Camp Perry 2023 Kicks Off

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Camp Perry National Matches Kick Off

Army Sergeant First Class Brandon Green arrived at Camp Perry a few days ahead of the rest of his U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) teammates. SFC Green was asked to fire the ceremonial First Shot at the National Matches on July 10, and he wanted a few days, he said, to collect his thoughts and prepare the speech he would give before the hundreds of people who would descend on the grounds to celebrate 116 years of National Matches history.

But he got sidetracked. As he walked across the Petrarca Range parking lot, he stopped to watch men and women compete in the Smallbore Prone Iron Sight Championship and to talk to CMP Smallbore Program Manager Brad Donoho.

“I told Brad it looked fun and said I’ll have to find a rifle,” Green said. “Brad said I’ve got a guy who has an extra rifle. I borrowed a gun and borrowed ammo and had a lot of fun.”

It was an inconspicuous entry for a highly successful soldier. He is a 20-year member of the specially-trained USAMU. He won the Interservice Long Range championships five times, the NRA National Long Range Championships two times, and the Interservice Individual Championship four times.

“His historic 2018 shooting season finished with Brandon earning four individual national records, capturing his first President’s 100 Match win in dramatic fashion. He set a new national record – a perfect score of 400, with a 20 ‘X’ count,” said First Shot Ceremony emcee and CMP Programs Chief, Christie Sewell. “That year he also won his third National Trophy Individual championship and third Mountain Man Trophy, setting a new national record.”

Championship Pedigree

Green won three NRA National Highpower Championship titles, an NRA Long Range Championship, and became the first person in history to win all four individual matches in the series.

“It is an honor for me to be asked to shoot the first shot,” Green said. “As a competitor and throughout our training, we really harp on consistency – consistency in training, consistency in your diet, consistency of your shot execution, your planning of the match – but the absolute most consistent thing for me in coming here to the National Matches at Camp Perry, is that it consistently gets better every year.”

Green was given the opportunity to choose his gun for the ceremonial first shot, so he chose the bolt-action Winchester Model 70 that Director Emeritus of Civilian Marksmanship, Gary Anderson, used in 1972 to set the only perfect 200-yard standing slow-fire score at the National Matches.

The gun’s story begins long before that historic shot.

“This gun plays a special role in the history of marksmanship,” said Anderson, who attended the First Shot Ceremony. “It started as my dad’s rifle and was converted to a match rifle. In 2019, I used it to shoot the first shot, so it’s been here at the First Shot Ceremony a couple times.”

Notable Attendees

Hundreds of marksmen, National Matches competitors, and dignitaries in the political, marksmanship and military worlds attended the July 10 First Shot ceremony. Guest speakers were Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09); Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05); Major General John C. Harris Jr., who serves as Ohio’s Adjutant General; and Gerald O’Keefe, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

Congressman Latta is a longtime marksman and National Matches competitor who plans to shoot in three matches this year. He said his father first came to Camp Perry for National Guard training, and shooting sports eventually became a family activity.

“It’s important to pass that tradition down to the next generation. I was fortunate to have a dad who was a hunter and a marksman,” Latta said. “Camp Perry is my very favorite place in the world.”

O’Keefe talked about the impact of the National Matches’ long history on marksmanship, and he said the CMP remains committed to carrying that impact into the future. CMP is tying its history and future together in its updated branding, “CMP – the Home of Marksmanship.”

CMP Mission

The CMP works tirelessly to promote marksmanship through the four pillars of firearms training, safety, competitions and youth programs, and it has ambitious plans to widen the reach of shooting sports across the country. CMP is constructing a modern indoor airgun and smallbore marksmanship center in Columbia, Missouri, and is researching options for establishing a presence in the West.

CMP is embracing technology in its effort to maintain relevance and inspire the next generation of marksmen. It recently purchased two Laser Shot Simulation Systems, has plans to modernize electronic target systems, and is looking into entering the world of Esports.

As CMP carries marksmanship into the future, it will keep one eye on the past. History will always have its place at the modern National Matches, as it did when Green shot Anderson’s Winchester Model 70.

“To shoot it was absolutely a huge honor,” Green said. “I was shooting a piece of history.”

– By Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer

June 22, 2023

NRA World Shooting Championships Set for April 2024

One of the rare, large cash payout matches is back! The National Rifle Association announced the return of the NRA World Shooting Championship, presented by Walther Arms. Back on the docket for April 4-6, 2024, the event resumes at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. And if you want to shoot this match, you would be advised to jump all over the registration. The NRA World Shooting Championship promises cash and prizes totaling more than $250,000. Better still, the champion takes home $25,000!

“NRA’s storied history of organizing and executing premier shooting competitions will continue next spring as top shooters convene in Indiana for the NRA World Shooting Championship,” said Joseph P. DeBergalis, Jr., executive director of NRA General Operations. “Competitors of every background and skill level, whether a professional or amateur shooter, will be challenged through a variety of shooting disciplines with the goal of being declared the ‘World’s Greatest Shooter.’ NRA is excited for the return of this highly popular championship, and we are grateful for the support from Walther Arms and our partners in the state of Indiana.”

Indiana’s first lady, Janet Holcomb, will help kick-off this historic event. Executives from Walther Arms, NRA officials and board members, and Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association President Charlie Hiltunen will join Holcomb.

Big Support in Return Match

“The NRA World Shooting Championship is the ultimate challenge for competitors in any shooting discipline, and I was absolutely thrilled to learn that Indiana will play host in 2024,” said Janet Holcomb, the First Lady of the State of Indiana. “Camp Atterbury continues to expand its facilities and capacity for events of this nature, making it the perfect location for this elite competition. I know for certain that spectators, and competitors from around the globe, will be greeted with two things; an immensely challenging course of fire, and the Hoosier Hospitality that is the trademark of our great state.”

“The Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association is proud to be a part of the NRA World Shooting Championship, which is one of the greatest competitive shooting events in the world,” said Charlie Hiltunen, Indiana State Rifle & Pistol Association president and NRA board member. “NRA and ISRPA, the state affiliate of the NRA, working with the state of Indiana, Indiana National Guard, and our amazing shooting competition and youth shooting sports community are laying the foundation for establishing Indiana as the Shooting Sports Capital of the World!”

“Walther is involved in a wide array of competitive shooting sports, and we are thrilled to support this event and the range of competitions which it represents,” said Rob McCanna, president and CEO of Walther Arms, INC. “Support for the shooting community and support for the NRA go hand-in-hand and we look forward to the return of this one-of-a-kind competition.”

Format & Registration

The match format provides all firearms, optics and ammunition to the competitors. This format levels the field while also highlighting key match supporters and sponsors. Competitors will compete in 12 stages of fire spanning multiple shooting sport disciplines. But know this, 3-Gunners dominated this competition in the past, and we fully expect that to continue.

Registration opens Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 at 1 PM ET; the portal will then go live at https://competitor.nra.org. In the meantime, contact Steve Kupcha, managing director of NRA Corporate Partnerships, for more information, at [email protected].

Bruce Piatt Wins Inaugural CMP Bianchi Cup, 7th Bianchi Title Overall

During the 2023 Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Bianchi Cup International Pistol Tournament, Bruce Piatt, 62, of Damascus, PA, made history as he earned the overall National Champion title and his seventh Bianchi Cup – 30 years after he earned his first. His 2023 victory marked Piatt as the competitor with the most wins in the Bianchi Cup’s existence, though surpassed by Practical Open Event winner Douglas Koenig, 54, of Deland, FL, who holds 19 wins in his career.

The CMP Bianchi Cup International Pistol Tournament, the second longest running pistol championship in the world, was held May 23-26, 2023, at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Missouri. Though the CMP Bianchi Cup has been an annual event since 1979, this year was the first time the match was hosted by the CMP.

Title sponsor MidwayUSA and many other generous sponsors provided tremendous support as over 135 individuals participated in the CMP Bianchi Cup, including several international competitors from Australia, Barbados, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Switzerland.

“The 2023 CMP Bianchi Cup went great!” said CMP pistol coordinator, Jim Henderson. “It was my privilege to be part of the behind-the-scenes workings for this awesome event! Darren Maher and all the Green Valley R&P staff were the best crew I’ve had the pleasure to work with in a long time. Pat Cooper and her army of volunteers did an absolutely fantastic job, and this event would not have happened if it weren’t for those two groups of amazing people.”

CMP Bianchi Cup Match Format

The CMP Bianchi Cup is comprised of four events: the Practical Event, Moving Target (Mover) Event, Barricade Event, and the Falling Plates Event. Competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and are also required to shoot with strong and weak hands at various stages. There are no makeup shots in the CMP Bianchi Cup, adding to its difficulty. Competitors fire in Open, Metallic, Production and Production Optic classes within each event.

Mark Blake, 52, traveled across the world from Australia’s Huon Creek to win the Open Championship title while obtaining the overall win in the Moving Target event. Special congratulations also goes to Roman Hauber, 57, who traveled from Regensburg, Germany, to claim the Mover Metallic win. U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s (USAMU) SFC Ryan Franks, 35, of Ellerslie, GA, won the Metallic category in the Practical and Barricade events.

Leading the Production class was USAMU teammate SSG Christopher Hudock, 33, of Columbus, GA, who earned wins in all four events, while fellow teammate SSG Anthony Heinauer, 26, of Fort Benning, GA, earned the Production Optic title. Through their talented athletes (SSG Hudock, SFC Franks, SSG Heinauer and SSG Walter Johnson), the USAMU claimed the 4-Man team match.

More Top Performers

Benito Martinez, 44, of Albuquerque, NM, brought home the Open win in the Falling Plates match. Meanwhile the Production Optic classes were led by Simon Golob, 48, of Kearney, MO (Practical), SSG Heinauer (Mover) and Seiichi Ishikawa, 52, of Montebello, CA (Barricade).

“I’d like to thank all the competitors for coming to the 2023 CMP Bianchi Cup,” Henderson added. “I know there are a few small things we can polish for next year, and I very much appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we move forward into a new era for this historic event. I can safely say that the CMP and I are very much looking forward to many more years of this great championship!”

Other top athletes at the 2023 CMP Bianchi Cup included SFC Sally Talbott, 46, of Columbia, SC. She won the Overall Woman Championship. Troy Mattheyer, 60, of Ellis, KS, earned the John Cameron Memorial Senior title. Finally, Vance Schmid, 72, of Marion, IL, won the Grand Senior Champion.

Overall Winners of the 2023 CMP Bianchi Cup:

Practical Results:

• Open: Douglas Koenig, 54, Deland, FL – 480-47X
• Metallic: SFC Ryan Franks, 35, Ellerslie, GA – 480-34X
• Production: SSG Christopher Hudock, 33, Columbus, GA – 469-26X
• Production Optic: Simon Golob, 48, Kearney, MO – 480-33X

Mover Results:

• Open: Mark Blake, 52, Huon Creek, Australia – 480-39X
• Metallic: Roman Hauber, 57, Regensburg, Germany – 476-27X
• Production: SSG Christopher Hudock, 33, Columbus, GA – 478-23X
• Production Optic: SSG Anthony Heinauer, 26, Fort Benning, GA – 480-32X

Barricade Results:

• 1st: SSG Walter Johnson, 29, of Pine Mountain, GA – 480-48X
• 2nd: Brett Foster, 46, Bundabert, Queensland, Australia – 480-48X
• 3rd: Stephen Stewart, 50, Carlock, IL – 480-48X

Falling Plates Results:

• 1st: Benito Martinez, 44, Albuquerque, NM – 480-48X
• 2nd: SSG Walter Johnson, 29, of Pine Mountain, GA – 480-48X
• 3rd: SSG Anthony Heinauer, 26, of Fort Benning, GA – 480-48X

2-Man Team:

• Metallic: BDMP – 1848-121X
• Production Optic: Team DHS – 1887-118X
• International Team: Pistol Australia 1 – 1920-180X

4-Man Team: 

• USAMU Blue (SSG Christopher Hudock, SFC Ryan Franks, SSG Anthony Heinauer, SSG Walter Johnson) – 1916-143X

Special Categories:

• Military Veteran Champion – Mark Blake, 1920-178X
• Law Enforcement Champion – Bruce Piatt, 1920-178X
• Active Service Champion – SSG Walter Johnson, 1918-172X
• Revolver Champion – Steve Weathersby, 1914-154X
• International Champion – Mark Blake, 1920-178X

International Championship Awards:

• Grand Senior Champion: Vance Schmid, 1918-157X
• John Cameron Memorial Senior Champion: Troy Mattheyer, 1916-154X
• Roger E. Hawkins Memorial Junior National Champion: Malcolm Itzstein, 1892-142X
• Woman National Champion: Sally Talbot, 1889-152X
• Metallic National Champion: SFC Ryan Franks, USA, 1914-141X
• Production National Champion: SSG Christopher Hudock, USA, 1901-128X
• Production Optic National Champion: SSG Anthony Heinauer, 1916-146X

Open National National Champion:

National Action Pistol Championships National Champion:

– story by Ashley Dugan, CMP Writer

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