SHOOTREPORT
18
2021 EMPIRE GRAND
BY CHERYLL PITTERA 17th Annual
The Empire Grand was held on May 19 -23 at the NYSATA Home Grounds. The weather was beautiful for the warm-up events on Wednesday. Frank Pascoe (PA,) David Gonyeau (NY) and Claire Schaffer (PA) began with straights in the Singles. Champion by carryover went to Pascoe, A Class to Gonyeau and Junior to Schaffer. High guns in the Handicap with scores of 96 were Champion Jerry Quintal (NY) and new out of the gate Junior Gold shooter Evan Wirth. Last year’s New York Hall of Fame Inductee Jim Flint led the Doubles with a 99.
THURSDAY Thursday held record breaking heat TRAPSHOOTINGUSA
for the area. Six of the eight straights filled in Thursday’s Empire Singles. Champion Jake Levin (QU), AAA Donald Schaffer Jr. (PA), Lady I Heidi Womer (NY), Junior Chase Chance (PA), Junior Gold Jerry Osborne III (GA) and Veteran Frank Pascoe (PA). Junior Gold Evan Wirth broke 96 along with John Cannillo (NH). In the shoot-off, two rounds awarded Wirth a second Champion Handicap title and another yard of real estate. Michael Fox Jr. (NY) was the Empire Doubles champ over J.T. Allnutt (MD) tied with 98s.
FRIDAY Temps moderated for Friday’s Empire Grand Class Singles. Nine perfect scores filled in class and category
with four going into carryover with Jake Levin (QU) taking AAA and Bradley Heath (NY) as the runner-up and David Bills (NY) was the Senior Veteran with William Kutch (NY) the runner-up. James Singer (PA) and Evan Wirth claimed Class A and Junior Gold honors respectively with their first registered 100 straights. A high gun tie of 97 was posted for the Empire Grand’s Caesar Guerini Preliminary Handicap between Michael McLatchie (NY) and Nancy Patterson (MA). Held in that no man’s land of dusk where the lights do not take effect, the shooters matched the first box at 21 and in the second McLatchie prevailed for Champion with Patterson to become the Lady I victor. Jerry Osborne III landed the Junior Gold trophy and Triple A Class was earned by Jake Levin breaking
99 in the Empire Grand Class Doubles with Michael Fox Jr. in the runner-up spot just one target less at 98. Debbie Ohye Neilson (PA) claimed the Lady II title with her 98.
SATURDAY Cloudy and cool was the start of the Empire Championship Singles on Saturday. The second 100 came with a good bit of wind. Nonetheless, Brad Heath (NY) and Dave Shaeffer Jr. (MD) tied one bird short of perfect. Seven more with 198s would face off as well. The wind had moderated for the calls to the shoot-off line. Shaeffer and Heath went one box with Shaeffer the Champion and Heath the runner-up 25 to 24. Cooper
