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THE 2021 EMPIRE GRAND
2021 EMPIRE GRAND
The 17th Annual 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
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.
BY CHERYLL PITTERA
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
BRAD HEATH (SINGLES RU) AND DAVID SCHAEFFER JR. (SINGLES CHAMP)
EMPIRE GRAND SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
CH DAVID SCHAEFFER JR. MD 199 RU BRADLEY HEATH NY 199 AAA JUSTIN SLATER NY 198 AA TIMOTHY CORRENTE NY 196 A HUNTER MCCUMBER NY 195 B MATTHEW WAHL CT 197 C JOHN CANILLO NH 196 D HOWARD DAILY NY 191 LD1 ALEXCIS CONINGSBY NY 194 LD2 DEB OHYE-NEILSON PA 196 SUB JR DAVID BROWN JR. NJ 196 JR COOPER NYSTROM PA 198 JR GOLD SHANE BISER MD 198 SUB VET GREGORY SMITH RI 196 VET FRANK PASCOE PA 197 SR VET PETER EATON NH 195 CHAIR WILLIAM ROSS PA 193
Nystrom (PA) achieved Junior honors with his 198 while Shane Biser (MD) and Travis Foose (PA) would go two rounds placing Biser as Junior Gold Champion and Foose the runner-up. The remaining 198s battled for AAA. Jamaal Brown and J.T. Allnutt went out in the first round leaving Jake Levin and Justin Slater (NY) to go one more time with Slater earning the title. Lady I competition held Heidi Womer (NY) and Alexcis Coningsby (NY) settled in one round with Coningsby the winner.
MATTHEW WAHL SHOT HIS FIRST 100 STRAIGHT JAMAAL BROWN SHOT HIS FIRST 100 STRAIGHT AT NYSATA
SUNDAY
The sun returned for Sunday and so did the wind. Three led the field in the Championship Doubles with 98s. Michael
EVAN WIRTH SHOT HIS FIRST 100 STRAIGHT
GARY BRIEN SHOT HIS FIRST 100 STRAIGHT
DOUBLES WINNERS - (L-R) CHASE WOJTANIK (JUNIOR CHAMP), RU JAKE LEVIN, CHAMPION MICHAEL FOX JR. JAMES SINGER SHOT HIS FIRST 100 STRAIGHT
Fox Jr. became the Champion in shoot-off by one bird over Jake Levin as the runner-up and Chase Wojtanik (NY) landing Junior. Brad Heath claimed AAA with 97. The Empire Grand Handicap Championship was won by Joseph Kopacz (NY) who posted a field high 95. Runner-up thru 5th settled in shoot-off in one round with Michael Rice (NY) landing runner-up and J.T. Allnutt in 3rd, Simon Grech (NY) in 4th and Thomas Murphy Jr. in 5th also winning the Hall of Fame trophy. Evan Wirth received another ½ yard and the Junior Gold title with 93. Brad Heath won the High All Around and J.T. Allnut the AAA winner settled in shoot off tied with 386. Jake Levin was the clear winner in the High Over All with 968. Michael Fox Jr. claimed AAA with 964.
Congratulations to shooters who
KCTA 100TH ANNIVER$ARY LABOR DAY WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 4-6, 2021
GUARANTEED CASH PRIZE FOR 100 STRAIGHT IN MONDAY’S HANDICAP THIS IS A NATIONWIDE LEWIS CLASS SHOOT
THE KANSAS CITY TRAPSHOOTERS ASSOCIATION IS CELEBRATING ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY AT OUR LABOR DAY SHOOT ON SEPTEMBER 4, 5 and 6. THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 1,000 TARGETS THROWN AT THIS SHOOT. PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE, KCTRAPS.COM FOR THE PROGRAM. PRESQUAD, AT NO COST, WILL OPEN ON August 1, 2021.
WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL CASH PRIZE ON MONDAY’S HANDICAP FOR ANY SHOOTER BREAKING 100 STRAIGHT. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR $10,000 TO BE AWARDED ON THIS HANDICAP. A 25-27 YARD SHOOTER BREAKING 100 WILL RECEIVE$4,000. A 22-24 YARD SHOOTER BREAKING 100 WILL RECEIVE $3,500. A 19-21 YARD SHOOTER BREAKING 100 WILL RECEIVE $2,500. TIES IN ANY YARDAGE GROUP WILL DIVIDE. TO QUALIFY FOR THE 100 STRAIGHT PRIZE ON MONDAY, A SHOOTER MUST ALSO SHOOT THE HANDICAP EVENTS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OF THE SHOOT.
WE GIVE A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO GRAF & SONS, THE RELOADING AUTHORITY, LOCATED IN MEXICO, MISSOURI, GRAFS.COM FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS GENEROUS CASH PRIZE WITH THE KCTA.
MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW TO ATTEND. 16 RV SPOTS WITH ELECTRICTY AND WATER ARE AVAILABLE FOR RESERVATION. CONTACT JUSTIN AT KCTRAPSMO@GMAIL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.
2nd Annual Season Opener Nationwide Lewis Shoot
KANSAS CITY TRAPSHOOTERS ASSOCIATION
6420 NE 176TH ST SMITHVILLE, MO 64089 JUSTIN HEFNER, MANAGER 816-532-4427—KCTRAPSMO@GMAIL.COM
4050 S. Clark St. Mexico, MO 65265 Phone: 1-800-531-2666 Fax: 573-581-2875
EMPIRE GRAND DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
CH MICHAEL FOX JR. NY 98 RU JAKE LEVIN QU 98 AAA BRADLEY HEATH NY 97 AA URBAN WOMER NY 93 A JAMAAL BROWN MD 95 B ROGER STODDARD VT 95 C SALVATORE SCHIAVO NY 96 D DENNIS BOBBETTE NY 92 LD1 HEIDI WOMER NY 89 LD2 DEB OHYE-NEILSON PA 93 SUB JR DAVID BROWN JR. NJ 92 JR CHASE WOJTANIK NY 98 JR GOLD WESLEY BEAVER PA 97 SUB VET JOHN KIRKSEY MD 95 VET RICHARD SAUER NY 196 SR VET MICHAEL WASCHITZ NY 94 CHAIR WILLIAM ROSS PA 84
JOSEPH KOPACZ - HANDICAP WINNER
PHOTO CREDIT: CATHY FLINT
broke first straights at the Empire Grand – Jamaal Brown (1st at NYSATA Homegrounds), James Singer (NY), Matthew Wahl (CT), Gary Brien (NY) and Evan Wirth (PA). Category shout-out to Debbie Ohye-Neilson (PA) who dominated in Lady II. Hats off to the NYSATA for a great shoot. Attendance was up 27% from 2019 which was good to see. As with many shoots, finding scorekeepers and loaders, sufficient ammo and all that has made things difficult as we emerge this season after COVID, they rolled with the obstacles and succeeded in holding a good tournament. n
EMPIRE GRAND HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP
CH JOSEPH KOPACZ NY 95 RU MICHAEL RICE NY 94 3RD JAMES ALLNUTT MD 94 4TH SIMON GRECH NY 94 5TH THOMAS MUROHY JR. NY 94 6TH MICHAEL FOX JR. NY 93 7TH DONALD CHRYSLER JR. NY 92 LD1 NANCY PATTERSON MA 87 LD2 EDITH PAGE ALLYN NH 87 SUB JR JOSEPH BRECK IV PA 91 JR JACOB EDINGER PA 92 JR GOLD EVAN WIRTH PA 93 SUB VET KEVIN BRODEUR NH 94 VET PAUL RAPOLI NY 89 SR VET RICHARD BAKER PA 90 CHAIR WILLIAM ROSS PA 85
EMPIRE GRAND HIGH ALL AROUND
CH BRADLEY HEATH NY 386 AAA JAMES ALLNUTT MD 386 AA SHANE BISER MD 379 A ROGER STODDARD VT 376 B SALVATORE SCHIAVO NY 377 C JOHN CANNILLO NH 370 D THOMAS MURHY JR. NY 362 LD1 NANCY PATTERSON MA 364 LD2 DEB OHYE-NEILSON PA 368 SUB JR JOSEPH BRECK IV PA 374 JR JACOB EDINGER PA 376 JR GOLD WESLEY BEAVER PA 381 SUB VET DONALD NEILSON JR. PA 376 VET DONALD ALDERSON NY 368 SR VET JOHN FEDERICI RI 378 CHAIR WILLIAM ROSS PA 362
EMPIRE GRAND HIGH OVER ALL
