So last weekend I competed in our NZ IPSC Handgun Nationals. I was in silver medal contention until the last day when a combination of 'brain fade" factors saw me drop out of the top three in my grade. I did have a chance of taking third place if I shot the last stage well and the then third place shooter had a bad run (it was a 50/50 proposition as that shooter had been shooting erratically since the first day).
I accept that most of the last days issues were my own fault, but on the last stage the RO made a call that, quite frankly, annoyed me enough to make a complaint.
Firstly, due to some issues recently with a spinal fusion I carried a folding chair with me over the 2 1/2 days competition. After stage briefing and walk through I would set the chair up at the side of the range to sit in. I would get up after every shooter to help patch/reset targets then sit down again until the shooter two before me was called to the line.
As that shooters targets were being scored and patched I would mentally review my stage plan. As the shooter before me and his targets scored and patched I would have my final walk through of the stage, planing shot positions and reloads. After I had shot and signed my scoresheets I would reload my mags while the next shooter was on the range. Then I would resume my assisting with target patching.
On the last stage there were three RO's. One ran the range and scored the left side of the stage. One recorded the scores while the third scored the right hand targets. I was set up on the right hand side and patched those targets, sitting down while shooters were on the line.
When the shooter two before me was called to the line I sat down and started my mental preparations. After the shooter in front of me finished I stood up for my final walk through. As I did so a shooter from another squad came onto the range and asked the right hand side RO if there was a scoresheet for them to do a reshoot.
I completed my walk through and on the "Clear Range" command I stood just inside the shooting box waiting for the "Load and make ready".
Instead I got a very firm "Clear the range" from the R/O.
I said I was the next shooter only to be told "No, there is a shooter from another squad for a re-shoot and they are next shooter".
I pointed out that nothing had been said until now, I was on the line and ready to go only to be told "You've been sitting down over there all day now go back and sit down again".
I tried not to let my feeling show, I sat down and went through some deep breathing to calm down, but as I stood up again after the reshoot I was still feeling unsettled.
The stage involved two mini poppersin front of a no shoot target on each side of the range. I shot the right hand side no problems but on moving to the left side of the stage the RO slightly impeded my movement. I slowed to let him get out of my way then leaned around the left of the barrier to shoot the two poppers.
I must have been still annoyed at the earlier comment because instead of concentrating on my sights I silently called the RO a bad name in my mind. The result was a miss on the popper and a hit on the no shoot. Gathering my thoughts I fired again at the popper and moved onto the next one, thinking "That's one penalty" only to repeat the excersise and hit the second no shoot as well.
I seriously considered not signing the score sheet and registering a protest against both the first ruling and for RO obstruction, but that's not my style so I just accepted what had happened and packed up.
I did speak to the Range Master and while not making a formal complaint expressed my disappointment. I acknowledged that 60% of the fault was my bad marksmanship but felt that 40% of the result was bad judgement by the RO.
The RM commented that I should not have been told to "sit down again" and agreed that I should not had been interrupted to allow another shooter to jump the queue. Other RO's I spoke to told me that reshoots, like speed passes, should be placed 3 or 4 shooters down the list so that everyone yet to shoot knows what is going on (and to let the reshooter remember the stage).
So what does the forum think? Bad call or not?
I accept that most of the last days issues were my own fault, but on the last stage the RO made a call that, quite frankly, annoyed me enough to make a complaint.
Firstly, due to some issues recently with a spinal fusion I carried a folding chair with me over the 2 1/2 days competition. After stage briefing and walk through I would set the chair up at the side of the range to sit in. I would get up after every shooter to help patch/reset targets then sit down again until the shooter two before me was called to the line.
As that shooters targets were being scored and patched I would mentally review my stage plan. As the shooter before me and his targets scored and patched I would have my final walk through of the stage, planing shot positions and reloads. After I had shot and signed my scoresheets I would reload my mags while the next shooter was on the range. Then I would resume my assisting with target patching.
On the last stage there were three RO's. One ran the range and scored the left side of the stage. One recorded the scores while the third scored the right hand targets. I was set up on the right hand side and patched those targets, sitting down while shooters were on the line.
When the shooter two before me was called to the line I sat down and started my mental preparations. After the shooter in front of me finished I stood up for my final walk through. As I did so a shooter from another squad came onto the range and asked the right hand side RO if there was a scoresheet for them to do a reshoot.
I completed my walk through and on the "Clear Range" command I stood just inside the shooting box waiting for the "Load and make ready".
Instead I got a very firm "Clear the range" from the R/O.
I said I was the next shooter only to be told "No, there is a shooter from another squad for a re-shoot and they are next shooter".
I pointed out that nothing had been said until now, I was on the line and ready to go only to be told "You've been sitting down over there all day now go back and sit down again".
I tried not to let my feeling show, I sat down and went through some deep breathing to calm down, but as I stood up again after the reshoot I was still feeling unsettled.
The stage involved two mini poppersin front of a no shoot target on each side of the range. I shot the right hand side no problems but on moving to the left side of the stage the RO slightly impeded my movement. I slowed to let him get out of my way then leaned around the left of the barrier to shoot the two poppers.
I must have been still annoyed at the earlier comment because instead of concentrating on my sights I silently called the RO a bad name in my mind. The result was a miss on the popper and a hit on the no shoot. Gathering my thoughts I fired again at the popper and moved onto the next one, thinking "That's one penalty" only to repeat the excersise and hit the second no shoot as well.
I seriously considered not signing the score sheet and registering a protest against both the first ruling and for RO obstruction, but that's not my style so I just accepted what had happened and packed up.
I did speak to the Range Master and while not making a formal complaint expressed my disappointment. I acknowledged that 60% of the fault was my bad marksmanship but felt that 40% of the result was bad judgement by the RO.
The RM commented that I should not have been told to "sit down again" and agreed that I should not had been interrupted to allow another shooter to jump the queue. Other RO's I spoke to told me that reshoots, like speed passes, should be placed 3 or 4 shooters down the list so that everyone yet to shoot knows what is going on (and to let the reshooter remember the stage).
So what does the forum think? Bad call or not?
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