I love the Bianchi Cup! I fell in love with this match from the moment I took my first shots in US Army black and gold. It challenges and humbles me. It teaches me something new every time I compete. In the action shooting sports, it is the one event on the circuit where the results aren’t solely based on competitors shooting against one another. There is an opportunity to achieve perfection – a 1920 (score).
The Cup’s main sponsors truly step up. Support is led by the premiere sponsor, Midway USA. Thank you Larry and Brenda Potterfield for your personal dedication to this match! I was also extremely proud to represent Smith & Wesson a major sponsor. It was exciting to see our logo at the S&W Plate Event, range officers shirts and on every competitor’s shooter number.
The NRA Competition Division has worked very hard to breathe life back into the Bianchi Cup. Suffering from declining numbers over the years The Cup is back in a big way. This year there were 60 first-time shooters compared to what has been a fraction of that number in the past. The NRA’s talented photographers and bloggers were on scene to capture all the action and fun. Of course, a big thank you goes out to the match staff for working long hours to make the event possible.
There are four events at the Bianchi Cup, each 48 shots. The Practical features a weak hand shooting string and shots from 10, 15, 25 and 50 yards. The Barricade event requires competitors to fire from behind both the right and left sides of a barricade. The distances for this event are 10, 15, 25 and 35 yards. A bank of six, 8” falling steel plates make up the Plate Event. Shooters must successfully shoot strings from 10, 15, 20 and 25 yards. Finally the Moving Target Event exposes a target that travels a distance of 60 feet in front of the shooter for only six seconds at each pass. Arguably one of the most challenging events in the match, shooters do their best to aim for the 4” X-ring at the 10, 15, 20 and 25 yard lines.
Montana weather and sorting out issues with brand spanking new guns made my preparation for the match a bit challenging this year. Open Division firearms have so many metal parts bolted on them that it can be a significant challenge to get these guns up and running. My new blasters were finicky and because of reliability issues I struggled on the Practical and Plates. Despite the disappointing finishes, I was extremely happy with my Mover where I only dropped one shot outside the 10 ring with a score of 478/480.
This was the first year I used a “stick shift” mover base on my gun with an Aimpoint Micro. I have to say I am thrilled with the combination. The crisp, clear red dot and light weight of the Micro really help keep the weight down on an already heavy gun. The ingenious Warren Moore of Protocall Design crafts a unique scope base that adjusts the optic on the shroud to allow for target lead. The whole set up made me feel more confident than ever going into this match. Steadfast reliability of the Micro and solid construction of the mover base helped me to post my best practice runs this year.
Unfortunately my final score reflected one of my worst Bianchi Cup performances, but was still high enough to place second woman behind the talented Jessie Abbate. Jessie showed potential last year with her 4th place finish and shot a great score to claim the win. Vera Koo had a commanding lead going into her final event and was on pace to shoot a record female score, but after a rough run at the Mover, I slipped past and Vera placed third. Vera competes as a both a lady and senior. She has won more Bianchi Cup titles than any other woman in the match’s 30 year history.
I also witnessed some amazing feats of marksmanship. In the Metallic (Iron Sight) Division, Rob Leatham’s final event was the Mover. The sport’s “Great One” had a fluke jam at the 25 yard line. His first shot landed in the middle, a 10, but then there was a dreaded click. Rob’s blazing fast reflexes allowed him to clear the malfunction and fire off two quick shots just as the target slipped out of view. A ripple of awe went through the crowd gathered to watch Rob shoot. When the target next appeared, his shots could be seen – 10, 8, 10. AMAZING!
This year my teammate Doug Koenig tried something new and competed for the Aggregate Title (Open and Iron sight scores combined). Using a stock Smith & Wesson DK 1911 in 38 Super I had the chance to watch Doug shoot the Plates with this gun. The 10 and 15 yard lines seemed effortless as the steel fell methodically between the start and stop buzzers. When he moved back to the 20 yard line I was shocked to see that, while all the shooters on the line prepared to hit prone at the blare of the start signal, Doug stood patiently. Tink, tink, tink, tink, tink, tink! Doug knocked plate after plate down at both of the 20 yard strings. He duplicated the performance at the 25 yard position – a CLEAN Plate Event, all from the standing position! WOW!
Of course, the battle on the Mover is one that seems to host the same cast of characters each year. Bruce Piatt and Doug Koenig are always in this showdown as two shooters who consistently shoot clean up to this point in the match. It’s a pressure cooker with a large crowd of onlookers and so much on the line. Doug was first and kept all his shots in the 10 ring. His final match score was 1920 – 179x. It was the first perfect score posted this year. Bruce was next and drilled the X-ring pass after pass until he shot a dreaded 8 leaving Doug with the only 1920 in the match!
There were plenty of highlights after the main event on Saturday. I watched S&W Champion Jerry Miculek engage the crowd with his showmanship and deliver super fast runs in the Production Shoot Off. Kenda Lenseigne tried her hand at the sport in the Celebrity Shoot Off against country music singer Mark Wills. Kenda is an OVERALL World Champion in Mounted Cowboy Action Shooting. In an exciting match up, she defeated Mark for the win. Jim Shepherd of the Outdoor and Shooting Wires also made time in his busy schedule to shoot in the Press Shoot Off against Yamil Sued, Smith & Wesson’s Match Photographer. Yamil took the win but Jim certainly held his own! I had the pleasure to meet mother and daughter team Gwen Cox and Paige Eissinger representing the Women’s Outdoor Media Association. I LOVED the fact that Gwen shared that she recently learned to shoot for the first time in her 70’s. Her words, “You can teach an old dog new tricks!”
At the Saturday night awards ceremony junior girls ROCKED it. I was so proud of my Smith & Wesson teammate Molly Smith for giving Bianchi shooting a try. Molly was the youngest competitor in the match but also won two awards as a New Shooter in Production. The charming Tiffany Piper of New Zealand shot her way to claim the Junior Cup. It’s exciting to see these young women on the range and inspiring others to give shooting a try.
Without a doubt the highlight of the match for me was the opportunity to hear Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Donald “Doc” Ballard speak. Bianchi Cup Coordinator Tom Hughes gave an introduction of Colonel Ballard’s heroic deeds, saving the lives of seven Marines by diving on a live grenade in Vietnam. Tom also shared a wonderful story. When he received confirmation of the Colonel’s attendance he called the Marine Corps Shooting Team and asked its Team Captain if any Marines would be attending the Bianchi Cup. To honor the Medal of Honor recipient, he replied with “Sir, we will send seven.”
Colonel Ballard’s speech will forever leave an impression on me. He celebrated our patriotism but closed by stating that we all have an obligation to our children. As patriots and believers in our Second Amendment Rights it is our duty to ensure that America’s youth understands the importance of pride in our nation and protecting our freedoms. It was a fitting message with Memorial Day just two days away and a perfect end to the Bianchi Cup
Editor’s Note: Sorry for the delay in posting … I dropped the ball on this. I wanted to share Julie’s coverage of the NRA Bianchi Cup with the Women of USPSA. Her story is genuinely touching and enjoyable. Congratulations, Jessie, Julie, and Vera on your Top 3 finishes! We would love to hear about your matches, too. Send us a blog post if you have time! ~Kippi
Check out this Shooting USA video to learn about the history of Julie Golob’s shooting career.
This is the first profile that Shooting USA has done on a woman. Congratulations, Julie …
and thank you Shooting USA for the great coverage!
Check out this video compilation of some of the Women of USPSA at the 2010 Single Stack Nationals.
Congratulations again to the Top 8 Ladies:
1st – Julie Golob
2nd – Sara Dunivin
3rd – Kippi Leatham
4th – Nancy Huspek
5th – Tori Nonaka
6th – Lisa Munson
7th – TD Roe
8th – Shannan Chada
Next year, we hope to have even more women shooting the Single Stack Nationals! Give it a whirl, ladies – It’s a lot of fun!
Here is the final interview with our 2010 Single Stack National Champion, Julie Golob …
WoUSPSA – Congratulations, Julie, on your 2nd USPSA Single Stack Nationals victory AND your 10th USPSA National Championship Title! You have officially joined the ranks of a handful of elite shooters who have attained double-digit USPSA National Titles. What does this accomplishment mean to you?
Julie – It’s hard to put into words. I won my first nationals in 1999 and to be still be able to win over 10 years later is something I will always be proud of. A decade ago I was just “Julie The Shooter” and life was a whole lot simpler! Winning a nationals now is, well… just really special.
WoUSPSA – This year, you dominated the match shooting a 10-round 9 mm with minor ammunition. When you won your first SSN in 2006, you shot an 8-round .45 in major. What factors influenced your decision to go minor? What do you feel the pros and cons (of shooting minor) specifically were at the 2010 SSN?
Julie – I chose to shoot minor for a few reasons. After a tendonitis injury last year, I was terrified of it returning. Shooting minor seemed to make a lot more sense especially since this was only my second match of the year. Also, unlike other divisions, Single Stack let’s you play with up to two extra rounds if you opt to shoot minor. In year’s past there were stages where the extra rounds were beneficial and you could actually save loads. That and I just love the my new Smith & Wesson Pro Series 9mm 1911 with custom work by Pete Single. It is so much fun to shoot and this is the first gun I have used in a long time that was completely tailored to me.
I think the strategy paid off. This year there were several courses where 10 rounds were a benefit. The cons? A number of stages had really difficult targets. With very little A-zone, shooting minor is tough because you don’t want to drop the points. At the same time you can’t risk a miss or no shoot. I thought the match was VERY well balanced.
WoUSPSA – This is the beginning of your second year back on the shooting circuit. You had an incredible year last year, and are already off to a great start! You have obviously and very quickly figured out what works for you in terms of balancing your family, work and shooting career. Do you have any words of wisdom for women in the sport who want to enjoy the matches, shoot to the best of their ability, but don’t have a lot of time for the range?
Julie – Thanks so much! It’s rather funny because I certainly don’t feel like I have it figured out most of the time! I believe it is very important to set realistic goals for yourself on the range. If you know you aren’t able to practice like your competition, work as hard as you can and accept it. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember that when you are staring at the results. Be proud of yourself even on the days you don’t perform well and learn from them. I used to think shooting was EVERYTHING. My formula now is give 100% when I train and compete, celebrate my successes, enjoy my work and focus on my family.
WoUSPSA – I like that thought process … You won 8 of the 16 stages in the match. I personally witnessed you buckle down on the last afternoon and win 5 of the last 7 stages. Your performance was awe-inspiring! What was your approach going into and during the match and what did you have for lunch on Saturday? : )
Julie – The easy answer first – For lunch I had a half a burger on the range and secretly drooled over the yummy desert offerings. : )
I believe I won seven and tied for the stage win on the Standards – AWESOME SHOOTING KIPPI! I felt really good competing the second day. I didn’t shoot a perfect match but I was very determined and focused. I find that with less time to train, the more deliberate I am, the better I shoot. Shooting with several of the top men and four incredible lady shooters on the squad was a lot of fun. Now that I think it of it, it was rather unique. We all celebrated and congratulated one another when we had a good run. The competition was fierce but never harsh. Talk about a wonderful shooting atmosphere!
WoUSPSA – It really was … So, which was your favorite stage design in the match and which stage was the most challenging for you and why?
Julie – My favorite stage design in the match was “Light It Up.” It was a 22 round field course with 10 IPSC targets and 2 pepper poppers. There were four walls with openings and about 10 different ways to shoot it. Difficult set ups, challenging shots and critical steel really set it apart for me. I ended up shooting “just ok” on it but that’s the kind of stage I want to shoot over and over again until I feel I have done my best. The most challenging? “Just Passing Time” and “Risk Takers 2” were just plain hard. There wasn’t a lot of room in the A-Zone shooting minor to get good points and the no-shoots were frightening, especially shooting with strong and support hands!
WoUSPSA – It’s probably hard to choose, but which stage did you shoot your very best on and why? : )
Julie – My highest result was 15th overall on “Just Passing Time” – it was an 8 round Virginia Count Stage with four shots from support hand only. I had a miss on that one but lots of people struggled on it. I am most proud of “ET Phone Home” though. I was just .63 seconds slower than Rob Leatham’s stage winning time of 3.10 seconds. I nailed the draw and shot good points. : )
WoUSPSA – Whew … nice run! It’s always memorable and satisfying to keep up with the stage winners! Now, tell us about the equipment you used in the match, what your favorite gun modifications are and what you absolutely cannot do without at the Single Stack National Championships!
Julie – I love my gun! : ) I mentioned earlier that it’s a S&W Pro Series 9mm 1911, but has had some serious TLC by Pete Single. First things first – a sight change to the sights I love for competition, Warren Tactical Sights. Pete also added a custom fiber optic front that just GLOWED. Super thin VZ Grips with a cut out for my thumb helped to make reloads easier with my small hands. This gun also has a Stan Chen magwell that doesn’t extend off the frame like a lot of other mag wells. I never had to worry about seating my mags and it really helped me get consistent reloads. Finally, I like my triggers with a lot of roll and to break between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds.
WoUSPSA – Sounds like a sweet setup! We always get great reports about the Single Stack Nationals. As a Professional Shooter and captain of Team Smith & Wesson, a double-digit USPSA National Champion, an RO, and someone who has attended more international matches than most, what did you think of the match this year? Do you have any commendations and/or constructive criticism?
Julie – That’s quite a list, LOL! I think this is the best match I have shot in a while. There were no tricks or gimmicks, just shooting tests. I grew up competing in these kinds of matches and I love how EVERY skill is tested. Even though many matches on the circuit don’t incorporate all the basic skills, I still strive to be a well-rounded shooter.
My only criticism would be to have USPSA more involved with the match to install the qualities, traditions and rules that apply to the other USPSA National Championships in recognizing stage winners, special categories, prize distribution, etc.
WoUSPSA – Historically, as compared to other shooting events and National Championships, the SSN does not attract quite as many women. What do you think we can all do to get more ladies attending Single Stack competitions?
Julie – I think it comes down to the grass roots of the sport and the understanding that you don’t have to shoot a .45. With more and more 9mm 1911’s on the market, its easier than ever to compete with less expensive 9mm. At the local club level, it is important for clubs to design stages with ALL the divisions in mind. This keeps all the shooters wanting to come back for more. I personally love shooting the single stack and if anyone is out there thinking of giving it a try, GO FOR IT!
WoUSPSA – Not to change focus from your amazing Single Stack victory, but with Rob Leatham winning the SSN again, and Jerry Miculek dominating with Revolver, you are the only USPSA shooter that has the ability to attain a National Championship Title in all 6 USPSA Divisions. Does attacking USPSA Revolver Division in the next few years ever enter your mind?
Julie – It has. I have shot the International Revolver Championships a couple times now. Like Single Stack, I love the challenge of the low capacity divisions. We’ll just have to see! : ) Editor’s note: Since this interview was conducted, Julie attended the 2010 IRC and won the Ladies’ Open World Championship title! Congratulations!!
WoUSPSA - Thank you so much for your time, Julie! In closing, would you like to comment on anything about the match?
Julie – I’d like to congratulate Rob on his amazing undefeated run in Single Stack. It was a nail biter and incredible to watch. I would also like to thank my squad for making this match even more memorable for me. The match staff was AWESOME and your hard work is greatly appreciated. Finally a huge thank you to the wonderful people who made it possible for me to shoot so well at this match – my husband, mom and dad, Pete Single, Rob & Kippi Leatham, Smith & Wesson, Warren Tactical, ASYM Ammunition and all my sponsors.
WoUSPSA – Congratulations again on your USPSA Single Stack Nationals win … your first of many this year, I’m predicting! : )
Ladies, ladies, ladies… I need your help.
Some of you know me, most of you don’t, but nearly all of you know my work. I handle the PR for USPSA, the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) and ICORE and my post match releases can be seen on a variety of websites including The Shooting Wire, Michael Bane’s DownRange.tv (DRTV) and others. I also serve as the main shooting sports blogger for DRTV and have blogged from events like the 2008 Nationals in Tulsa and this year’s Area 6 Championship.
This year USPSA is focusing on increasing our promotion of the women competing in matches. As part of that effort we are including the women’s results in our main releases and distributing releases solely on the Lady’s title winners.
One of our main efforts is to place more stories in the local press. We’ve had a lot of success with stories like those on Julie G. in the Great Falls Tribune in Montana, Kay Miculek in the Shreveport Times and Beth Wingfield in The Daily Citizen in Georgia.
In order to get more pickup of these stories I’d like to ask you to create a Flickr account of good, high-quality (and high-resolution) shooting images of yourself. This isn’t anything new and quite frankly I’m stealing a page out of the Smith & Wesson playbook. They have created albums for each of their sponsored shooters which have allowed me to provide local media images to support their stories.
My suggestion is to look at the S&W shooter albums for Julie and Annette Aysen to get an idea of the kind of images that work best. It goes without saying that the images need to show your face, so those back-of-the-head shots friends took of you at the range won’t work too well for PR purposes.
I also recommend that the Flickr account be specific to shooting and not contain your personal and family shots as these aren’t relevant to photo editors at local papers. Think of the account as a visual representation of your shooting resume.
If you find that you do not have access to good pictures I’d be happy to shoot a couple of you if I happen to be at the same shooting event you are attending. Unfortunately my schedule is a lot less busy with shooting events than yours is likely to be. However, Yamil Sued, who shoots (pics) for S&W and many of you already know, is your best option for photos.
I highly recommend you seek out Yamil this season and ask him to do a series of photographs of you for PR purposes. I talked to Yamil about this and while it will cost you a very nominal fee, it will be the best money you spent when your picture accompanies an online story or appears in a local newspaper. This is particularly important for those of your with sponsors. Just ask Julie.
There is also one more additional request I have of you. It would be a big help to me for PR reasons if you could ‘friend me’ on Facebook. After a match I am usually looking for hometown info on shooters and if it is after hours at USPSA HQ, I cannot find that info or an email to contact you.
Just recently I used Facebook to contact Kippi Leatham to get the name of Sara Dunivin’s hometown after being told it was either Phoenix, Tempe or Scottsdale. I also relayed a message that a writer for Gun Digest wanted to know about what equipment Rob Leatham used at this year’s Single Stack Nationals.
Both cases illustrate how Facebook can be a useful tool for our PR purposes. To ‘friend me’ you can find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/paulerhardt.
Please let me know if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them, and thank you in advance for helping USPSA/SCSA/ICORE with their PR efforts.
- Paul Erhardt
Thanks Paul for working so hard to promote the Women of USPSA. Ladies, once you have an account, please join our Flickr Group – http://www.flickr.com/groups/womenofuspsa/
A huge thank you to Paul Erhardt for sending us even more GREAT photos from the USPSA Area 6 Championships!
Area 6 doesn’t disappoint. Hosted by the South River Gun Club, the competition has always been top notch. Honestly, this match could be a national level championship. There are certainly enough competitors. A whopping 384 shot the match!
The event started out with 12 stages, but Stage 4 – Bridge of Death was thrown out. That still left 11 challenging courses of fire with plenty of props, steel and moving targets. This was a tough match with targets that could be seen from multiple positions and moving targets with critical activators. The fun factor was still high though with a good blend of short and long courses of fire.
There are some matches where you see just a handful of women on the range. Not the case with the Area 6 Championships! At the helm, Cindy Noyes was once again the match director. There were women working at every level from Chief Range Officer Beth Wingfield and 15 lady range officers to 7 women serving roles in Stats and Registration. Thank you ladies for all your hard work!
I had the pleasure to shoot with two other women in my squad, Randi Rogers and junior shooter Tierani Hendrix. I have enjoyed competing with Randi many times, but it was the first time I had a chance to meet Tierani. The NHL Atlanta Thrashers sponsored a stage where competitors had to activate a swinging target with a hockey stick. An ice hockey player, Tierani showed just how handy she is with a hockey stick on Stage Five – “Face Off.” She activated the swinger and grabbed her gun from the table with perfect timing.
I also had a chance to catch up Jessie Abbate and Tori Nonaka as they scoped out the stages before their Saturday shoot times. Fresh off teaching yet another successful Babes With Bullets(TM) Ladies Action Shooting Camp, Kay Miculek and Lisa Munson stopped by for a quick hug and hello. I also had a nice visit with Tammie Bordwell after meeting her at the USPSA Nationals last year. (Click here for a our interview with Tammie on her first nationals.) Katie Harris took the time to introduce herself early Friday morning. Katie is another talented young shooter in Production Division. I just love seeing all the junior females participating in the sport!
I wish I could have stayed to meet and chat with the rest of the women at the match. I encourage you to take a moment, like Katie did, to introduce yourself to another lady shooter. Strike up a conversation with your fellow female competitors about their match. It could lead to a wonderful friendship. Celebrate the success of the talented and very special women who compete in our sport!
There’s been plenty of coverage on the first Area Championship of the year. Check out Women of USPSA on Facebook for links and in depth ladies results! In closing, a huge thank you to Match Director Cindy Noyes, Area 6 Director Charles Bond and the hard working range officers on another fantastic Area 6 Championships.
Check out these photos taken by Marla Hendrix (Tierani’s Mom) and Paul Erhardt with many more posted to DownRange.TV.
We’re excited to post the link to Julie Golob’s most recent interview with Tom Gresham on Gun Talk Radio! Julie always does a fine job of representing the shooting sports and women in the shooting sports. We commend her for taking the time to promote all of us!
Podcast download instructions: Once you click on the link below, for each show there is a file marked “Direct download”. If you use Windows, click the right button of your mouse over the MP3 file, such as “060402guntalkC.mp3″. If you use a Mac, hold down the control button and click on this file. You will get a menu. Select download or save the file.
Podcast link:
http://guntalk.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=559537
For the Gun Talk article, click on this link:
http://www.guntalk.com/site.php?pageID=15&newsID=89
Great interview, Julie! Your voice is angelic to the shooting community!
This is our last set of interviews from the 2009 USPSA Limited-10 Nationals. Enjoy the read, as you get to know the BEST L10 Lady Shooters in the country a little better …
2nd Place - Julie Golob
9-Time USPSA National Champion, 2009 NRA Bianchi Cup Champion, 2009 Steel Challenge Production Champion, 2009 IRC Revolver Champion
WoUSPSA – You shot a very impressive match, Julie … Congratulations! That makes for back-to-back 2nd place finishes! Tell us how it felt to finish the L10 match knowing that.
Julie – Thanks so much! I am so proud to place second at both of these matches. The competition in these divisions is fierce!!! To think we have women who are sponsored and even some that are true pros, just shows how far our sport has developed. To place so high among these talented women is very exciting.
WoUSPSA – You shoot so many different types of matches throughout the year, ICORE, Steel Challenge, Bianchi, IDPA. What did you do differently to adjust to shooting a back-to-back USPSA Nationals?
Julie – Unlike many of the other shooting sports, USPSA really exposes how well a shooter moves. Whether it’s target to target transitions, set ups into positions or shooting on the move itself, conservation of movement is critical. To get ready for USPSA, I focused what time I had on these skills as well as my reloads. Shooting L-10 and Production with only 10 rounds in the magazine, I knew that how well I could consistently reload could make or break me on any number of stages. Finally, I chose to keep the same platform for both matches, Smith & Wesson M&P’s. Originally I had hoped to shoot the M&P in .40 for L-10, but after shooting with a tendon injury in the Production match, I felt I would perform better with my M&P Pro, 9mm minor. The back-to-back format is like a marathon for our sport. The key is to keep focused and take one stage at a time. It makes for a long, challenging week. At the same time it’s a lot of fun!
WoUSPSA – Wow, thanks for all that great info! What was your primary goal for the Limited-10 Nationals?
Julie – I like to set my goals for each match right at the beginning of my season. This year I wanted to place in the Top 3 Women at each of the events on my schedule.
WoUSPSA - Mission accomplished … good job! You and Randi both posted some amazing runs, back and forth. It was a lot of fun to watch. How do you approach each new stage when you have such close, tough competition?
Julie – Shooting neck and neck in a match is always tough, but so exciting at the same time. The competition in this match was fierce with a great showing of impressive women; Kay Miculek, Kippi Leatham and Randi Rogers, all multi-time national champions. In this situation, I try to stay positive and aggressive on each stage and tackle them one at a time. I pick my plan, remind myself to stay flexible and then do my best to shoot my sights.
WoUSPSA – So, how do you feel you performed in the second of the two events?
Julie – I am very happy with my performance in the match. I had a couple of sub-par stages, but also had a number of good runs too. Randi shot very well, and to come so close to the win shooting minor is something I am very proud of.
WoUSPSA – Can you give us a day by day account of your match?
Julie – Absolutely! The first day of the match I felt I was a bit “loose.” I shot some D’s and had a miss but in all I was pretty happy with my times. I knew I would need to shoot better points if I was going to stay in the running. With that in mind going into the second day, I really honed in on my front sight. It paid off and I made up some ground until my last stage of the day, Stage 2 – Timeout Again. I was so focused on getting my hits on the steel and swingers on this stage that I pulled a shot into one of the many no-shoots in the match. I earned one of those dreaded no-shoot/miss combos. My time was good enough that it wasn’t too catastrophic, but it certainly didn’t help my standings. The last day I knew that I needed to shoot strong. I pulled out all the stops and shot a solid match. My last three stages, I was able to move up nearly 25 points and I felt like this was the best last day I have had at a USPSA Nationals.
WoUSPSA – Did you know you were in contention going into the last stage? If so, how did that affect your performance?
Julie – Going into the last stage, I knew if I shot strong, I might have a chance for the win. I have been in this position before and I think having that experience was beneficial. The most important thing for me was to tackle the stage with everything I had. I didn’t want to leave the range with any regrets. Win or lose, I gave it my all and that’s what really matters.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Julie – My best stage result was Stage 7 – Spinnin’ Star. Texas Stars are always a challenge, but this one was spinning before you even got a round off! There was so much going on in this stage between the no-shoots, a critical standing reload and of course the star. I placed in the Top 16 and it was very exciting to post such a high score.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Julie – My favorite stage was Stage 1, even though it was arbitrated and removed from the match. This stage was only 12 rounds and that made every element critical, from the draw and first shot, to a well executed reload and a critical set up to see the final targets. Several no-shoots gave it high disaster factor and made it one of those stages that can really shake up the results. Stages like this are exciting to both shoot and watch.
WoUSPSA – Overall, what did you think of the stages?
Julie – I liked the stages. Many of them, at first glance looked very similar to the Open/Production match. The changes were subtle, but I shot several stages differently than I did in the first match. In a perfect world, I think it would have been neat to have an entirely new set of courses. With only a few hours to change things up after working long hours all week in the desert sun, the RO’s and USPSA Staff did a wonderful job. Like the Open and Production match, the stages were deceptively difficult and there were a significant number of no shoots and tough shots.
WoUSPSA – We appreciate your time and comments, Julie. Do you have anything you would like to add before we go?
Julie – I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive of me coming back on the circuit. Your warmth and encouraging words mean so much. I am so lucky to have amazing sponsors and to be a part of the extremely talented Team Smith & Wesson. Thank you also to my partners in crime Kippi Leatham and Sharyn Cohen for working so hard to break ground on the Women of USPSA project. Your work to promote the women in our sport has my deepest appreciation. Finally I can’t thank my husband enough. Jumping into a full competition season and working with the challenges of caring for our 1 year old through it all haven’t been easy. His love, honesty, support and friendship throughout this year are greatly cherished.
WoUSPSA - Congratulations again on your successful season and your 2nd place finish at the Limited-10 Nationals!
- – - – - – - -
1st Place - Randi Rogers
2009 USPSA Limited-10 National Champion
WoUSPSA – You shot such a strong, aggresive match! Congratulations, Randi! Tell us how it felt to win the 2009 USPSA Ladies Limited-10 Title.
Randi – I think that I am probably more proud of this title than just about any other. It was such a challenge coming back from the Production match and shooting against so many talented and accomplished shooters. I feel honored to have won.
WoUSPSA – You shoot primarily production throughout the year. What did you do differently to adjust to shooting a major caliber pistol?
Randi – Well, funny you should ask. I actually did a really dumb thing. I went and had the grip on my G35 stippled about two weeks before the nationals. Well, the gunsmith did a good job, but when I tried to shoot with the stippling it was so rough that is tore up my hands. I practiced with it and my left palm and the fingers of my right hand were cut by the stippling. I ended up missing a couple of practices and having to wear band-aids during the Production Nationals. I know better than to change things right before a match, but knowing better doesn’t always stop a person. Take it from someone who knows, don’t change things before a major match!
As for shooting preparation, I just tried to alternate practices between my Production set up and my Limited-10. A lot of dry fire to get used to the different holster and practice to get used to the recoil. Fortunately, the G34, production, and the G35, Limited-10, are identical besides the recoil, so switching up wasn’t too hard.
WoUSPSA – Seems to have worked for you! Did you have a goal going into the Limited-10 Nationals?
Randi – My goal is always to shoot my best. I was lucky this time that my best was good enough to win.
WoUSPSA – You and Julie both posted some awesome runs, one after another, and often, you and Jessie are quite close when competing. How do you approach each new stage when you have such tough competition?
Randi – I always just try to shoot my game. Ultimately, I am competing against myself. If I am doing the best that I can do then whatever happens happens. I approach each new stage as the most important stage of the match. I try to disregard what my competitors do and remember that I am me and there is nothing else that matters. My goals are to hit the targets and be smooth. If I can do that, I am happy
WoUSPSA – And how do you feel you performed in the second match?
Randi – I felt that my performance in the match was adequate. I believe that there never has been and never will be a shooter who is happy about the way they shot. Each person feels that there is something they could have done better. It is the same for me. There are a couple of shots that I would like back. However, I am pleased with the results so I can’t complain too much. Shooting for me is a leaning process and I just try to learn as much as I can to make my shooting better.
WoUSPSA – Would you give us a day by day account of your match?
Randi – Well, I shot both matches, so after the Production match I was really determined to shoot better. On Wednesday, I tried to take it easy. I went and registered, and I went to the indoor range, where we shipped our ammo, to fire a few rounds. I shot groups and tried to get myself back on an even keel.
Thursday I shot late so I slept in and ate a big breakfast. My shooting on Thursday felt really strong. I shot stages 9-13. The stages were similar to the previous match which made the shooting a little easier. I didn’t make any mistakes on the first day.
Friday we shot early. I normally like to shoot early because it is easier for me to stay focused early. I had two no shoots and one mike on stage 16 and then I had a Mike on stage 2. Stage 16 was a couple of challenging shots that I pulled, and stage 2 I didn’t put enough shots on a mover. I think I had gotten a little too confident the first day and pushed too hard the second.
Saturday was my final day of shooting. I shot in the afternoon again and I was ready. I dry fired that morning and concentrated on staying relaxed and focused. It was a little nerve racking, but I held on and came out victorious.
WoUSPSA – Did you know you were in the lead going into the last stage? If so, how did that affect your performance?
Randi – I was pretty sure that I was in the lead going into the last day. For that day I just tried to shoot my sights and get my points. For the last stage I knew that it was close. I knew that I needed to get my hits, but I also knew that I needed to stay aggressive and not give up anytime. I wanted to be aggressive and I got a little too aggressive and popped a no-shoot, but I got the hit so it all worked out.
WoUSPSA – What was your best stage?
Randi – My best stage was stage 12, Flippin’ Out. I worked really hard on this stage because I had gotten a mike on it in the last match and I didn’t want to do that again.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Randi – My favorite stage was the Texas Star stage, stage 7. I like shooting steel and I thought it was fun and challenging the way they made the star spin.
WoUSPSA – So, what did you think of the stages in general?
Randi – Overall I thought the stages were OK. It is tough shooting a back to back Nationals because the range can’t change all the stages, but they can’t really leave them all the same either. I wish that there would have been more diversity and standards.
WoUSPSA – Do you have any comments you would like to add in closing?
Randi – I would just like to thank everyone for coming out and I look forward to seeing everyone again next year.
WoUSPSA – We’ll be there! Congratulations again, Randi, on winning the 2009 USPSA Limited-10 Nationals!
- – - – - – - -
That wraps it up for the L10 Nationals coverage. We have one more to report upon, the Limited Nationals, and there are quite a few new names in the Top-8! We’re excited to be bringing you their stories …
Continuing coverage of the USPSA Limited-10 Nationals – To follow are interviews with the women who finished third through fifth…
5th Place - Debbie Keehart
Member of Gold Team USA – IPSC WS XIV Standard Division Gold Medalists, 2009 USPSA Area-2 Limited Champion
WoUSPSA – Congrats on your Limited-10 Nationals finish this year, Debbie! You usually shoot a mixture of Limited and Production throughout the year. What did you do differently to adjust to shooting a major caliber, 10-round pistol?
Debbie – What’s key for me is to alternate frequently between the two guns. I do that for about 3 months. Then the time it takes to adjust is maybe just a magazine or two.
WoUSPSA – What was your goal for the Limited-10 Nationals?
Debbie – First, to perform to my current ability after having some pretty good practice sessions, and second to at least bring home a stage win.
WoUSPSA – So, how do you feel you performed in the match? Did you attain your goals?
Debbie – Well, I got my stage win….and had a few good runs, too!
WoUSPSA – Nice job! What is it like shooting in the Ladies’ Squad?
Debbie – My first time was scary! (That was a long long time ago, though.) Now, I look forward to shooting with my friends! Many of us have been shooting together for a long time and enjoy doing things together off the range as well! The ladies squad is a group of the best female shooters supporting and cheering each other on! I wouldn’t want to shoot with anyone else!
WoUSPSA – Can you give us a day by day account of your match?
Debbie – Day 1, “Oh crap Deb, relax! It’s not the end of the world”. Day 2, “Ok, so you’re off to a bad start. Get it out of the way and the rest of the day will be better” ….it was! Day 3, “Now I’m feeling good. May I shoot day 1 & 2 over again please? I’m so glad I’m here!”
WoUSPSA – You have a great attitude, Deb! ; )
What was your best stage of the match?
Debbie – That would be #2, the one with the two swingers that we had to shoot at through the low port.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Debbie – I know there was one because I remember saying “that was fun”. But without looking at the book, I couldn’t tell you what it was now.
WoUSPSA – What did you think of the stages?
Debbie – I thought they were all challenging, interesting and designed so shooters of all skills levels could shoot them at their own pace. Maybe the Texas star wasn’t the best choice due to prop failure issues …
WoUSPSA – Did you enjoy being in Las Vegas?
Debbie – Absolutely! I would tell you more, but “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, and I’m back in Phoenix now!
WoUSPSA – Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Debbie. Do you have any comments you would like to add?
Debbie – For all of you readers who have not been to a Nationals yet, GO! It is a great time, you meet great people and you’ll love the challenge. If you haven’t started competitive shooting yet, get to a local club and you’ll find just about everyone is willing to help you get started. And then set your sights on the next Nationals!
WoUSPSA – Congratulations again on your Limited-10 top 5 finish!
- – - – - – - -
4th Place – Kay Miculek
9-Time USPSA Open Champion, 13-Time USPSA Multi-Gun Open Champion
We have contacted Kay and are awaiting her reply. She’s been extremely busy with her Ladies Shooting Camps and travel. We hope she’ll get back with us soon and when she does, we’ll update her responses right here.
- – - – - – - -
3rd Place – Kippi Leatham
4-Time USPSA National Champion, 2009 Area-2 Production Champion
WoUSPSA – Being married to arguably one of the best shooters ever, Rob Leatham, managing his business, working to promote women in the sport, and being a mom, needless to say, you stay very busy. How do you manage it all and what do you do to work on your shooting and personal goals?
Kippi – I do stay very busy, but I also consider myself extremely fortunate to have “jobs” where I work from home. Have you witnessed the traffic in Phoenix? ; ) Seriously though, it’s the same kind of juggling act that we all do. There’s too much on the plate, so we prioritize and then re-prioritize! Somewhere in the mix of business and family time, I go to the range to practice a couple of times a week. I also try to shoot at least one match each week. I’m so very lucky to live in a location where we can shoot quality matches year-round. Personal goals, unfortunately, have been low on my totem pole. I occasionally take time to enjoy yoga, golf, exercise, and friends, as I know it’s beneficial to my overall well being.
WoUSPSA – This year you gave us a nail-biter finish at the USPSA Single Stack Nationals and finished 2nd Woman. As someone who shoots primarily single stack (and really well!), what do you do differently to prepare for Limited-10 courses of fire?
Kippi – Thanks for the compliment … I so love the simplicity and the challenge of the iron-sighted, single stack & production-type guns! Preparing for the L10 Nationals was not much different than preparing for the Single Stack Nationals. I shot the same gun, but with 10-round mags. Having TWO more rounds seems huge - 25% more ammunition – but in reality, it just gives you different options as to how to shoot a stage. Your rounds are still very limited at each position. Rio tends to hold high-round-count stages, which I take advantage of by simply breaking [the stages] into smaller sections. When I only have 8 or 10 rounds in my magazines, I don’t look at a stage as 30 rounds, I address it as three or four mini-stages in one. I consider every shot, every reload, every movement within each section of major importance and try to execute as planned.
WoUSPSA – Do you feel that by focusing primarily on one gun throughout the year, you have an advantage going into Limited-10 and Single Stack competitions?
Kippi – Gosh, it should be an advantage! Wish my overall results supported me on that hypothesis! ; ) I certainly don’t think it hurts to shoot one type of gun throughout the season. However, with the variety of matches offered during the year and the level at which the top contenders compete, I think it’s critical to be able to change gears quickly and shoot more than one type of firearm. I’m trying to be more open to the concept of shooting different firearms and disciplines. Julie G has been trying to get me to shoot Bianchi for years now. I’ve just never made the effort, but I certainly see the value. If you look at our top lady shooters, you’ll notice they have one major thing in common … they all shoot a variety of guns and a cross-section of matches.
WoUSPSA – What was your goal for the Limited-10 Nationals?
Kippi – 1 – To not distort and strain my face : ) when the buzzer went off; 2 – To shoot with confidence to the best of my ability;
WoUSPSA – How do you feel you performed in the match? Can you give us a day by day account?
Kippi – Day 1 – Yuk – Nothing feels “right” for me. Coffee wouldn’t brew, don’t like our condo (advice – avoid renting from Las Vegas Retreats), and I’m not settled in. I am feeling a little anxious about the match, as I never bothered to look at the stages before hand. Our first stage is the “house” stage, “Stand Still Bob”. I’m nervous, as I usually am on the first stage, and I [stupidly] change my game plan at the last minute. Needless to say, I don’t execute the stage well. 2 misses, 1 no-shoot. For whatever reason, I am unable to “leave the last stage behind”, like I know I should. I drive away from the range with four misses and two no-shoots total. By far, my worst first day of a Nationals ever … again, yuk!
Day 2 – It’s a new day. I wake up with a smile, letting go of yesterday’s performance. We have an early start, coffee machine worked (yay!). I feel much more settled. I shoot like myself, actually grab a stage win and finish 2nd to Julie G on another stage.
Day 3 – Late start, but I’m looking forward to the afternoon. I am a bit disappointed that I’m not really “in contention”, but know that I need and want to shoot strong. I manage to win two more stages and finish toward the top on most of the others.
WoUSPSA – You really poured on the coal for the last day and made up a lot of ground. Can you tell us what its like to come from behind and what you did in this match to propel you into 3rd place?
Kippi – Well, I knew I was no where near Julie or Randi for the win, but definitely wanted to be next in line. I focused on my stage execution and my sights and got through the day with no penalties. Funny thing … if I’m not in contention, I’m not nearly as nervous. ; )
WoUSPSA – Tell us about your best stage.
Kippi – Based on my overall percentile, Stage 10, “Get Your Gun”, was my best stage, but Julie beat me out by a hair. We both shot 66 points. It took me 9.32 seconds and Julie 8.87 seconds. Good shooting, girlfriend! My best OA finish was on the Spinnin’ Star Stage.
WoUSPSA – What was your favorite stage and why?
Kippi – I actually liked “Start, Swing & Finish”, Stage 4. It was a 29-round movement course with a swinger and an activator, and it required a tiny bit of aiming. I like to shoot stages with options. The ladies in our squad executed this stage several different ways. I love stepping up to the line, knowing I’ve figured out the best way for me to shoot a stage. I think that’s what makes a course of fire fun, challenging and interesting.
WoUSPSA – As someone who has had a very successful shooting career that spans 20+ years, how would you compare this year’s match to other Nationals?
Kippi – This was a strange Nationals. Due to the layout of the range, there was a very isolated feeling. I always enjoy watching friends and other competitors shoot, but it was difficult to do that with the deep bays and widespread stages. I never saw my husband shoot a single stage, never took one photo or video of him. There also wasn’t the typical group of “spectators” watching the event. In that respect, it did not really “feel” like a Nationals to me. The stages were good, some were great! I’m old school, though, and prefer to follow the IPSC format of 3 small, 2 medium, 1 large stage. I think it’s a better test of shooting skills because you can easily incorporate standards, strong & weak hand, gun manipulation, standing reloads, etc., but we haven’t held matches like that in many moons. Regardless, I do think a National event should test as many shooting-related aspects as possible and I don’t think this year’s event quite accomplished that.
WoUSPSA – Any comments you would like to add?
Kippi – I just want to extend my sincere appreciation to all of the ROs and match staff. I imagine it was NOT much fun being at the range all day long, all week, in the dry, hot, dusty & windy conditions. Our sport could not exist without the dedication and time commitment of our ROs and match organizers, and I thank them again for all they do.
WoUSPSA – Here, here! Thanks for talking with us, Kippi, and congratulations again on your 3rd place finish.
- – - – - – - -
Don’t go far … later this week, we will post interviews with the top 2 Limited-10 women shooters in the country, Julie Golob and Randi Rogers!
USPSA
