Good news and bad news

[Kevin Alexander]

I’m sorry but the NRA is full of idiots. There I said it. It baffles the mind that they think, or they want people to think, that the reason the numbers at Raton are dwindling is due to the fact of the unwillingness for people to drive the distance for a National Championship. Hogwash.
Example: (if my numbers are correct)
2005 competitors were 309 from the states. 67 of which were from east of the Mississippi. That’s a little over 21% coming from what I call the “East”.
2015 competitors were 64 from the states. 11 of which were from east of the Mississippi. That’s a little over 17% coming from the “East”
Not much of a percentage difference there.
I would look into what the dynamics are involved as to why the numbers went from 309 in 2005 down to just 152 competitors in 2010. That’s over 50% drop in 5 years. It then went from 152 competitors in 2010 down to just 64 in 2015. That’s a 58% drop in another 5 years.
Another point I’d like to make. Arizona had no competitors in 2015. That’s a neighboring state! They had 15 competitors in 2005, dropped to 7 in 2006, the very next year, a 50% reduction the very next year.
Something happened to the attendance for the Nationals.
I thought maybe it’s because the dates were changed a bit. Or prizes weren’t what people expected from a “National Championship”. Or maybe the recognition for a “Champion” wasn’t good enough. I really don’t know. It’s not that people aren’t shooting these guns anymore. Just ask how long the wait for a new gun from Shiloh or CPA is. Maybe look at the attendance at the Quigley or other big matches around the country. Just ask all the vendors if sales have dropped 80% in the last 10 years. I doubt it has. I’m sure sales are down some due to the economy.
I’m just getting started in shooting Silhouettes and hopefully some long range in the future no matter what the NRA does. It’s a shame that they can’t figure this out. These guns, the heritage and the people who shoot them are what made the NRA years ago. To preserve these iconic matches lies solely at the feet of the competitors. Attend all local matches you can. Attend all regional matches you can. Attend the Nationals if you can. Because if the National goes away, you can bet the NRA will not take the blame, it will be from poor attendance on the competitor’s part. In my opinion, if only 2 competitors showed up to shoot the Nationals, it should still be held. It all started with only a few competitors, and given its history, should live on as long as there are competitors, no matter the number. Profits aren’t everything, heritage is. Once the NRA gives that up, enough said.
Sorry for the rant. Just my opinion.
Kevin