|
[5/13/07-Jim Lewis] George
Digweed outdistanced the field to win the first All Around World
championship by nearly 20 birds over Jon Kruger with Bill McGuire taking
third after an exciting shoot-off with Scott Robertson.
For four days, mother nature shined on Central Texas, and gave us perfect
shooting weather while the All-Around Championship was being contested.
Excellent weather, excellent targets, and excellent shooting made this a
can't miss affair for the shooters in this area.
The targets for sporting, Fitasc, and 5 Stand were equal to the task of
proving who (at least for those with the nerve to participate) is the best
shotgun shooter in the World.
Today, was Fitasc and 5-stand. When I saw that George was ahead by 8
starting the day, and knowing these disciplines were his forte, I figured
it was all but over, and it was! Steve Schultz did an excellent job on
setting today's targets. So good in fact that after George shot the
Fitasc, he went over and complimented Steve on the outstanding set.
Parcour 3 was the tough one and no one had shot in the twenties until
Digweed posted a 21. He said at that time that if anyone shoots a better
score than that, he's had a career day. Well, Gebben Miles did have a
career day as he ran parcour 3 with a 25. I don't think anyone else was in
the twenties and these guys are among the best anywhere.
-----
[Steve Schultz] I set the
super final on a skeet/trap overlay field. High house skeet was a
regulation American skeet target, Low house was an international skeet
target. The trap machine was an ATA trap target with the machine moving.
There were 5 other machines set: a quartering away midi from behind the
high house, all black, about 15' high and hauling the mail; a left to
right chondelle at 38 yards.; an edgy teal set beside the trap house
curling right to left and showing about half dome; a straight out curling
bird from off a machine behind skeet 5; and an upside down battue coming
off the adjacent skeet field, right to left at 45 yards.
The format was 25 birds shot off of 3 stands set about 15 ft. apart at the
#4 skeet station. First shooter shot a single and then his 1st pair and
then it went in rotation from there for 25 targets. There was a mix of
true pair and report pair. Skeet and trap targets were mixed with sporting
targets on the pair. The ATA trap bird was the single and it could only be
shot at with one shot.
It was great fun to set and to watch these incredible shooters match up
with some very difficult pairs. All the entered shooters shot the super
final; 3 shooters at a time.
Probably the most missed target was the screaming midi and the USD battue.
Pretty equal.
George Digweed does not struggle on any target. He is the best shotgunner
I've ever seen. If I remember right he missed the international skeet
target as the second bird of the pair. It was the only one he missed. He
smoked that midi with ease.
I watched every shot he made on the FITASC and thought his 66 was
unbelievable. Those were 3 of the hardest layouts combined that I've ever
set. I set it for a top shooter who was on his game to shoot 65. George
asked me what I though each parcour would give up before he shot. Parcour
1 I picked 23, he shot 24, Parcour 2 I picked 21, he shot 21, and Parcour
3 I picked 20, he shot 21.
Then along comes Gebben Miles. All I can say is WOW! He shoots 23, 22 and
25. That 25 on Parcour 3 was mind numbing. I just didn't think it was
possible and neither did King George. It was some of the most amazing
shooting I have ever had the privilege to be around. Unreal.
-----
This event turned out better than anyone expected. It was intense and
exciting. All the shooters were absolute gentlemen and displayed some
incredible shooting skill. My hat is off to Scott Robertson for thinking
outside the box. It was incredible he could even shoot as hard as he
worked. It was absolutely my pleasure to be part of it and I'm really
looking forward to doing it again.
Watching all the different styles was amazing. George's focus, Doug Vine's
intensity, the fluid purity of Gebben Miles, the speed of Tony Rivera, the
bullish tenacity of Chad Cooley, the heart of Jon Kruger, the crispness of
Bill McQuire, the tenacity of Cory Kruse, the battler David Hughes, and
Scott hanging in there while working his rear off. If you couldn't get
into this, you might as well take up tennis.
At this time there is no doubt who is the best....maybe the best
ever....George Digweed is the Michael Jordan of shotgunning.
[JDavidson
] What a spectacular event this was. From a spectator's
perspective, Scott, thank you for pulling this together. It was freaking
awesome to stand there and watch the world's finest, and they did not
disappoint. These guys are true competitors and are each a great example
of sportsmanship and professionalism.
I can't help but think the next one will draw some massive crowds as word
of this gets out. I was surprised that I was among just a few watching
Fitasc this afternoon (and was lucky enough to see the last half of Gebben
running that Parcours).
Good stuff - and great for our sport. Thank you again for such an awesome
show.
Regards,
Jason
-----
[Shane Adkinson]
I applaud all of
them for participating and promoting this event, and having the guts to
put it all out there for the sake of who's the best!!!
-----
|
PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVE
BROWN
PRAIRIE CREEK
Scores
Flyer
Schedule
Calcutta
 |
[Steve Schultz] I talked to
every shooter and to a man they all agreed. This was the best shoot they
had ever been to and would absolutely be back for round 2.
Plans are already in the works for next year and improvements will be
made.
This shoot really had it all. A fabulous diversity of targets, big money,
intense pressure, and great venues. It brought out the best in all the
shooters. One of the amazing things I saw from this group was that each
was pulling for the other. It was an all out war against the targets with
a special camaraderie that was a great pleasure to be around. This was an
awesome group of guys stepping out on a limb and taking a chance on
something never done before. Each one of them contributed to making this
event something I won't forget, ever.
-----
[JCIII] No doubt the event was
first class and met or exceeded the expectations of the participants and
gallery.
Congratulations Scott, to you
and your staff and family. I know Colette worked hard and kept to her
normally high standards. Also a big thank you and congratulations to Steve
Schultz, Mike McAlpine, and Pete Masch. Great targets and a huge
contribution!
Finally, Dallas Gun Club and Prairie Creek, your facilities shined, and
made all the participates and fans feel at home. Thanks to you, and your
members for helping this Elite showcase.
You all made and continue to
make this sport grow to new levels.
-----
[PL] To a man, these are gentlemen. If there is any trash talking, I
haven't heard about it, and no one I have spoken to has heard anything
about it. I'm not shooting with them, but it would be my pleasure to shoot
with any one of them. Mental games? I think not. They are very supportive
of one another.
The weather will have the greatest effect on Sunday's events. The areas
that had been planned for use in the 5-stand and FITASC are flooded. Steve
has had to compress the Parcours and move the 5-stand. But wind and rain
have not had a direct effect on the competition. We're not wet, we're not
slogging through mud, and the targets are not being blown all over the
county.
Yes, the pressure is mounting, and the pace is grueling. I can imagine
that no one has shot under greater pressure, but perhaps that is arguable.
What is inarguable is the mental quietude required to remain focused on
every target, for nine hundred targets over four days, without mental
exhaustion.
Mike McAlpine designed the sporting clays course at Prairie Creek. I can't
say that I have ever seen a better course. Every target was challenging.
There wasn't a single feel-good target, but neither was there a single
unreasonable target. He buried them with deception. Not distance; not
speed. If you've seen the scores, you know that some of the best of the
best were bamboozled by those targets.
-----
[Carroll Bobo] I have been shooting for
over 40 years, 90% of that time at Skeet. I have been shooting sporting
clays for about 2 1/2 years. I have seen and shot with the best the world
has to offer in Skeet Shooting.
I watched the Flyer and Sporting Clay
events at Prairie Creek on Friday. I followed Mr. Digweed and Mr. Kruse
around the Sporting Clays course and watched every shot. The display of
sportsmanship was incredible. I can honestly say I have NEVER seen shotgun
pointing at that level in my life.
What a day for the Shooting Sports as a
whole. Thank you Scott for being the driving force to pull this together.
-----
[5/13/07-richy]
I was judging International skeet and 5 stand and I have had
competitors correct my "lost" call to a "Dead" for guys with whom they are
in direct competition for the money. I have not seen one single case of
anything but the best sportsmanship.
The shoot off has not been held yet but Mr. Digweed was more than a dozen
targets ahead of everyone else when I left. On the hardest 5 stand he shot
a 24 when some of the other great shooters were in the teens. He was 49
for 50 on the 5 stands when I left. He truly deserves the title of the
Best In the World without any doubt. In addition to being maybe the best
all around shotgunner in the world today (maybe the best ever) he is also
a fine gentleman with a great sense of humor and even temperament. Every
evening he was buying drinks for and complimenting the other shooters like
he was in 7th place. He is a great International Ambassador for our sport.
-----
[Old Bob] One thing for sure,
no matter how good or bad the conditions are, my respect for skeet has
gone up. When no one in this crowd can hit all of them, it can't be as
easy as we thought.
Sure would have liked a few skeet shooters to have showed up for this one,
though.
-----
[Wendy] WOW! It is definitely
an awesome event to watch. These guys are not joking around. They are
serious about this event, no doubt, and it is pretty intense. The level of
professionalism and sportsmanship is outstanding. These guys are awesome.
The best to all of the shooters and their families.
-----
|
