The California State Championships

Bakersfield, CA: The Kern County Gun club hosted the 72nd California State Championships the first weekend of July, continuing the state tradition of holding the tournament in conjunction with Independence Day. As expected in central California during July, temperatures were hot and so was the shooting. California is home to many of the nation’s top shooters. Competition for a state title is fierce; everyone brings their “A” game.

The Kern County Gun Club Board of Directors and volunteers spent many hours insuring the club was ready for the state contest. The Briley Wand was on hand, a first for KCGC. The trap machines were tuned and it was off to the races.

Doubles were contested on Friday. Bill Burke, Bill Marble, and Brett McLaughlin all posting perfect scores. Interestingly, all three shooting Remington 1100 race guns. After a pile of shells on the ground it was Burke CH, Marble RU, and McLaughlin RU3. Class champions were:

AAA   Ron Hurlbert
AA     John Herkowitz
A       Joe Falabrino
B       Gerry Farrell
C       Teddy Zanias
D       Bob Harvey
Sub Junior    Nick Ballentine
Junior           Richard Riddle

The 12 gauge was also shot on Friday. A testimony to the conditions and talent, seven shooters managed to break them all; Burke, Campbell, Foley, Humphrey, Kerchinski, Lewis, C. Rommel. As you can imagine, this one took a while. But in the end Burke beat them again for CH, the veteran shooter Humphrey RU, and our State President Dan Lewis RU3. Other winners were:

AAA   Brian Foley
AA     John Kerchinski
A       Jack Campbell
B       Butch Hearn
C       Dale Higham
D       Pam Binns
E       Fred Sanders
Sub Junior    Nick Ballentine
Junior           Richard Riddle

As if it wasn’t hot enough on Friday, somebody turned up the heat for Saturday. Staying cool was a priority along with drinking plenty of fluids. The heat got the best of a few shooters but thankfully everyone walked away under their own power, mostly. Again, the scores were equally hot. 100 straights were had by; Baker, Booher, Falabrino, Herkowitz, Hurlbert, Kerchinkski, L. Riddle, S. Rommel, Schnur, and Staat. (Followed by no less than 17 woulda’ shoulda’ 99’s). In less than a box this one was settled. Falabrino CH, Hurlbert RU, Baker RU3. Other champions were:

AAA   S. Rommel
AA     Kerchinski
A       Staat
B       Stuntz
C       D. Berry
D       Bell
Sub Junior    Brandon Stone
Junior          Matt Boskovich

The annual banquet was held at the club Saturday evening following shoot offs. Kudos to the CSSA Board for stepping up the menu a notch. Truly a gourmet event complete with wine donated by Gary Ditmar. As is customary the State Teams were announced honoring our top shooters. More importantly two additional ceremonies were conducted as part of the evening.

The first presentation honored Lee Dennis who passed away recently. You don’t have to be a Californian to know who Lee was. His contribution to our sport is beyond words and he will be greatly missed. His family members were in attendance and were presented a framed version of this years tournament logo signed by all participating shooters. Lee, we know you were with us in spirit at this years shoot. Via Con Dios amigo.

Our second presentation was a donation made to the local Wounded Heroes Fund of Kern County. Present was Army Corporal Wesley Leon-Barrientos of Wounded Heroes. The corporal is the recipient of three purple hearts. He spoke to the crowd about the Wounded Heroes organization and the good work they do. Ron Hurlbert and George Desatoff donated $1,000 generated from the May Desatoff Open to the corporal and organization. An appropriate and heart warming gesture in the spirit of Independence Day.

With half of the tournament shot, an HOA race was developing. John Kerchinski hadn’t missed a target, 8 shooters were down only one, and a slew of shooters were close behind down two. It made for a crowded leader board at the top.

Most of the 28 gauge was shot on Saturday, but one bank was competed on Sunday morning. Four shooters beat the heat and most of the competition, shooting perfect 100’s; Foley, Hurlbert, Lewis, R. Riddle. Hurlbert bested the youth for CH, Foley took the RU spot, and Richard Riddle RU3. Class champions were:

AAA   Lewis
AA     Falabrino
A       D. Buoni
B       Jeffers
C       Warren
D       T. Zanias
Sub Junior    Nick Ballentine
Junior           Richard Riddle

The 28 gauge thinned the HOA race some. Foley, Hurlbert, and Lewis were each down one target, followed by a handful of shooters one target behind them. Still a log jamb at the top of very skilled skeeters.

The 410 has a way of separating the competition and it would be shot mid day Sunday. Only one perfect score was shot in the event. A first straight in the 410 for Cole Rommel. Congratulations to Cole and a duly deserved Gun Champ. 99’s were posted by Carl Booher and Shawn Rommel (not a typo). S. Rommel RU prevailed over Booher RU3. 410 class champs were:

AAA   Hurlbert
AA     R. Riddle
A       E. Shuford
B       Erwin
C       Ferra
D       Eramo
Sub Junior    Brandon Stone
Junior           Emily Shuford

So everyone had shot at 400 targets, plus doubles. Two shooters had broken 396 of the flying disks, Ron Hurlbert and Richard Riddle. The tie-breaking format this year for HOA was to be one regular round of 25 targets, total score, shot with the 410. If still tied 3, 4, 5 doubles would be shot miss and out. Hurlbert ran the 25 straight, Riddle broke 23. It turned out to be a near repeat of the 28 gauge. Ron Hurlbert captured the 2011 California State HOA title. Congratulations Ron! Richard Riddle was the Runner Up. Brian Foley and John Herkowitz shot their 395’s for RU3, Foley prevailing for the last spot on the podium. The rest of our champs were:

AAA   Herkowitz
AA     Booher
A       Falabrino
B       Higham
C       T. Zanias
D       Boeker
E       B. Stone
Sub Junior    Brandon Stone
Junior           Richard Riddle

Nearly 150 shooters participated in the 2011 California State Championships. Good attendance especially given the temperatures. It was good to see some new faces in the crowd including several new young competitors. Many thanks to all the volunteers, the CSSA Board of Directors, our referees, the Kern County Gun Club staff and Directors, Pacific Sporting Arms, Hal Stewart, and most importantly the shooters of California for making it a fantastic 2011 State Tournament.