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Extreme Bench Rest 2023 will be held on Oct 5th-8th!
- Thread starter Airgun Nation
- Start date
So- a humbling experience today.
AOA sent me a personal email letting me know their situation and the dynamics of it all, and reasons why it was not posted openly on AGN. They also let me know how the pickin’s are done for spots, which CENTERCUT has so patiently already explained twice.
I not only apologized to AOA for my childish comments earlier at the start of this thread, but I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to my fellow AGN members. Those of you that truly know me know that’s not how I am, and in all honesty as much as I try to keep him at bay, the hulk in me tends to come out every so often. But to voice the anger out, well, it’s truly not my style so I ask for forgiveness.
And like I told AOA and others that know me, I gave up a lot of “the fun” in my life when I decided to get my spine 80% fused. I hate to think where I’d be in life if I didn’t have the joy that this hobby has brought. When I decided to start competing it was just all icing on the cake, to be able to train for something worthwhile and excel in a “sport”, which was something I grew up doing all through my younger years as an athlete and that same competitive spunk carried on to my work career.
I felt all that got taken away when I couldn’t register. It was like a big April Fools, or even like the newly singled Sofia Vergara telling me I’m next on the list and then she changes her cell number(lol).
But you all get it- I got majorly frustrated which led to anger, knowing that in order to get to one of these events on a regular basis I had to get sponsored, which is not the reason I chose to start competing.
I still have strong feelings about that, as I truly feel being called a pro means you have a history of standing on that podium, and you’re someone that “paid their dues” in time, effort, and of course $$ invested.
To end, i retracted my crap comments I made directly towards AOA, and again, please accept my apologies if you would. AGN is a great place with awesome folks, and there’s no excuse for tarnishing a thread like I did.
AOA sent me a personal email letting me know their situation and the dynamics of it all, and reasons why it was not posted openly on AGN. They also let me know how the pickin’s are done for spots, which CENTERCUT has so patiently already explained twice.
I not only apologized to AOA for my childish comments earlier at the start of this thread, but I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to my fellow AGN members. Those of you that truly know me know that’s not how I am, and in all honesty as much as I try to keep him at bay, the hulk in me tends to come out every so often. But to voice the anger out, well, it’s truly not my style so I ask for forgiveness.
And like I told AOA and others that know me, I gave up a lot of “the fun” in my life when I decided to get my spine 80% fused. I hate to think where I’d be in life if I didn’t have the joy that this hobby has brought. When I decided to start competing it was just all icing on the cake, to be able to train for something worthwhile and excel in a “sport”, which was something I grew up doing all through my younger years as an athlete and that same competitive spunk carried on to my work career.
I felt all that got taken away when I couldn’t register. It was like a big April Fools, or even like the newly singled Sofia Vergara telling me I’m next on the list and then she changes her cell number(lol).
But you all get it- I got majorly frustrated which led to anger, knowing that in order to get to one of these events on a regular basis I had to get sponsored, which is not the reason I chose to start competing.
I still have strong feelings about that, as I truly feel being called a pro means you have a history of standing on that podium, and you’re someone that “paid their dues” in time, effort, and of course $$ invested.
To end, i retracted my crap comments I made directly towards AOA, and again, please accept my apologies if you would. AGN is a great place with awesome folks, and there’s no excuse for tarnishing a thread like I did.
The problem here as i see it it the whole thing ran away with itself because they made so grandiose. If they have room for 200 shooters there should 100 average joes(sportsman) and 100 pros( sponsored shooters and past winners) give 1st 10 places in each category a cash prize( pros get double what sportsman get. 1st pro $2000 1st sportsman $1000 or how ever the amount breaks down) and let it be like that, that way everyone has the same chance to win something and be involved.
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At RMAC the Pro prizes are much more than Sportsman.
However, at EBR that’s not true these past two years. Pros get cash and Sportsman get AoA gift certificates, but the amount is the same. I think Sportsman get the better deal since the Pros have to pay taxes on their winnings and must fill out the tax form before AoA will give them their check. The $2,000 I won last year turned into $1,200 after Uncle Sam took his cut.
Also, last year at least there were about 120 in Pro Class and 40 in Sportsman. From what I saw many (half?) of those shooting Pro SHOULD have been shooting Sportsman.
I know if I could shoot Sportsman I would. I have to shoot Pro, but I’m not a Pro shooter. I have a 50hr/week job and practice a few hours each weekend. Hardly a Pro practice routine….
However, at EBR that’s not true these past two years. Pros get cash and Sportsman get AoA gift certificates, but the amount is the same. I think Sportsman get the better deal since the Pros have to pay taxes on their winnings and must fill out the tax form before AoA will give them their check. The $2,000 I won last year turned into $1,200 after Uncle Sam took his cut.
Also, last year at least there were about 120 in Pro Class and 40 in Sportsman. From what I saw many (half?) of those shooting Pro SHOULD have been shooting Sportsman.
I know if I could shoot Sportsman I would. I have to shoot Pro, but I’m not a Pro shooter. I have a 50hr/week job and practice a few hours each weekend. Hardly a Pro practice routine….
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We have discussed this many times. We are wanting to grow the sport. I do not believe you grow the sport by having secret notifications to businesses and sponsored shooters. The other is if you shoot certain matches you get the first call for American Field Target (what it was called up to 2021)spots. If those sponsored pros are wanting to be there, why not make them compete for 10 pro spots? Open the rest to Newer non-pro shooters. I have said many times on the surface it seems the powers to be want to create an EXCLUSIVE club, not an INCLUSIVE one. Seems to me they find the people with the money and the everyday hunters etc. take a back seat. We all have the power of the purse. USE IT!!!!!!
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It would even be fine in my mind if they had a exclusive pro match but then at another date have the same shoot for joe average! It seems there are enough people who would love to go. Just invite the top ten pros from the pro match so joe average has someone to compare to. All i know is im in at the pa cup and im going to try my hardest to beat everyone there!!!!
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Same here!! I’ve been chomping’ to go up to Nikolai before the 50 yard event and return this famous line back at him!!!It would even be fine in my mind if they had a exclusive pro match but then at another date have the same shoot for joe average! It seems there are enough people who would love to go. Just invite the top ten pros from the pro match so joe average has someone to compare to. All i know is im in at the pa cup and im going to try my hardest to beat everyone there!!!!
There’s a new kid in town!!
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