cross registration.  A copy of this program must be included when submitting scores to the organization they are being cross registered to.

 

► Page 5 of the Official PITA Rule Book before Lewis Purse add:

CLUB RECORD RETENTION

    Clubs must keep all shoot records for a minimum of two calendar years.

 

► Page 28 of the Official PITA Rule Book titled Handicap Yardage Reduction, add letters (i), (j):

(j) When disagreement regarding a shooter’s yardage exists, the shooter may contact the Chairman of the Central Handicap Committee. In the event that no agreement can be reached between the shooter and the Chairman, the entire Central Handicap Committee is to be contacted for a final decision.

 

► Page 34 of the Official PITA Rule Book titled DOULBLES: FAILURE TO FIRE, change last sentence on page:  All subsequent doubling malfunctions will be declared as lost a pair.

 

CENTRAL HANDICAP COMMITTEE

• CHAIR – Nadene Pope, PO Box 302, Prospect, OR 97536, (541) 890-6733, lyleandnadene@embarqmail.com
• ALASKA – Stubby Hughes, 511 Steele Crk Rd, Fairbanks 99712, (907) 457-2020, stubby@gci.net
• ARIZONA – contact Art Fenton
• BRITISH COLUMBIA – Leo Pike, 521 Lone Tree Place, Victoria V9B 6G9, (250) 478-3079, karenpike@shaw.ca
• CALIFORNIA – Billy Myers, PO Box 24, Hydesville 95547, (707) 768-1728 Cell: (707) 496-2178, bydnsilly@hotmail.com
• COLORADO – Kevin Davis, 16150 Co Rd HH, Fort Morgan 80701, (970) 867-5490
• HAWAII – contact Art Fenton
• IDAHO – Kent Harris, 3717 Custer Drive, Boise 83705, (208) 345-0711, kentdeadapair@cableone.net
• NEVADA – Mike Gregersen, 305 Rio Vista Dr, Fallon 89406, (775) 455-5252, Mike_gregersen@hotmail.com
• OREGON – Ron Johnson, PO Box F, Klamath Falls 97601, (541) 882-8809, ron@pelicantractor.com
• WASHINGTON – Art Fenton, 15204 118^th Ave NW, Gig Harbor 98329, (253) 857-5196 or (520) 237-3120, aa27fenton@gmail.com

The 2016 PITA target year started November 1st!  You can now print your 2016 Membership Card.  All 2015 scores have been posted so please take a look at your 2015 card and assure all your scores are recorded and accurate.  In the next few weeks we will be calculating the Allstar Teams and want everything correct before we begin.

The 2016 renewal notices will be mailed in early December.  Help PITA save time and postage – renew today online.   Be sure to include an extra $10 to sponsor a youth membership.  In 2015 PITA members sponsored 345 young shooters.  Options are also available with renewal to order the 2015 PITA Averages & History Book (available early February) and Grand Pacific trophy sponsorship.

The 2016 Membership cards before Christmas (with Multiplex winning checks included for those lucky winners).  Remember, you can always print your card before each shoot you attend.  The online card will include all your scores with averages of your last 1,000 targets as the rules require.  Please give this a try – it speeds up the registration lines greatly.

 

It was a scary situation at the Medford Gun Club on October 31st. The weather didn’t prove to be the disaster promised so club members provided the needed fright factor at the Saturday potluck dinner. Top costume prizes were awarded to Dexter Tourville, a pirate no less and Jackie Greer, a very realistic witch. One other frighting detail was a first ever shoot off for both shooters breaking a 95 in the Saturday Handicap. Casey Moore became Champion and Dewayne Gobble moved to yardage winner as a result. Ethan Alexander also won his first shoot off to take C class in the Singles event. Grace Ede and Chase Costanti shot in costume as Annie Oakley and Waldo.

While some rain occurred overnight Sunday’s events were dry. Two youth shooters tied for Champion, Cole Costanti and Ethan Alexander with Ethan winning the shoot off.  See all the winners on the RESULTS page.

The next PITA shoot at Medford Gun Club is March 18-20, 2016 – the famous BLANKET SHOOT.  Friday will be an Oregon Doubles Classic event with the Blanket Shoot starting on Saturday.  At this shoot there will be a Celebration of Life for Marian Pinnell, who passed away October 15, 2015.

 

The Seitz gun donated to the PITA YES program has recently been posted for auction.  View the details at Gunbroker.com  http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=512674133

Old Skagit Gun Club held their Shooter Appreciation Shoot on Saturday, September 19.  Fifty-four different shooters participated, including eleven shooters making the trip down to Burlington from Canada.  Weather was gray but pleasant and a number of excellent scores were recorded.  Herb Lehfeldt took Champion with his 96 in the first of two handicap events and Sherry Greene followed his lead by taking Champion with her 96 in the second handicap.  Between the two events shooters enjoyed a lunch of barbequed salmon, sautéed oysters, scalloped potatoes as well as several other side dishes and dessert.  At the end of the day fourteen trophy buckles were awarded with the HOA buckle going to Don Reimers for his 187 and the HOA runner-up buckle to Tom Rock for his 186.  Ralph Kelley received the Vet buckle for his 183 and Sherry Greene received the High Lady buckle for her 179.  A day of good shooting, food, and friendship was enjoyed by all.  Plan on joining us next year in September for this annual event!  Click HERE to see all the winners.

It is with great pleasure and excitement that the PITA Executive Committee would like to announce that we have selected Sue Brewer’s replacement as Executive Secretary. We are not losing Sue but in June she will be shifting to only 20 hours a week.

Our new Executive Secretary’s name is Michelle Wade. She and her family live in Orting ,Washington.  You can reach Michelle at michelle@shootpita.com, 253-381-1499.

Jim Rankhorn, PITA President

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Here is a short Bio from Michelle:

My name is Michelle Wade; I am very excited about becoming the new Executive Secretary for the Pacific International Trapshooting Association.  Sue is going to be a tough act to follow but I am confident with her help and the help from the Executive Board this will be a smooth transition for everyone involved.

I have been actively involved in the trapshooting community for a few years, and my son and his father both shoot in the P.I.T.A. In addition, I offer over 20 years’ experience in an office environment and working with people, I believe my background will be extremely beneficial to the P.I.T.A. and especially to the members.  On the personal side, I am a graduate from Central Washington University and I enjoy the outdoors, spending time with my family, and our friends.  I am looking forward to many years in my new position and working with a great group of people.

Thank you to everyone for this amazing opportunity,

Michelle Wade

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The first Multiplex of the winter season is off with a bang in multiple gauges!  Despite the usually distractions of hunting season and weather this Multiplex is posting some impressive numbers – 44 clubs, 415 shooters, 57,750 targets.  Registered Sub-gauge was offered for the first time with over 1/3 of the clubs participating.  Top money was won in Hermiston with a 50/50 in handicap paying $466.80.   The next event is scheduled for November 7 or 8.  It is not too late to register your club and join the fun.  Contact the PITA office at 541-258-8766 or email sue@shootpita.com

Multiplex Results Click or view on our RESULTS page – results are FINAL

Sub-Gauge Results Click or view on our RESULTS page – results are FINAL

Youth shooter Justin Giusti of Standish, CA took the Mason Valley PITA shoot by storm when he scored a 100 straight in singles and backed it up with a 100 straight in the handicap.  Allstar Rich Bullard, also in attendance, was speechless.   High handicap scores were shot both days with Cody VanPatten, Rich Bullard and Greg McMillen all shooting 97’s over the weekend.  Gary Bonetti took home High Over All.

Big Yak Results – This is a big event with 80-85 shooters this year.  Clif Nelson had a banner weekend shooting 2 new personal bests (95 and 96) and won his class.  One of the unique features of this event is a blanket shoot.  For this feature shooters are grouped into teams based on their averages/scores to create teams that have as much parity as possible.  The individuals on the teams don’t necessarily shoot together during the day but at the end of the event the ‘team’ scores determine the winners.  Clif really helped his team shooting way above his average and they won first place!  and as an aside, a guy from clif’s gun club (Greg Miner) was on the 2 ^nd place team.  Way to go!!!

So at the end of the weekend, he’s won money, a buckle, a blanket, and a hat!  ….and the biggest plus – bragging rights!

Jason Klingele, Lee Hogue, Doug Reimers, Clif Nelson, Lyle Birch