As you read this, you already know we were forced to cancel the Illinois State Trap Shoot. I want to personally apologize for that decision to our shooters both in Illinois and across the mid-west. It was agonizing for the Board of Directors to do this but we felt we had no other choice. Let's hope for a vaccine so we can come back bigger and better next year.
On a happier note, Illinois shooters have been shooting very well at state shoots across the mid-west. There are so many shoots I can't talk about them all so please refer to shoot reports in Trap & Field magazine. I do want to mention a few shooters that have been shooting extremely well. Chase Horton, Ian Lawrence, Frank Haynes, Mike Dennis and Frank Payne have been shooting lights out wherever they have shown up. Good shooting guys. I am looking forward to watching you and all other Illinois shooters at the Grand.
While I'm on the subject of the Grand, I want to really thank the Missouri Trapshooting Association for hosting it this year. It is a monumental thing to host a shoot like this and the fact they took this on speaks volumes for their commitment to trapshooting.
I want to recognize some Illinois shooters that are reaching some milestones. Consuelo Aguilera will soon reach 100,000 combined targets. Richard Anderson will soon have 50,000 Singles targets. Harvey Schultz and Garrett Helms are reaching 25,000 Singles targets. David Coles and Ian Lawrence are homing in on 25,000 Doubles targets. You can't win if you don't show up and shoot. Good job all of you for your commitment to our sport.
On a sad note, Carl Havens, husband of Betty Havens, of Embroidery by Betty, recently passed away. Carl was a fixture in Betty's tent at any shoot they were at across the mid-west. Carl was a great guy and will be missed by the trapshooting community. Our condolences go out to Betty and her family.
One of the duties of a Delegate is to certify a new club that wants to start to shoot ATA targets. I recently went to the The Diamond Indoor Trap Range in Diamond, Illinois, to do this. I have been shooting trap for more than 50 years and have never seen an indoor range. Not knowing what to expect, I pulled up to the facility and was completely impressed. Leon and Christy Baine have built a well thought out, first class experience for shooters. Everything about it screamed to me their commitment to registered shooting and I am looking forward to going back to shoot there.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate