Dennis Willing's repsonse

[Don McDowell]

This came today in a reply all thing from Mr. Willing head of NRA competive division, his response to the falderah surrounding this years and future bptr championships.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Barry wanted to reply to you but I asked him not to. It's my position to do so. I wanted to set the record straight about BPTR because it seems that you blame the NRA for everything but the weather, but that might be forthcoming. In actuality, you don't have a clue about what we have done for BPTR.

In 2012, we lost Jonathon Leighton, someone who was very popular with the BPTR competitors. I hated to see that happen but it was Jonathon's doing that caused this, and I was sorry that he had to go.

We immediately set out to replace Jon and conducted interviews with two acceptable candidates emerging. However, when offered the job, both turned it down. That left us in a lurch. We had the BPTR Championship looming and no one to fill the vacancy.

Barry suddenly came out of the blue, wishing to leave his current position within the NRA for something new. Barry possesses almost every instructor certification the NRA has and is well known in the building as a superb shotgun competitor. Barry readily accepted our invitation to work in competitive shooting. We new we had a little work cut out for us because Barry had never run matches of any kind from a Match Director's position.

In the interim, when we could not find anyone to fill Jon's vacancy, Greg Connor wanted to cancel the BPTR Championship. I fully understood his position that he simply could not do this in addition to his Silhouette Championships without help.

I intervened and ordered Greg to produce a BPTR Championship program. Why? Because I support your sport. I had thought that I thoroughly related that to you in 2012 when I laid in the dirt with you and shot the championship.

Suddenly though, when things went awry that I had no control over, you turned on me and thought I was turning on you. No one ever commented on the fact I had voiced my support and no one ever called me to ask about what was going on. It was simply that things weren't going your way so I suddenly hated you. All the while I was working behind the scenes trying to get your championship on track.

Back to Barry. Barry worked tirelessly to understand how a championship needed to be run and contacted the 2012 staff for assistance in 2013. Fortunately, most of them returned.

The awards schedule for the program was another matter. It was late in the year and too late to order and take delivery of trophies and medals. We had to come up with a quick substitute. The best way was to not reinvent the wheel but use something that we already had in place, and the awards schedule for the National Championships at Camp Perry would suffice. I personally wrote the entire awards schedule based on the Camp Perry model, fitting it within our budget. So if you want to blame someone for last year's award schedule, blame me. However, it was intended as a temporary fix that would allow us to conduct the championship rather than cancel it.

Comment was made about no awards for women and the minimal number of classes. The standard award schedule that we use is 5 competitors for special category and class awards. There were NOT 5 women competitors, therefore no award. The classes used are those in the rule book. We have no other option but to use those.

Barry is currently working with Michael Rix on realigning the classes used. If successful, new classes will be used next year.

Mention was made about the "MILLIONS" that the NRA gets from MidwayUSA alone and can't see why there is a shortage of money. However, this comes from someone who obviously has no knowledge of the NRA. The amount received by the Competitions Division from the NRA Roundup program administered by MidwayUSA is $0. That's right ladies and gentleman, no money whatsoever comes to competitive shooting from that program.

Like any business, including the restaurant business, I assume, is that we run on a budget. The NRA is not a vast pit of money that I can dip into in unlimited quantities for whatever purpose that I desire. We conduct business on a budget, just like you must do if you own a business or just like you must do at home. I'm sure that at home you do not spend unlimited money on whatever you want, regardless of cost, and we can't either.

Now, with 2013 behind us, Barry set out to make the 2014 championship even better. After 2013, quite a few comments were received that we should reinstitute medals as awards. Barry didn't want the same old medals so he had custom medals designed that could only be won at BPTR.

Concerns were voiced about the venue at the Whittington Center with us receiving suggestions that if held east of the Mississippi we would likely double our attendance. I allowed Barry to travel to other ranges to determine if we could locate a suitable site. Nothing has surfaced so far but we keep looking. Barry had discussions on this topic again today. If I didn't support you I simply would not allow Barry to spend money on things like this. However, I do want to make things better for you.

Meanwhile, Barry meets with me 1-2 times weekly letting me know what he's doing, how he's working to improve the BPTR Championship, and where he sees the program headed in the future. He's optimistic that it will grow and is looking at the possibility of a schedule change to allow more juniors to shoot before returning to school.

To improve BPTR representation to the BP Committee, Barry has recommended Michael Rix and Michael has sent me his resume`. We will work to get Michael as a committee member.

Now we come to the 2014 National Championship. No one called to see what was going on. No one sent an email to see what was going on. No one asked what improvements were being made. No on asked about what significant changes were being made. No one asked about how the awards schedule would change. NO ONE ASKED ANYTHING.

However, it appears that you were all quick to condemn the NRA and turn your back on us with this lack of information.

The NRA is preparing to spend significant amounts of money on personnel and material, including bringing in Skip Burks to build the target frames. We pay Skip for every day worked and supply him with housing to make sure this championship comes off well. He is scheduled to come to Raton on August 10 to begin his work and his pay will be considerable. I can simply save this money if your not going to attend.

Now I am faced with a decision, with only 14 people registered for the Championship, should I continue on or cancel? If only 14 people are interested in competing, I'll cancel. I'll take the money designated for BPTR and spend on those championships where competitors are interested in competing and move on with life. I have other BP sports to keep Barry busy.

To be truthful, you are the ones who determine where I spend my budgeted funds. If you attend and compete, I know there is interest in the sport and the championship. If you do not attend and compete, it shows me that there isn't any interest in the sport or the championship. Simple as that.

That said, it doesn't mean that we will do everything to your liking. But that does not mean we are turning our back on you or that we won't change things. However, in order for things to change, you must tell us what you think is wrong. Sitting back with your mouths closed then not showing up doesn't do anyone any good. Saying something needs to change without voicing WHAT needs to change doesn't help a thing.

When the issue came up of what I wanted to do about this year's championship, I told Barry that I wanted to see at least 50 entries (a figure that I consider significantly low) by August 1, or we'll cancel for lack of interest and save the money. Barry asked me for a level of 25 because he really wants this sport to grow and succeed. I relented and agreed to 25 because I know how hard he has worked on making this championship better.

My real concern is with you the competitor. You came dangerously close to not having a championship last year and rather than ask why, you assumed that we were up to evil and jumped all over us. Few people attended. Now, with a severe lack of information, you are doing it again with even fewer people registered - and you want to know why we would cancel. Just look in the mirror. Are we just your whipping boy when things don't go your way? Did you not hear what I said in 2012? Did you not even think about dialog or offering suggestions? Did you not ever think to ask a question?

Barry and I are both working hard to make sure this championship and sport succeeds and grows. From our point of view, you are working to destroy it. Your choice. I have been approved for travel to the championships again this year but have not yet made my travel reservations. Should I bother? After all, you'd rather see me fired - right Klaus?

Dennis L. Willing
Director
NRA Competitive Shooting Division

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Interesting,,,,!

I am still going, will hand them my entry next week.

KW

[Don McDowell]

I have been in contact with Dennis via email and have invited him here to talk this whole affair over. I hope he considers the invite and when he does show, he is treated with all due respect and we have what we pride ourselves in here, an adult conversation.
I really want to see this thing get resolved and the national match continue.

[Kurt]

Kind of resembles Obama talk to me. Don't they award the same awards every year for the winning classes?

[Don McDowell]

Kurt there was a blurp in the competitors handbook last year that mentioned there needed to be an acceptable (might not be the right word but close) number of competitors in a class for awards to be handed out. This years handbook that came with the entry card specifically stated there had to be 5 in a class for awards to be handed out.
As I said in the other thread, yes there were some things last year that didn't quite seem right, but hey that was last year, this is this year, and I'm all in for trying to keep these matches going forward. I have also said many times in many places , I experienced nothing but good throughout the whole thing last year, and do recommend that anyone that has not shot that match at the Whittingto do so, because it's 6 long days of intense shooting, where there's no time for the wider woman gossip sessions behind the lines, as in some other venues. Each team is on the line or in the pits all day long, and the little get togethers afterward are a great place to get to talk to the best in the business.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Kurt your right about the Awards.

Don, hats off to you hope he does indeed show up for a vist.

I going to take his word on this and attend I did even so last year knowing no proper awards were going to be awarded.
KW

[Don McDowell]

Kenny he says he's sure that the match will happen this year.It does appear they have the awards on hand, it'll just be a matter of getting the 5 to a class , as it says in the handbook that came with the entry form.
I just hope that "we" as shooters can get this damn mess straightened up so this doesn't happen again. With them bringing Mike Rix on board, and we know they've been in contact with Bryan, I'm confident it will get resolved.
I am still in hopes to get some new guys to shoot this match. It's unbelievable how great of an experience the thing really is. I did assure Dennis, that I will be attending the match, but am hoping that if I can't get someone I've shot with before to go, so they don't squad me with a blind deafmute...

I'll say it again, the "take my ball and go home" attitude isn't going to fix it, and it's not going to show anybody anything, but it will result in the end of a viable national championship match.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Same here Don, as for new folks, as you well know the difficulty of this match, yet the rewards of shooting it in lessons learned on wind skills alone. Many are just not willing too dive in.
Kurt also knows the level of difficulty of this kind if match.

The 5 thing, there has always been one award for each of scope-women-ss-military Rifle. going down in places is where you need 5 or more such as sharpshooter expert marksman ect.

KW

[Don McDowell]

Kenny I wish I knew exactly how to convey just what a thrill and learning curve it is to be on that firing line. As you say the lessons to be learned in just wind doping is worth the cost of admission.
I would love nothing better than to see Kurt on that line with his heavy barreled 44-100, and just laying those rounds in the 10 ring stacked like cord wood..

I sort of gather they have the awards for the top of each recognized class, now if we can just get some of those classes filled.
One thing I think that may hurt some attendance is unclassed shooters having to shoot in Master. That doesn't do much for ,most persons confidence. Maybe a rule change to allow for an "open" class , so that those without enough rounds down range to get their cards can at least compete for top gun amongst the others in the same boat.

[Kurt]

Don.

I'm sure the rifle is capable of doing it, but I have doubts the guy behind the butplate is anymore.