TALLADEGA, Ala. – On February 23, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) hosted its first installment of the new Talladega Quarterly Games, to great success. More than 90 competitors attended the inaugural event, which featured outdoor rifle and pistol competitions.
“The matches were great and we had a good crowd!” said Jim Henderson, CMP pistol coordinator. “For our first Talladega Quarterly, we had over 15 people for each of the EIC games! It was good to see that not only the .22 and Service Pistol EICs were well taken care of, but the Revolver EIC as well!
Those who earn Excellence in Competition (EIC) points are on their way to earning a Distinguished Badge, a prestigious honor in the marksmanship community. The Talladega Quarterly lineup provides ample opportunities to earn those points, which are comprised of competitions such as Service Rifle EIC matches along with Service Pistol, .22 Rimfire and Service Revolver Pistol EIC events. Other competitions, such as 80-shot and mid-range matches, add even more opportunities for guests to find fun challenges on the course.
“I certainly see these quarterly matches as a great place to accumulate EIC points in the future,” Henderson added.
A Rifle Marksmanship 101 training class was also held during the Talladega Quarterly event (led by members of the US Army Marksmanship Unit) and included an accompanying M16 EIC rifle bout. In February, Todd Chandler, 58, of Mobile, AL, reached a score of 385-15X for the overall victory, as James Diehl, 61, of Hardinsburg, KY, earned his introductory 4 EIC points in the match. with his third place. finish. Also earning introductory points were Richard Young, 75, of Marietta, GA, and Steven Irvan, 40, of Gilbertsville, KY.
Also, Robert Meyer, 49, of Athens, GA, will receive 6 points for his fifth place finish in the Service Pistol EIC Match.
Giving another notable performance was PFC Dustin Carr, 21, of San Diego, CA, who shot a score of 278-4X to take a 10-point lead in the Service Pistol EIC event, while Chance Cavin, 35, of Madison, MS , collected a similar score of 278-2X to earn the win and 6 EIC points in the .22 Rimfire Pistol EIC match by just one point. John O’Donnell, 65, of St. Louis, MO, also earned a victory by a double-digit margin, adding 6 EIC points and a score of 347-7X in the Service Revolver Match, which led by 11 points over the field of competitors.
SSG Verne Conant, 26, of Cataula, GA, ruled in the February Talladega Quarterly Rifle Matches and had victories in the EIC 80-Shot, Medium Range 3×600 and 50-Shot Rifle matches. Rebecca Harrington (27, of Cataula, GA) earned 8 points in the 50m Rifle EIC Match, while Jeffrey Smith (60, of Pleasant Garden, NC) and David Fugate (56m Kingston, TN) each earned 6 points if.
Overall winners of the February quarterly games at Talladega:
EIC M16 rifle:
Todd Chandler, 58, of Mobile, AL – 385-15X
80 shot rifle:
SSG Verne Conant, 26, of Cataula, GA – 792-38X
3×600 Medium Range Rifle:
Service Rifle: SSG Verne Conant, 26, of Cataula, GA – 596-40X
Match Rifle: James Diehl, 61, of Hardinsburg, KY – 588-21X
F-Open: Robert Barnes, 64, of Grove Hill, AL — 589-27X
EIC Service Pistol:
PFC Dustin Carr, 21, of San Diego, CA – 278-4X
.22 EIC Rimfire Pistol:
Chance Cavin, 35, of Madison, MS – 278-2X
service revolver:
John O’Donnell, 65, of St. Louis, MO – 347-7X
EIC 50 shot rifle:
SSG Verne Conant, 26, of Cataula, GA – 492-20X
If you missed the February games, no problem! Talladega’s next set of quarterly games will take place May 13-14. Registration and more information are now available online at https://thecmp.org/cmp-matches/talladega-Quarterly-matches/. Questions or help with registration can be directed to CMP’s Christina Roguski at [email protected] or 419-635-2141 ext. 714.
For a complete list of results from the February quarterly games at Talladega, visit the CMP Contest Tracker page at https://ct.thecmp.org/23FebTQMresults. Photos from the event can be viewed and downloaded for free at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/p682734452.
About the CMP Talladega Shooting Range:
Aptly named “The Home of Marksmanship,” the park is a worthy destination for firearms supporters and visitors seeking opportunities to practice, compete, and mindfully learn. With CMP electronic targets and scoring monitors that can only be found at the 500-acre facility, the park regularly hosts rifle, pistol, and shotgun events throughout the year. CMP’s Unknown Distance Range at Talladega also allows visitors to practice their skills on the range of over 100 steel targets, up to 625 yards, while the 20-lane, life-size 3D target archery range offers even more aiming fun in the park.
The public is welcome every day, year-round, to try out their firearms or simply take a tour of the grounds. Out of the line of fire, the Clubhouse features a fully stocked Pro Shop featuring an exclusive collection of CMP rifles, ammunition, marksmanship and memorabilia that is always open during park hours. Learn more about the Talladega Marksmanship Park at https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearms safety and marksmanship training and the promotion of marksmanship competition for United States citizens. To learn more about the CMP and its programs, log on to www.TheCMP.org.