Subject: Ben Avery Clay Target Center North of Phoenix March 17-21 Winner Chain Shoot

 




 

Friday was an excellent day for shooting at this Arizona Winter Chain shoot at the Ben Avery Clay Target Center North of Phoenix. Gerald Wendel led North Dakotan's in the first half of the 16 yard Singles Championship with 98 followed by a 99 in strong winds......for Arizona. that is...on Saturday morning to Win the Veteran's trophy with a 197.  Bob Munson broke the lone 200 to win the Singles.  Many shooters after Sunday's Handicap will leave for Tucson for the Arizona State Shoot.  For a number of shooters their winter shooting season in Arizona will conclude with the Arizona State Shoot although shoots are schedule at a number of Arizona Clubs through out the Spring and  Summer.  This weekend's shoot was another very successful shoot for Ben Avery  which makes it, its' best Trapshooting season in years.  The investment the Center has made in Parking for Trailers and Campers and other improvements including computerized administration of registration and cashiering procedures have helped make this happen. 

 

This is my last Winter Chain report for this winter season since I will be leaving for Bismarck late this week.  Hope the reports have been of interest to you and given you an insight in to what Arizona Winter Chain shooting is all about and how your Trapshooting friends from North Dakota and the Midwest area who have been able to be down here for all or part of the chain have done. and I must say we were well represented with North Dakota's biggest win being Jason Folvag's winning the Spring  Grand American Doubles Championship.

 Chet Nelson

Paul Doetsch Ben Avery's Clay Target Center's ATA Shoot Manager congratulates Charles Simonson on his 96 in handicap on Friday winning short yardage. Casey Crawford a good friend of Charles's- both originally from Plentywood, Montana-joins them for the photo. Over the years Casey shot a number of Western North Dakota shoots with his Uncle, Mel Hall, who also frequented the Arizona Winter Chain for years.  Off-road motorcycle rider Charles and Kayak enthusiast Casey now are Arizona residents with Casey in Phoenix and Charles in Tucson.

John Scanlon member of the Arizona State Trapshooting Board of Directors and past President of the Phoenix Trap and Skeet Club joins Canadian Chain shooters for a photo. Pictured with Scanlon are Eugene Bert, Saskatchewan, Garry Hill, Les Grabill, Ron McConnel and Lorne Hooper all of Alberta. Eugene won Friday's handicap with a lone 97. Eugene and Garry have shot trap in North Dakota a number of times over the years.

Bob Dobbs, Doug Sims, Larry Mane, all Arizona and Gerald Wendel, North Dakota. Larry Sims Tucson Trap and Skeet Club Vice President and State Association Board Member just finished helping Larry Mane load trophies in his pickup box for next week's State Shoot at The Tucson Trap and Skeet Club. Retired Sanborn North Dakota farmer Gerald Wendel won the 200 Singles Vets trophy with a 197.  The Arizona State Shoot Trophies must be valuable because Lexi, Larry Maine's dog, is already keeping a watchful eye over who comes near the pickup box.

Dan Vogel, Ballantine, Montana and Art Peyton, Peers, Alberta. Both are and have been frequent Arizona Winter Chain winners over the years.

Dennis Miller, Nebraska, Tom Burns Nebraska, Tom Collier, Iowa, Lyle Hall, Nebraska and Wally Hoyt, Minnesota. Tom Burns led the group in Friday's singles breaking a 98. Tom began his working career working for Bell Telephone in Valley City, North Dakota.

Bob Scribner, Minnesota; Richard McCoy, Minnesota and Don Brown, Arizona

Annie and Bob Munson and their three Yellow Labs-Maggie, Charlie and Tiny. Although the dogs seem to enjoy the winter chain, I think they are really waiting for fall when they can go to the Munson hunting cabin in South East North Dakota to hunt pheasants. On Friday both Bob and Annie broke the first 100 of the 200 bird singles event. Bob went on Saturday to brake the lone 200 winning the Singles Championship. Annie broke a 96 in Friday's handicap. Her handicap scores through Friday's event were 95, 94 and 96.

Bob and Cecile Paradis, Maine and friends. Bob let my dog Maida get in on the photo.  Maida has been with me at Winter Chain Shoots for the past 11 seasons.

 

Motor Home Parking Facilities appeared to be full for this shoot.  Leonard and Margaret Raddohl from North Dakota are up here for this shoot and have stayed at Ben Avery for most of its winter chain shoots.

Arizona Winter Chain Shooter Dennis Shaw and Vince Vehook, Range Assistant, Ben Avery Clay Target Center. Saturday afternoons when we aren't at the Winter Chain Shoots Dennis and I shoot practice at Ben Avery and discuss a whole wide range of topics where we sometimes let our expertise and ideas about a lot of things go unchecked. Vince is one of the personable staff who not only  makes one really feel welcome, but along with a lot of other hard working staff does the work that makes  the whole Ben Avery program function so well.

I sent these photos using Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 5.0. Find out more: http://www.adobe.com/photoshopelementswin