The 2013 National Championships of IDPA, the International Defensive Pistol Association, locked into shooting history this past Saturday night. My teammate on Team Panteao, was overall winner once again, the incomparable Bob Vogel. Bob
has won this title several times, and he wrote on Facebook yesterday, “I am thankful for a solid performance. Ninth year in a row I’ve shot the match, and overall I think this was the hardest.”
Another teammate, Tom Yost, was National Senior Champion (age 50 and over) and First Master in Stock Service Pistol, shooting a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm. There were many fine men there, who did much fine shooting.
What struck me, though, was the performance from the distaff side of the house.
Randi Rogers is barely getting to her mid-twenties. She was a young teen when she dominated the Cowboy Action shooting game, kicking male butt all over the place in what looks on the surface like the most male-oriented of shooting sports, which generally are male-dominated across the board. She won the IDPA National Woman’s Champion title, and not for the first time. But she also came in extraordinarily high overall, which to the best of this old testosterone creature’s memory is the highest that someone of her gender has yet placed in that sport. She shot for many years on the Glock factory-sponsored pistol team, and just recently changed allegiance to Team Smith & Wesson. She has, no pun intended, started that new position with a bang. I’ve long considered Randi to be a role model in every respect: my girlfriend thinks she’s adorable and would adopt her if she could. Frankly, so would I.
The high junior was Ashley Rheuark (at the awards ceremony, they pronounced it “Roark”). Ashley is 16 year old. She beat most of the men, too…and remember, at a national championship, you’re shooting against the cream of the nation’s crop.
This young woman’s rise in the sport is nothing short of meteoric. In the summer of last year she was a novice. The month before the Nationals she earned Master ranking. Shooters will be hearing more about Ms. Rheuark.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my own significant other, who tied for third place on hit value in the 42-shot Standards stage of the Nationals, with only two points down from a perfect score. “Yeah, but I shot it slower than I wanted to,” she said. I replied with the advice my mentor Bill Jordan passed along from a veteran of some 26 gunfights, Texas Ranger John Hughes: “Speed’s fine, but accuracy’s final.”
(I should not have had to say this to a woman who constantly reminds me, “You can run, but you’ll only die tired.”)
I enjoy hell out of IDPA, and you probably will too if you give it a try. You can find local matches near you through www.idpa.com. It pleases me when I win, and when I don’t do well my excuse is that for me, IDPA stands for “I Don’t Practice Anymore.”
For the 2013 Nationals, though, my excuse is: I obviously didn’t have enough estrogen.
IDPA head Joyce Wilson, left, a past National Champion herself, presents the National Junior Champion award to Ashley Rheuark, right.
My own Evil Princess completes her Standards stage, flanked by perfect-score targets on either side, and only two points down on the one behind her.
I should not have had to say this to a woman who constantly reminds me, “You can run, but you’ll only die tired.”
I have a model like that at home…. [shiver]
Sounds like you had a well earned break. I would have liked to go, but work kept me here instead of there. If you’ll allow questions, I wonder if you know why there is still such a .22 shell shortage. Is it nationwide, or just here in Oklahoma?
Miggy, I hear ya. We need a support group.
Josh, it’s like that everywhere, and no, I don’t have a good answer for why.
Part of the shortage is due to all the folks I see posting on websites “They only had eight boxes of ammo in stock, SO I BOUGHT ‘EM ALL!! Howcum there’s an ammo shortage?”
We’re causing the shortage.
Women have blood pressure abut 10 points lower than men, and actually enjoy performing memorized precise sequences of physical movements (dancing, cheerleading, etc). Yeah, we’re in trouble.
.22 ammo is scarce because people hear rumors of upcoming taxes per cartridge, limits of the number of cartridges one can buy, etc. Makes buying a brick of 22 at a time attractive to those who fear the rumors. I’d also speculate that the industry can’t easily up the production of rimfire: one might change over one centerfire handgun or rifle line to another to meet demand, but rimfire is rimfire.
“Shoot like a girl, if you’re good enough.”
It’s great to have so many chicks involved in the shooting sports. We need their votes. I was surprised a few years back when I first heard about women hunters! {Would that be “huntresses?”} I thought women didn’t want to kill animals. Now if we could just get every gun owner to join the NRA. That woud be powerful good.
I don’t shoot much anymore. I am afraid I won’t be able to replace the ammo I use, and I want to keep my stockpile up. Sad.
i like sports that do not depend entirely on the human physical aspect and allow males and females to compete at the same level: equestrian sports, motor vehicle racing, shooting, etc.
you mentioned “women’s championship” – i can’t figure out from IDPA’s website – why are men & women judged in different classes?
Geez Louise, Mas and thanks so stinkin’ much !! After reading that, the RedHaired Devil is talking about trying IDPA and she’ll kick moi’s ballistic butt in front of a fresh audience. I expect the Evil Princess to be subversive, but brother, You ???? 🙂
It sounds like the ammo shortage is the result of the same kind of vicious circle (rumors of shortages leading to panic buying and hoarding, thus causing a real shortage) that led to The Great Toilet Paper Panic of 1973.
Call it what you want tom. But I still can’t go buy the .22 shells I need to even keep up with practicing. Let alone to hoard. I see no problems with 9’s, 40’s, and 45’s, it is just .22 shells and I find it funny.
Mas,
It is always a pleasure to see you and Gail at so many different venues across the country. We’ve missed you at some of the major IDPA matches over the last year. So it was great seeing you both back with us again in Tulsa. As an SO, I always enjoy running you & Gail. You are two of the nicest competitors we get to officiate.
The surge on the women’s side is a true joy. So many great groups around now of “Women teaching Women”. The numbers are soaring all over the country. A great example is A Girl & A Gun shooting league. 18 months ago, the first club started shooting IDPA and there were 12 people at that match. A few weeks ago they had 78! We hear about this type of growth all over the country. It’s great for the shooting sports and Second Amendment support.
Kitty and I look forward to seeing you and Gail on the road again soon.
All the best,
Terry “Bubba” Burba
Thanks, Bubba. Great to see you & Kitty too. The training and court schedules have really put a spike in our match schedules for the last couple of years. 🙁
Thank you Mas…