Vic Queens --FStd B Grade Queens

[Lynn Otto]

Alan said:

...it might be an opportunity to talk some sense into a few F-Std shooters and lure them across to F-Open

Ah...you may have a problem finding them Alan in order to talk some sense into them, if they are scattered among the TR shooters. Or are they being given sufficient consideration and respect to have their own targets?

[AlanF]

You'll just have to venture across and see for yourself Lynn !

[Lynn Otto]

LOL, that's not going to happen Alan, firstly because of the timing, university lectures can't be put on hold for personal activities, and secondly because, well.......let's not go there.

[John E]

John,

To be honest, I'd be shooting Open in both Leadup and Queens if the new barrels/reamers/dies had arrived - I only have few accuracy shoots left in the current 6.5 barrels, and would rather save them for the Queens.

The bonus is, I'm looking forward to shooting the .308 in the leadup - should be a good way of learning more about those deceptive wind flags at Belmont. And it might be an opportunity to talk some sense into a few F-Std shooters and lure them across to F-Open !

Alan

Alan,
You don't need an excuse to shoot FS, looks to me as if you enjoy it but you just don't like to admit it

Lynne -- sorry to hear that you and the boys are not coming over --- what about Tony, what is he up to? I'm just catching up with all the banter here, after a few weeks of drinking and fishing ( in that order ) -- I can see that nothing has changed much.
John

[Lynn Otto]

......I'm just catching up with all the banter here, after a few weeks of drinking and fishing ( in that order ) John

LOL, in that order I wonder how many fish made it to the freezer.

Sorry John, I don't know about Tony. I won't get to any other Queens until Uni is finished, I only get to ours because SARA is kind enough to put it in the semester break.

By the way, well done on your very generous prize donation for the FS B grade, I'm sure it will be appreciated. Unfortunately, I don't see any way of convincing Barry to let me shoot in B grade.

[John E]

There's a few fish in the freezer, Lynne, although we did eat some -- I also managed to stick my stainless steel gaff into my leg (twice within 5 minutes) -- I have always said that anyone can make a mistake, but anyone that makes the same mistake twice must be pretty dumb. I guess I fall into that category!
I agree with you on the grading -- you would have no hope of shooting B grade. Barry has put a lot of effort into putting together a database of performances of shooters Australia wide, and I'm pretty sure he has got a couple of asteriks against your name.
John

[Guest]

John,
You said it well and certainly more diplomatic than I.
Alan,
There is no little black book. I rather think the shooters concerned will accept " B " grade for what it is, an attempt to even up the field and in doing so hopefully it will attract more shooters to compete.
Those who have a problem with this or who think they might be badly done by can simply enter " A " grade as they would normally have done.
It's a trial, never been done before at a Queens. Numbers are down everywhere and I would have thought any attempt to attract more competitors would be received with anything but suspicion.
F Class ( both Disciplines ) is the best thing that has happened to TR shooting in a long time, look at the progress that has been made in the short time F Class has been around. Comparatively FB has stagnated, brought about mainly by their ( FB ) desire to uphold traditions. I am not against tradition but you also have to move forward.
Both disciplines can happily co-exist, but this doesn't seem to be the case with FS and FO. I have been told on numerous occassions to keep my nose out of FO, well I have, gives me more time to devote to FS anyway.
Lynn,
Welcom Back. Sorry you won't be at Bendigo. How about Glenrowan again this year? NO, there is absolutely no way you would make " B " grade, Sorry about that.
Barry

[Lynn Otto]

Hi Barry
I'll get to Bendigo eventually, just not yet. We have discussed coming to Glenrowan, but need more info. If its at Easter it will be in the semester break, but we would also like to know if they are having Open etc, I checked Alan's calendar but there's no flyer up yet.

[John E]

How many FO shooters out there are prepared to commit themselves to attend Glenrowan at Easter? If there is a sufficient number, I'm sure they would put it on. What are you and Shane doing at Easter, Alan?
If you do come over Lynn, give some thought to camping on the range -- the facilities are good, and so is the company.
John

[Lynn Otto]

John, we would have 1 Open shooter, Trev, as Michael is shooting TR now, so he will add one to the C grade numbers. Camping sounds good but by the time we put shooting gear for 3 people in the vehicle that doesn't leave much space for camping gear and towing the camper trailer that far isn't particularly economical with fuel prices. So we would probably slum it at the motel again, lol.

[AlanF]

How many FO shooters out there are prepared to commit themselves to attend Glenrowan at Easter? If there is a sufficient number, I'm sure they would put it on. What are you and Shane doing at Easter, Alan?...

John,

I'd be keener if we could get a few northerners to come down here occasionally! Our OPM on 24th and 25th March will be the 4th year we've run both Open and Standard, with quite small fields. Lang Lang and Moe OPMs are in a similar situation. I would rather encourage F-Class at those clubs that go out of there way to support it unconditionally than those who won't run it unless there are guaranteed numbers. If we do all go up there, are there any locals who would shoot F-Open? The F-Open Series running at Lang Lang, Geelong, Werribee and Bendigo this season is designed to increase participation around the State. Hopefully we can add one or two less central OPMs such as Glenrowan the following year.

BTW if you could pay the markers to give me a good score with the .308 in the Syme, I might be encouraged to bring that up to Glenrowan .

Alan

[John E]

Alan,
you would know better than I, how many FO shooters there are in the North East ( if any ). As to the attitude of "they don't come here, so we won't go there", well someone has to make the first move.
The common complaint from FO people is that very few organisations put on FO at their prize meetings, but when they do, the FO shooters don't turn up, and trophies and badges go to waste, so at the next prize meeting the organisation doesn't waste its time putting on FO ---- it's a vicious circle, and I know that you are painfully aware of that. As I said, someone has to make the first move, and that someone is the FO shooters.
Castlemaine has kept faith with FO by continuing to include FO in it's prize meetings, but they still don't turn up --- at the Australia Day shoot only 3 FO people were there, and 2 of them were locals, but I'll bet that Barry is pig-headed enough to continue to include it at the next PM, just to put the ball squarely in FO's court.
If you do bring your 308 to Glenrowan, you will enjoy yourself, because it will be a good field of FS shooters -- as good as any Queens -- We usually have a pipe-opener on Good Friday, followed by 3/5/600yds on Saturday, then 3 metric ranges on Sunday, then we stop off at Violet Town on Monday for another 3/5/600 yds ---- 3 days of shooting, 10 shots at each distance, and it's good fun in the camp in the evenings. You could follow Bruce across the mountains.
The only drawback to that, is that would be one less FO shooter that they would get. Either way, I will look forward to seeing you there.
John

[Guest]

Alan,
I do sympathise with the clubs in your area, and I do not write this in an endeavour to justify why we at Castlemaine do not visit your area.
We at Castlemaine are lucky in that we are centrally located and are about 150km to just about anywhere ( almost )
However I would point out that your clubs suffer as we do in that you lack support from your own area. There are heaps of F Class shooters at clubs like Lang Lang, those who shoot at Glen Forbes. Moe, Rosedale, Metropolitan clubs etc etc. They are simply not supporting you. As an example, at the recent Australia Day shoot at Castlemaine, we did not have one other #4 DRA shooter present, and only 2 from Bendigo. We did have good support from your area, but, the " usual " few.
I know that we all cannot go to every shoot, but there are those who do not go anywhere,and these are the people we should be working on, not relying on the ones who do support far and wide.
It's unreasonable to expect shooters to travel 2 to 300 km to a one day shoot.
The starting point is to confront those who do not support and ask them why they do not. Ask them what it takes to get them to a PM. If it takes something out of the " norm " so what ? Rules can and should be modified to suit.
I am not in agreeance with " guaranteed numbers " before you cater for a particular discipline. Every discipline should be catered for across the board, BUT, organizations cannot continue to cater for those who do not come. TR " C " grade is heading in the same direction because of lack of support. This may have more to do with the current method of grading than anything else, if so , change the method.
Just a few thoughts.
Barry

[ned kelly]

G'Day Barry,
well I can vouch for Dazza and myself for not attending your Aust Day match as we were both working, Airlines operate 24/7 you know, so we work when rostered.
That and the fact I'm using all my time off to help my wife with her chemo, so IF these two factors were not an issue, personally I'd have been there.
Sorry, can't be 3 places at the same time!
Cheerio Ned

[Guest]

So you said before the event Ned so did not expect you or Gazza
I am generalizing with what I say.
Barry