Ty Cooper and Larry Bartholome Top Field at Spirit of America
The 2008 Spirit of America (SOA) Match was a huge success. With International Team Competition on the menu this year, the SOA drew scores of top Palma shooters from around the world. Over 160 competitors came to the Whittington Range in Raton, New Mexico to compete for honors in both Full-bore Target Rifle and F-Class matches. Spc. Tyrel Cooper of the USAMU won the Target Rifle Overall Aggregate. Ty Cooper has “been on a roll lately, and has been shooting great”, according to Veteran Team member Jerry Tierney. On the F-Class side, Larry Bartholome shot consistently to top a very competitive field. Congrats to both Ty and Larry!
Team competition was a major highlight of the SOA. In the America Match* for national teams, The U.S.A. Team finished first, beating Australia (second place) and England (third place). Individual USA Team member scores are posted below. We’re pleased to see forum member Bryan Litz shooting well, and we salute Sherri Hurd. Not only was Sherri the top female shooter in the America Match, but her 597-36X score was the third best in the entire field, after England’s David Luckman (599-35X) and Team USA teammate Tyrel Cooper (597-40x).
The U.S.A. Veterans’ Team performed extremely well, actually posting the second highest team total overall. That’s right — the American veterans out-scored the National teams of Australia and the UK. “Not bad for a bunch of old guys, wouldn’t you say”, Tierney observed. For complete Match Results, visit the Bald Eagles Club website, BaldEaglesRC.org.
For the English perspective on the match, visit the Team England Website. It offers match results, tech info about the sport, and a Photo Gallery with dozens of images.
*The America Match is a major international Palma competition first hosted in 2002. Matches are held every two years. Each team is composed of eight shooters, two sub-coaches, a main coach, an adjutant, a captain and two reserves. It is a multi-distance event. Course of fire is: 2 sighters and 15 shots for record at 300, 600, 900 and 1000 yards (or 300, 600 yards and 800 and 900 meters as appropriate to the venue).
Similar Posts:
- Report from South Africa: Ty Cooper wins Individual Match, South Africa Wins Team Comps
- Match Report: F-Open and F-TR National Team Championships
- USAMU Shooters Dominate National Trophy Rifle Matches
- Long Range Champion SSG Ty Cooper — How He Got Started
- International Teams at Camp Perry for Long Range Matches
Living in Georgia, I have had the opportunity to shoot against Ty in several 1000 yd prone matches, especially at Ft. Benning. Ty always seems to shoot several cleans in every championship and is always at or near the gold in the end. Ty is always humble in his shooting accomplishments and always helps out other shooters who approach him — but he still has a hard time beating his wife in smallbore prone matches. Of course, on the big stage at Perry, Ty seems to always perform as evidenced by his Leech Cup win in 2007.
Bryan Litz is really coming on strong along and his victory in the Individual Palma Championship at Perry this year is just the beginning. My experience indicates that there is a very short list of those who can REALLY read tricky wind conditions during the Palma game once the competition reaches the 1000 yd line. Bryan is one of those.
After the Brits stuck it to us a little in 2007, Coach Emil Praslic has played a large part if formulating a plan to bring our Palma team and wind coaches back to the top. It appears to be working!
Congrats to all,
Jim Hardy