Considering the last few TEXtreme Grand Prix and State Championship competitions have suffered precipitation, the weather was relatively kind to our 2025 Grand Prix and State Championships (combined) weekend. Weather-wise, the worst that could be said is the mid-90s temperatures might have been slightly hotter than usual for early June in Texas. But thankfully we were precip-free the whole weekend.
Eleven pistoleros and one Fun Rifle shooter took on Fridays low-40s pistol-Troyer course in typically tricky TEXtreme winds. In reviewing the scorecards it became obvious the
always-notorious Lane 7 did a great job of dividing the perennial pistol favorites enough to decide the (three-place) Pistol-podium results and prize-list. Matter of fact, only the top two pistoleros managed to tip-toe through the tulips of Lane 7 without getting snake-bit by said winds; those two being the only pistoleros to post six Xs (each) on Lane 7.
And although it’s (otherwise) difficult to visualize him doing much tip-toeing through tulips, Caleb Dickenson did so not only to clean Lane 7, but six of the other ten lanes to post an awesome 57/60 score for the 2025 TEXtreme Pistol Champion title and prizes. Caleb used his Athlon Midas Tac scoped .177 BRK Pathfinder shooting 13.43 grain JSBs at 795 FPS to separate himself from the rest of the Pistol field. That fine effort netted CD another excellent Athlon scope; a $737.95 MSRP 4.5-27X Athlon Midas BTR model. He also added another TEXtreme State Champion engraved wall plaque and pellet tin to his ever-growing collection.
Phenomenal shooting, Caleb! Largely virtue of also cleaning Lane 7, Billy Davison captured Pistol Second Place with an excellent 53/60 score. Billy also shot 13.43 JSB pellets, also in a .177 BRK Pathfinder, and also topped with an Athlon scope; in this case a 6-24X Athlon Heras model. BD not only went home with a $450 Airguns Of Arizona gift certificate, but also the Second Place engraved wall-plaque and pellet tin; both of his own making. Great shooting Billy! And many thanks for your help with the wall plaques, pellet tins, and everything else you do in support of TEXtreme, Bud!
Although bit hard by the Lane 7 prairie dog for three zeros on his score-card, Paul Bracaglia’s strong performance elsewhere for a 52/60 score was good for Third Place in the Pistol competition. Pablo shot 15.9 grain JSBs at 740 FPS in his Benjamin Marauder, to pocket a $250 Airguns of Arizona gift certificate and the Third Place engraved wall-plaque and pellet tin. Good shooting, PB.
With mid-90s temperatures and gusty winds Saturday and Sunday, weather-wise the two, 60-shot Rifle matches were virtual carbon copies. Given the very lucrative prizes on the line in the 120 shot aggregate Rifle competition, the battle for the top five podium places proved as heated as the Rifle course. Settling the five Rifle podium places required two tie-breaking shoot-offs.
Derrick Wall posted a 57/60 in the Saturday match, and a 56 on Sunday for an awesome 113/120 aggregate to capture the 2025 TEXtreme Rifle Grand Prix and State Champion title and bounty. Derrick shot an Athlon Ares scoped .30 caliber Kalibrgun Cricket 2 Tac rifle, firing 56 grain Zan pellets at 890 FPS. For that fine performance he won a $1,437.49 MSRP 15-60X Athlon Ares ETR rifle scope,
$1,000 in Airguns Of Arizona CASH, the 2025 TEXtreme Grand Prix and State Rifle Champion wall-plaque and pellet-tin, and three Grand Prix points. Congratulations on your fantastic shooting, DW!
Both posting 110/120 Rifle aggregate scores, the tie for Second and Third places between John Tafoya and Caleb Dickenson had to be decided by shoot-off. And by both posting 104/120 aggregates, another tie between Paul Bracaglia and Brian Stafford for Fifth place was decided by shoot-off, as well.
Choosing to employ aforementioned notorious Lane 7 for the shoot-offs, the ever-nefarious
match director moved the shaded shooting line farther away from the 3” triangular kill-zone, 83 yard deer, into direct, 95 degree sun at 95 yards. The sane might wonder what I was thinking.
By dictating the sudden-death
shoot-off protocol be three shots per highly-skilled shooter at the extreme-difficulty target while baking in full sun
, my hope… correction, my forethought was the shoot-offs might prove not only ‘memorable’ for the tortured participants
, but highly entertaining for spectators already 'rehydrating'.
I nailed it!
Caleb and John both cleaned their first three shots, sending their shoot-off into a second round. So in order to better insure the shoot-off wouldn’t drag on too long, for the second round I shortened the shooters time-element from three minutes, to two. That worked to perfection; JT prevailing for Second Place in the second round with 3/3 hits to Caleb’s two hits for Third Place.
Leaving the two-minute time limit in place for the Fifth and Sixth Places shoot-off kept that tie-breaker a one-round battle. Paul felled the target twice, to prevail for Fourth Place over Brian’s one hit for Fifth Place.
For his Rifle Second Place result, John Tafoya shot an Arken-scoped .30 caliber BRK Ghost, firing 50.5 grain AEA pellets 928 FPS. His awards included the Second Place engraved wall-plaque and pellet tin, a $700 airguns of Arizona gift certificate and
$500 in AoA CASH, and two Grand Prix points. Fine shooting, John!
Caleb claimed Rifle Third Place with his .30 Scout Evo wearing a Sightron S8 scope, and shooting 50.5 AEA pellets 905 FPS. CD pocketed a $350 Airguns Of Arizona gift certificate and
$250 in AoA CASH, the Third Place Rifle engraved wall plaque and pellet tin, and one Grand Prix point. Excellent shooting, CD!
Paul Bracaglia used a Riton-scoped .30 Kricket rifle, shooting 56 grain Zans to claim the Fourth Place $250 Airguns Of Arizona gift certificate. Great shooting, Pablo.
In capturing the final, Fifth Place Rifle podium position, Brian Stafford used a .30 Cricket Tac scoped with a Night Force NX8, and firing 56 grain Zans 870 FPS. He took home a $100 Airguns Of Arizona gift certificate. Good shooting, Brian.
In total, TEXtreme Airgun Sports’ original and primary sponsor
Airguns Of Arizona provided $2,000 in gift certificate value and $1,750 in CASH sponsorship support for the 2025 TEXtreme Grand Prix and State Championships. I can’t thank AoA enough for all their TEXtreme support, however will point out some recurring themes among the podium winners’ equipment choices that are available from Airguns Of Arizona; namely Athlon Optics, BRK (Brocock) and KalibrGun Airguns, and JSB, Zan and AEA pellets. Suffice to say One need not be a national-caliber competitor to enjoy and benefit from these world-class products available from Airguns Of Arizona, that consistently dominate TEXtreme podiums.
THANK YOU, AIRGUNS OF ARIZONA!
Many, MANY THANKS also to TEXtreme’s 2025 exclusive optics sponsor, Athlon Optics. The Rifle and Pistol Champions both used Athlon scopes, Pistol Second Place as well. Folks, that speaks volumes! Athlon’s line includes an impressive array of fantastic optics, spanning a wide price range, and boasting features to satisfy virtually any shooting demand. Visit
athlonoptics.com or
airgunsofarizona.com for details, and tell ‘em TEXtreme sent you when ordering your new scope(s).
Thanks again, Athlon! Jerry Cupples donated a certificate for a PelletGage R, to award the highest Standing lane shooter in the winner’s caliber of choice. The PelletGage is an effective tool for sorting pellets by head diameter. More details at
pelletgage.com. John Tafoya won the PelletGage virtue of his excellent, 11/12 aggregate Standing lane performance. Impressive shooting, JT!
Brian Stafford donated a very nice SOG range-bag/backpack. Greg Surber was the lucky winner. Many thanks, Brian.
Rudy Smith generously donated four items on behalf of SAGE (the Southern Airgun Enthusiasts); another SOG range bag for the door prize drawings, a Smith & Wesson knife special prize for the lowest scoring shooter that finished both Rifle matches, and two extreme field targets for TEXtreme Airgun Sports field target inventory. Carlos Garza won the S&W knife, and TEXtreme will make good use of the targets. Many thanks for the donations, Rudy!
In closing I want to thank many other shooters that donate to the TEXtreme cause in so many ways. However, one request.
Please support our sponsors with your purchasing power, as they make all this possible.
Respectfully,
Ron & Maggyy
P.S.- Individuals that took photos last weekend can feel free to post good ones in your responses to this thread. Thank you.
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