A huge thank you to Paul Erhardt for sending us even more GREAT photos from the USPSA Area 6 Championships!

The dust has [temporarily] settled in Las Vegas. The 2009 USPSA Open & Production Handgun Nationals are history! Congratulations to our 2009 National Victors!

2009 USPSA Open National Champions are:
Megan Francisco & Max Michel Jr.

What happens when you combine Steel Challenge, Bianchi and USPSA?  PRO AM!  The Pro Am, hosted by the US Shooting Academy in Tulsa, OK, is an all steel event.   Shooters face arrays of steel targets in run-n-gun stages with predetermined “par” times.  The number of steel shot down on the stage after the end buzzer sounds = the competitor’s score.  Unique to this event, the Pro’s are those shooters who have finished in the Top 10 Overall of any USPSA Open/Limited/Production Nationals in the last three years. Everyone else is classified as an Amateur and is ranked based on classifications in the various action shooting sports.

Ten women competed in the Amateur Limited Division (with some big names in attendance)…

• Reigning USPSA Ladies Limited & Limited-10 National Champion – Jessie Abbate
• 2004 USPSA Ladies Limited National Champion – Carina Randolph
• First and Only USPSA Five Division Ladies National Champion – Julie Golob

In a field of 160 amateur competitors, Jessie had an impressive performance.  She finished 6th Overall and 2nd A Class easily claiming the Ladies Limited Title as well.  Julie Golob earned 2nd Woman and finished in the Top 20 Overall.

Rounding out the Top 5 Ladies:

1. Jessie Abbate – 179 Plates
2. Julie Golob – 167 Plates
3. Carina Randolph – 153 Plates
4. Diana Leidorff – 147 Plates
5. Tammy Sharp – 131 Plates

Traditionally an iron sight only match, this year competitors were allowed to compete with their open guns.  76 Amateurs, 4 of these women, competed in the Open Division.  Julie Golob opted to shoot her Limited gun again and placed an impressive 26th overall against open blasters.  She also finished 2nd behind Open Ladies Champion Jessie Abbate.  Jessie was not only top lady, but also placed 1st in A Class and finished a stellar 3rd Overall!  With this double win, Jessie confirmed that when it comes to shooting steel, she is not only a dominating force in the women’s category, but is a top contender against the men.