How about posting the results. This is the first time in 11 years I missed going. Broken vertebrae and other issues kept me away.
George, very sorry to hear of your physical issues. Prayers to you for a speedy recovery.
Your name, and many other significate names, were not on the list of competitors this year at the IR UL Indoor Nationals. Not surprising or a good sign of the sanctioning body's support. Participation was dismal for a UL Indoor National at Piney Hill. To answer your question about results, they have been posted earlier today on the IR website, complete, if you haven't seen them already. Thanks to Tim Swonger (dogtrialerguy) for posting them here. Normally for an IR National, there would have been posts during the entire weekend for the tournament.........but not his year.
I hope the sanctioning body understands that the decreasing participation in IR, in all classes, is directly associated with the lack of minding the store by the owner of IR. Promises not kept, bending over a dollar bill to pick up a dime (which will most likely cost him more lost revenue than just paying a professional to revamp the website in the first place), lack of communication with match directors at times (which I MD two clubs running 3 matches a month for IR and have been quite vociferous about defending the owner, although did NOT get timely responses on several issues I had), and other associated issues. I personally can't defend the owner anymore until he gets his act together.
I will say that when I tell someone 'this or that' is going to happen, it happens without having to wait forever for it to do so. If I can't do what I say I can do in a reasonable amount of time, I don't say I can. This is not a character trait of the current owner of IR from what I have seen this year. He bent over to a cheap resolve to his website, and now he is paying and loosing revenue because of it. Lowest number I have seen for the IR UL Nationals.
In light of that and before, I have told the sanctioning body that unless things get better, the 2025 season will be my last season match directing for IR. My clubs and shooters pay for something they aren't getting.....administrstion and data exhibited on a national website. The 2024 season is almost over and we still don't have HOF points posted since 2022. How much did that dime cost over the dollar? A fricken bunch!
I will also say, my opinions here and my lack of participation at the IR UL Indoor Nationals have nothing to do with each other. I am not a fan of IR UL. The target was designed for Sporter and 3-Gun and is way too easy for UL rifles and one piece rests. I choose to shoot the 'original' IR........3-Gun and Sporter.
In my opinion, and I have a bit of experience in both of the major sanctioned RFBR sanctioning bodies and been a MD for both. IR 3-Gun and Sporter are the best reflections of how good a RFBR shooter really is. I have no doubt that the best IR shooters in the above mentioned classes could do very well in ARA UL, and that has been proven by shooters like Fred Sears, Tony Harper, Tim Miller and many others. All who have had excellent careers in both sanctioning bodies.
I am hopeful the 2025 season brings positive advancements to the administration of IR. With all the history, the exceptional shooters, and the just plain fun of shooting good scores on a target that was designed for the 'purist' of what IR really is, I hope it survives.
Congrats to Don Kowalsky for his perfect score and high X count of the tournament this last weekend at the IR Indoor UL Nationals. Shooting indoors has an interesting set of putting the best strategy together with a lot of ammo that will shoot indoors. Don obliviously had both. I have only shot that venue once, and it can be tough.
Sincerely,
Scott Albury