Finally, a Firing Competition Trophy!!
It took seven firing competitions on seven consecutive weekends to get a trophy, but now I have one and it’s not 1st or 2nd Runner-Up, but Champion Regular Shooter Single Stack Standard Division.
Most of the PNP (Philippine National Police), soldiers, and ROs (Range Officers) that regularly attend these events know me by now. So far I’m the only foreigner who attends these events and I stand out in the crowd, not because of my firing prowess, but because I’m different, I have pink skin.
The crowd was ebullient when my name was announced as Champion of the Regular Shooter, Single Stack, Standard Division. I normally hit targets well and score high points, but my times are slow. You are ranked by your hit factor, which is your total points divided by your time in seconds. So, for instance, if I scored perfectly, say 160 points on a course of 32 shots and had a time of 50 seconds, and someone else scored 81 points but had a time of 25 seconds, they would have a higher “hit factor†than me and they would win.
I do not care to score 81 points and have a time of 25 seconds. My personal preference is to hit that which I intend to hit. My speed will improve over time I am told, and I am doing the right thing by maintaining accuracy.
Champion shooter Ansell Ladra, above, receiving his trophy for Champion Lawman, Single Stack, Standard Division, at the City of Valencia Invitational Shooting Competition, a PPSA Level 1 Sanctioned Match.
Ansell is married to the first cousin of my wife Marissa, and we affectionately have called each other “Cuz†(or “Gowâ€, which in Visayan means cousin) in the past, but after yesterday’s event I think we’ll be calling each other “Champâ€.
The rain started pouring before the tournament was over and some late arrivals from Davao ended up shooting their last one or two stages in the rain and growing darkness. Awards were not given out until well after dark. Since the officials were using my green, waterproof flashlight, Ansell and I could not leave until after all the awards were given out. We then proceeded, along with Ansell’s superior, Major Jun Lazaga (from the Intelligence Division at Camp Alagar in Cagayan de Oro), and the owner of the pistol I used in the competition, SPO1 Leopoldo “Poldo†Blancaflor, of the Bukidnon Provencial Police Special Operations Division, to Mindy’s Restaurant in Malaybalay for a hearty supper and many toasts to the two champions in attendance.
Poldo, who lent to me the Federal 1911 A1 for the competition told me that he had competed for three years with that firearm and had never won a championship with it, and he was very proud that in the first competition I used it I won a championship, and he hoped I would win more with it. So, while I have a licensed CZ75-DB (which is Production Division 9mm versus Standard Division .40 cal, .45. cal or 10mm) I will likely continue to fire Poldo’s .45 single stack in coming events.
The rain was on in Malaybalay, and the clouds had descended on the mountain town, so we ended up going to Aubrey’s, another restaurant, but which had videoke, to settle in and try to wait out the storm. We had made the morning journey from CdO to Malaybalay in one hour flat in my Isuzu Vehicross, not sparing the gas or the suspension, but the trip home, in the dark, rain and fog promised to be a three hour drive, and we were not anxious for that, so we toasted ourselves and drank the place out of San Miguel Light before switching to San Miguel Pilsen.
While I am proud to have won Champion in my division, I can honestly say that Gow Ansell, who I have taken to seven shooting events and has taken home seven Champion trophies, and is my personal shooting coach, was more proud of my win then I was. ‘
To appreciate the difference in his shooting ability and mine, check out these short videos: