10M Shooting Masters Association (SMA)

[Pheyden]

I have been speaking with several clubs around the world that hold open competitions, specifically for veteran shooters. One of th things that I noted was that each club had a different format for age classifications and course of fire.

I have been working on developing a "common format", particularly in regard to age classes and course of fire, with the hope of convincing the various clubs to take them up. This is what led to the new association, with the hope of evolving some type of world-wide veteran championship, very much like the Master Games concept. The competitions would be conducted under ISSF rules (however not ISSF sanctioned) with the addition of a Supplementary Rules Addendum to cover the areas specific to veteran competitions.

I have started the process with a new page on Facebook (10M Shooting Masters Association). I would love to hear from any clubs that hold veteran competitions and whether they woukd have an interest in affiliating their competition with the SMA.

[Spencer]

Our monthly 'Mature Age Competition' (http://www.burildapistolclub.com/mac.htm) uses age groups: held at the Sydney Olympics range regularly draws 20 to 30 competitors.

We make some allowances:
- for 'disability',
- allow one malfunction per time series,
- men and women may shoot CentreFire or Rimfire in the one Sport/CentreFire event.

Men:
Group 1 – 60 to 64 years
Group 2 – 65 to 69 years
Group 3 - 70 to 74 years
Group 4 - 75 to 79 years
Group 5 - 80+ years

Women:
-5 years; i.e. Group 1 - 55-59 years (politically incorrect, but!)

Wheelies
- shoot in their age group

Everybody else = Juniors

there is an annual trophy based on points, depending on your place in your age group for each of Standard, Sport/Centre Fire and 40-shot Air Pistol.

SHAME ON AUCKLAND FOR NOT INCLUDING PISTOL AND/OR RIFLE IN THE WOARLD MASTERS! STRANGELY, SHOTGUN IS INCLUDED.

[Pheyden]

Spencer, Thank you for the information.

I am trying to find an answer to the age categories, and at the moment I have chisen the following:

1 - Mixed men/women
2 - course of fire 40 shots
3 - Age grouping
master1 - 45-54
master2 - 55+

This seems to be the formula that appeals to at least three different organized competitions. By getting more clubs to adopt these standards, it would be possible to run an International, yearly championship. At least that is what I am "shooting" for (pun intended).

Regards,
Paul

[David M]

With the drop off in performance with age, I think you may need two more groups.
Age grouping
master1 - 45-54
master2 - 55-63
master3 - 63-70
master4 - 70+

[Brian Girling]

SHAME ON AUCKLAND FOR NOT INCLUDING PISTOL AND/OR RIFLE IN THE WORLD MASTERS! STRANGELY, SHOTGUN IS INCLUDED.

I agree. I would have loved to have gone back to Auckland and shoot pistol again.

[Pheyden]

While I like the idea of 4 age categories, I also recognize that many competitions would be hard pressed to have the "numbers" to make each category viable. One way to deal with this is to stipulate that there must be a minimum number of shooters participating in a category (i.e. 5). If not then that category merges with the next younger class.

Now all of this works fine for local, individual competitions, and that is something worthy of promoting. I will have to think about how to deal with this from a yearly world championship standpoint. Ideas are welcome.

I can relate a personal experience when my wife and I competed in the Grand Prix de Tirol in Dec. 2016. We had 6 competitors in the 45-55 class and 10 in the 56+ class. Mixed gender event. I performed well for my first International competition. Obviously, four age categories would not have been possible with that number of shooters.

I will be attending the Pilzn veteran competition in June 2017, and they have similar age categories. It will be intersting to see how it plays out. They have three age categories and attract 15-20 shooters in each of the pistol classes, even more in the rifle competitions.