Who can afford this?

[jhmartin]

When the USA Shooting took control of the matches the PTO program disappeared.

Dave - this is not true.

Any USA Shooting affiliated club may hold PTOs which are "sorta" required to enter the National matches.

I do believe that some selection matches may be entered only if you have shot a PTO or in a Selection/National match in the past year. Depends on the match.
In about 18 years of taking shooters and officiating at matches, I've really only encountered a few matches where there was a limited number allowed to enter ... i.e. the top shooters and that was the recent Olympic Trials in the part 2 of the matches where we were limited to the space & dates we had Ft Benning available. Part 1 of the trials always have a wide variety of shooters competing.

Now they won't call or email you (maybe as the NRA did long ago), but all the matches and programs are on their website.
Believe me, here in NM we are happy to see some matches & PTO being held in C.Springs again.

Our JO Qualifier matches are also "PTOs" so our junior shooters have these matches once per year to qualify

As you said .... easier if it's local ... Benning/Anniston/CampPerry are expensive trips for us here.
We are an affiliated club, but do not hold PTOs here as we really don't have enough shooters to do International formats ... those that are, a 5 hour drive to C.Springs is fairly easy

[fc60]

Greetings jhmartin,

Many thanks for the correction.

Once again, I am misinformed.

Cheers,

Dave

[rgibson]

I draw the line at wearing a pocket protector Spek

[jhmartin]

I draw the line at wearing a pocket protector Spek

I have many shirts over the years ruined with with large red splotches at the pockets to show my membership in that club!

[DGIDE]

Interesting comments, so I'll add mine. From 1986 to early 1992, I was on the USAF International Pistol Team and made the USA International Pistol Team in 1990. During those years, we shot the National Championships at Prado Tiro range in River Side Calif. While there was a PTO score to shoot to go there, I never saw anybody turned away as both the airgun and free pistol range were Hugh. The top four shooters in each discipline earned a spot on the big team and then there were a series for tryout matches across the country. You had to shoot in at least four and could drop the low score. The top four averages filled out the big team. During this time, the NRA was the governing body for International Shooting. Then the IOC changed the rules and the governing body could not be involved with politics. Meeting started to be held at the National Championships, the NRA said they would form a splinter group and continue their monetary support. This was several million dollars a year, however they wanted some say in how the money was spent. Who was hired as coaches, staff ext. Anyway, as I saw it from the back of the meeting, large groups of shooters wanted the money, but with no strings attached. This lead to the brake from the NRA and the formation of a new governing body. It is just my opinion, but it also started the loss of interest and support for competitive shooting, at least in the bulls eye category from the NRA.