Results 2019 Sonoran Desert Field Target Grand Prix

Kelly is a super nice guy, and a great shooter. Congrats to him!

Lots of great pictures of the event on the Phoenix Airgun Club site.

https://www.phoenixairgun.net/sonoran-desert-grand-prix-2019

I hesitate to write this. Actually did once and then erased it. 

It has to do with the advertising for Daystate that AOA has done in their post. Having the Sonoran Dessert FT Grand Prix - First Place! sign under the Daystate Logo. Or even having the Daystate logo at all in the post. 

Does this mean that if I call and order a Daystate that I too, can win a FT grand prix? I know that's sarcasim, but I'm just pointing to something. 

I also feel that it diminishes the congratulations for Kelly. Yes, we're congratulating you, but really, what we're after is the fact that you shot it with a Daystate and that happens to be what we're pushing now that we don't sell FX. 

OK enough. You get what I'm pointing at. The question is whether it should or needs to be pointed to. 

Chas

Posted in the "Competitions and Results" section of the forum-seems appropriate to me. I've been looking forward to seeing the results and was anticipating their posting. 

In regards to your other point, I see no problem with mentioning that the Open class was won with a Daystate. The Daystate that Kelly used is no longer available for sale, not new anyway, as it's an older model. You'll see that I live in Arizona so a little disclaimer here before anybody jumps to conclusions: I have no affiliation with AOA. I buy pellets there on occasion, and have purchased one gun from them, a Brocock Concept Elite in .177 a couple of years ago. The other 95% of the money that I have thrown at the hobby has gone to other vendors, not for any particular reason, other than the other vendors had what interested me at the time.

When I see match results, I am usually equally interested in seeing what rigs people were shooting as how they placed. Anyone that has shot a field target match understands that winning or placing is a combination of the gun's inherent capacity to be accurate, coupled with the shooter's talent, which is directly related to the amount of time the shooter puts into practicing. You could go deeper and say that a scope that ranges well, quality pellets, etc are also all part of a winning combination. I like to know those details. 

I don't know him, but congratulations to Mr Hawe. I have shot against some of his competitors and it appears that he shot very well to beat them as the one's I know are seriously good shooters. He was the better shooter at this match, and to that, again, congratulations.

Chas, I do not understand the point of your post. Perhaps we should not list the equipment used by any of the competitors as someone might look at the winner's rifle and think that if they buy that air rifle they will win major competitions as well. That is kind of what you are implying. Kelly won his class because he was the best shooter competing that day, and being a personal friend of Kelly's I know he would be competitive with any rifle he would choose to use. His shooting a 20 year old Daystate rifle is something he enjoys doing and speaks to the quality of Daystate rifles.

AOA has every right to promote the products they sell, they are a company in business to make money. I am sure that they provided significant support for that GP match. They are responsible for they explosive growth of the Extreme Benchrest Competitions and the significant prize monies associated with those competitions. They have been an advocate and promoter of air rifle competitions for many years and have backed up their advocacy with real prizes, worth real money that draw people to the matches. Their leadership in promoting airgun competitions has led many other vendors and manufacturers to join the fray and now you have the likes of Pyramyd Air, Utah Air Guns, Crosman and others following in their footsteps. This makes air rifle competitions fun and exciting places to be, I wish more of the people in the industry would follow their lead. I haven't bought anything significant from AOA in 8 or so years so I am not an AOA stooge, just someone who appreciates what they have done to promote the airgun community and create a little excitement around our sport. 

Jim in Sacramento

Jim, 

Your response is pretty spot on. When organizations are asked to support the industry, AoA is one of the first and most supportive to step up to the plate. Yes, it is a business, but they understand one of the most important elements of business is to support those who support you. 

Your points are well taken guys. I just think that the banners up at the top of the web site are for advertising. Not the individual posts. It's not like I wouldn't order from AOA because of it. Just something that gets under my skin. And, it doesn't feel good to have something stuck under one's skin, so, I'm happy to let it go. 

Chas