NRA Launches Air Rifle Championship for Disabled Shooters
We told you our friend Vanessa Warner would accomplish good things as the NRA’s new Manager of Disabled Shooting Services. Here’s proof — the NRA has just announced that the first-ever, nationwide indoor Air Rifle Championship series for disabled shooters will be held in 2009. The new event will be conducted at clubs and facilities nationwide, employing a Sectional Championship format. This will give competitors with physical disabilities a chance to compete in national individual and team events by comparing their scores with those fired in clubs all over the country. Scores are comparable because of the similar conditions existing in indoor ranges.
Sectional Championships are already held by the NRA, and now disabled shooters will be part of the action. Each year the NRA conducts National Open Rifle Sectional Championships in NRA 3-position Smallbore Rifle, 4-position Smallbore Rifle, International 3-P Smallbore Rifle and International Air Rifle. The Championships are the largest event of the indoor season and will now include International Indoor Air Rifle for disabled shooters.
“This championship was created with the goal of full integration into the NRA Open Indoor Air Rifle Championships in the future,” stated Vanessa Warner, NRA’s Manager of Disabled Shooting Services. “The plan is to eventually… allow both disabled and able-bodies to compete shoulder to shoulder for the title of National Champion.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau survey in 2003, there are currently 50 million people living with disabilities in America today. The integration of the Disabled Indoor Air Rifle Championships with the Open Indoor Air Rifle Championships will expand opportunities for disabled individuals to participate in the shooting sports. To learn more, visit the NRA’s Disabled Shooting Services Webpage or contact Vanessa Warner at 703-267-1495 or disabled-shooting [at] nra-hq.org.
New Zealand Shooters’ Success Stories
If you want to read about the experiences of a disabled shooter, check out Parashooting.co.nz, the website of Robert Berger, one of New Zealand’s leading Paralympic target shooters. Injured many years ago in a motorcycling accident, Robert took up target shooting in 2007. Under the tutelage of fellow Kiwi and Paralympic Champion shooter Michael Johnson, Robert soon discovered that he has a great aptitude for the sport. In his first year of competition, Robert captured the “Top Shooter” trophy for best combined score in the 36th New Zealand Paralympics National Championship. Robert has also represented his country in the Oceania Games in Sydney, Australia.
Robert writes: “I was introduced to target shooting for the disabled by Michael Johnson, current world champion. I became a paraplegic in 1975 after a [motorcycle accident]. During my rehab, I looked at several sports but because I was not into basketball, rugby etc. I moved on to other things.
Early in 2007, I had a go at target shooting with an air rifle. I was coached by Michael for a while using a borrowed gun from Parafed Auckland. After a short time, I decided to get more serious about the sport and bought my own rifle. Once I had my new Feinwerkbau 700 rifle I became more competitive and practiced harder.
In order to represent New Zealand at Oceania I had to shoot two Paralympics New Zealand Minimum Qualifying Standards (PNZ MQS) in each of the disciplines, Standing and Prone. The MQS for Standing is 570 and Prone 575 out of a possible 600 in 60 shots. With lots of practice and six attempts I got there. As a wheelchair user, ‘standing’ is not quite the right description, but what it means is that you sit holding the rifle without any support from your elbows resting on the table. ‘Prone’ is a similar position but with your elbows on the table.”
Robert’s coach and mentor, Michael Johnson of Auckland, New Zealand, is one of the top disabled shooters in the world. Michael won gold medals at the Athens 2004 Paralympics and at the 2006 World Championships. Michael contributes to another excellent website, Shooting4Disabled.com. Mike offers advice for disabled shooters on positions and equipment, and he explains the Classifications and rules. Mike’s web site also has a great photo gallery of indoor rifle ranges around the world.
Shooting has been part of the Paralympic Games since Toronto in 1976, with competitors now coming from 59 counties. Athletes compete in Rifle and Pistol events from distances of 10, 25 and 50m, in men’s, women’s and mixed competitions. Paralympic shooting utilizes a functional classification system, which enables athletes from different disability classes to compete together either individually or in teams.
