Airgun Finals Range in Honor of the Late David F. Ridenour

[USA Shooting]

USA Shooting Set to Name Airgun Finals Range in Honor of the Late David F. Ridenour

USA Shooting and participants of the 2014 National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships (NJOSC) are honoring the late David F. Ridenour with a Finals Hall Range dedication Wednesday at the USA Shooting Complex in Colorado Springs, Colo. Athletes making finals of any airgun competition in the future will now shoot at the David F. Ridenour Finals Range.

The Finals Range was a special gift provided to USA Shooting by the Ridenour family in memory of David, who made a name for himself in the rifle events during the early 1980s. His family, including wife, Marge, and father, Donald, will be on hand as the Finals Hall is unveiled prior to the start of the Men’s 10-meter Air Rifle Finals event of the NJOSC. Ridenour passed away suddenly in 2010 after suffering a brain aneurysm. The dedication will take place at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Ridenour is remembered for his giving spirit and it’s only fitting that a Finals Hall for the sport he loved will help both past and present USA Shooting Team members remember him. As a standout rifle competitor at West Virginia University, Ridenour was the first collegiate shooter ever to be named NRA All-American four consecutive times in Air and Smallbore Rifle. He helped lead WVU to a 45-2 record while winning two national titles and finishing second twice during his four-year collegiate career. In addition, he represented USA Shooting Teams in Germany in 1983 and 1984 and was a two-time National Development Team member. His teammates at West Virginia included USA Shooting’s Director of Operations David Johnson as well as four-time Olympian and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Mike Anti, now an assistant coach at the United States Air Force Academy.

The David F. Ridenour Finals Range is another in a long-line of improvements made to the USA Shooting Complex in the past year. All airgun competitors now shoot on electronic targets after the facility underwent a massive range upgrade to improve its competitor capabilities, improve lighting and enhance the spectator experience. The upgraded range is a testament to USA Shooting’s commitment to providing the best possible experience for its athletes. The upgrade would not have been possible without a large amount of generous donations and several very long days put in by USAS staff members and volunteers.

The new Finals Range designates 10 firing points specifically to be used by the finals competitors competing in airgun events including rifle and pistol. The area includes special signage and elevates both athlete and spectator experience and helps mimic what competitors encounter at some of the best ranges in the world.