BlackWing Shooting Center hosts the third annual Mid-Ohio Open
By David Guinn

Delaware, OH – Get out your brooms, it was a clean sweep.  That term applies not only in baseball, but now to skeet shooting.  Bruce Christian ran the table on all comers at BlackWing Shooting Center, a National Association of Shooting Ranges 5 STAR shooting facility, June 24-25, 2006.  Bruce captured the title in all events including the HOA with a score of 398.  Sue Huszai, not to be outdone, walked away as the ladies champion in all events.  Several records were established at the 2006 Mid-Ohio with 43 shooters participating from all parts of Ohio including several from Indiana and Pennsylvania and the highest HOA score of 398 ever shot at BlackWing.  Congratulations Bruce, job well done.   

Mid-Ohio Open presenter, Ted Latham, provided $1,000 in added money and a bag full of shells for each event for the Mid-Ohio Cellar Championship Shoot-offs featuring Kentucky doubles.  Dave Guinn contributed over $350 in prizes awarded at Saturday’s dinner where a very lucky Mike Harm walked off with a bottle of Dom Perignon.  Nearly $3,500 in added and class money was awarded at the 2006 Mid-Ohio.  

The Open kicked off with some of the best weather ever recorded for a skeet shoot at BlackWing, another record so to speak.  Temperatures ran in the very low 80s with sunny skies and little or no wind.  No excuses available here.  The rotations were chosen to allow the big guns to be shot in the afternoon anticipating the inevitable BlackWing windy afternoons.  Foiled by the rotation, the winds did not kick-up and targets flew fast and true.  

The 28 GA Event began Saturday’s activities with a solitary 100 turned in by Bruce Christian earning him the Event Championship.  Class winners were AA-1, Mike Harm, AA-2, Bruce Poyer, A-1, Rick Smelko, A-2, Greg Huszai, B-1, Ron Margello, B-2 Hal Hare, B-3, Nyle Morgan, and D-1, Bob Darragh.  The afternoon 12 Gauge Event was decided in a battle of 3 100s with Bruce Christian the last person standing and, again, our Event Champion.  Class winners were AA-1, Rick Smelko, AA-2, Mike Harm, A-1, Flint Gabelman, A-2, Brian Rogers, B-1, Ron Margello, B-2, Jason Ohler, B-3, Greg Huszai, C-1, Josh Morgan, C-2, Nyle Morgan, D-1, Steve Seggebruch, D-2, Ben Lawrence, and E-1, Bob Darragh.   

The Saturday evening dinner of brats and burgers was a big hit with the shooters.  No one went away hungry.  At the dinner, the Dom Perignon, a shooter’s bag, a Lonesome Charlie shooter’s pouch, shells, and other prizes were given to the shooters by random drawing.  A special thanks to Ted Latham for providing the dinner and especially to Judy Stadtlander, our gracious BlackWing hostess, for preparing and hosting the dinner.  Judy, it was a lot of work but appreciated by a hungry group of shooters.  Saturday leftovers disappeared like a direct hit at low 8 at Sunday lunch.  

Shooter comfort was not an issue during the weekend.  Shooters and family members could be seen lounging under large car umbrellas, on shaded picnic tables and in the comfortable, air-conditioned Shooting Center lounge and café.  Ice cold water and shade umbrellas were posted at each field with a golf cart available for shooters who needed a ride.  One thing you can say about BlackWing is "BlackWing is AA-1 in hosting skeet shoots".

The 410 Event started Sunday with Bruce Christian on top with a 98 and our Event Champion.  Class winners were AA-1, Bruce Poyer, AA-2, Mike Harm, A-1, Larry Bolino, A-2, Bryan Rogers, B-1, Jerry Turk, B-2, Ron Margello, B-3, Josh Morgan, C-1, Ted Latham, and C-2, Nyle Morgan.  The 20 Gauge Event saw 2 100s posted, again, with Bruce Christian, again, on top as our Event Champion.  Class winners were AA-1, Sue Huszai, AA-2, Bryan Rogers, A-1, Bruce Poyer, A-2, Greg Huszai, B-1, Ted Latham, B-2, Jerry Turk, B-3, Josh Morgan, C-1, Ben Lawrence, D-1, Steve Seggebruch, and D-2, Joe Rhea.  Like a broken record, Bruce Christian was our HOA Champion with Mike Harm, our runner-up.

New to the Mid-Ohio this year was the Cellar Championship Events.  Conceived by Ted Latham as a way to stir interest in our novice and new shooters, the Cellar Championship Events were a success.  The shooters with the low 5 scores were selected from each Event and shot Kentucky Doubles.  The shooter left standing was the Cellar Champion for each event.  Congratulations go to Clay Bauserman, Jim Carroll, and Bill Guinn.