Who's Going to Sparta This Year ? And Mueller conflict?

Looks like a great move for the ATA naming Lauren as the director. She has lots of experience running a gun club and is a top shooter to boot. Does it get any better than this? Of course the Ohio boys won't be happy no matter who is appointed. The only thing that would make them happy is if Sparta closed down. Kind of like the Dems hating Trump, no matter what he does it's the wrong thing.

 

Nice cast but I am hoping that place stays open. If not Gipson and Bradford will be here. It will stay open as long as the HOF is open. The Martins are in the HOF there. It isn’t closing.

 

So the 14 YEAR pathetic ata attendance at that place on the "big day" was because the last person, Monica Brackman, didn't have any experience "running a gun club" " and wasn't a "shooter" ? Really?

Now that they have a "shooter" in charge the event 24 attendance should go up to what? 3000-3500?

No doubt the new director has experience running a facility. As far as her shooting creds? Top notch. She CAN shoot.

Interesting to see if she can fill BOTH rolls, as a friend to the ata, (as you are hoping for) AND working for the state of ILLnews.

WORKING FOR THE STATE OF ILLnews she will be in charge of the entire wsrc, including all the other events, NOT just the ata registered target events.

Can you be an ata delegate AND work for the state that has a "contract" with the organization in which you have that position?​

Who do you think she will have to side with if her EMPLOYER decides to do something the ata doesn't like?

 

I think most people wish her the best of luck, her experience running a facility and shooting ability will probably not have much of an effect on the attendance which has been established over the past 14 years and is nothing to write home about, actually it's on the side of Pathetic for what was once the biggest attraction for most shooters ... Monica Brackman (employed by the IDNR not the ATA ) was not the problem, lack of amenities based on the location was, is and will be long into the future ... If the ATA is naming the Director it would probably be a conflict of interest if she is employed by the State (IDNR) being as it is Illinois it would probably not surprise anyone ... Selling sand in the middle of the desert will not attract business like selling water would ... It was a bad idea before it happened and has not improved since it happened ... Keep doing the same thing over and over, expect a different result and see what happens ... The facility has not got off the ground in the past and it ain't gonna fly this time either, but Good Luck ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

Good Luck Lauren ...

 

At the BOD and EC meetings, where does Ms Mueller sit? Does she sit with the BOD or as a VIP representing Illinois?

Will she recuse herself from any discussions or dealing with either the ATA or Illinois?

Will she assume that what is good for Illinois is good for trapshooting?

Does she have a stronger alliance with Gipson, whom is a customer of Illinois, vs a shooter from out of state?

How does she weigh the value of 2nd amendment rights as perceived by her boss, The State of Illinois?

Will she be part of contract negotiations between the ATA and Illinois? If so what table does she sit at then?

Just the BOD meeting might be worth the trip.

 

Sounds like Gipson finally has to answer to a delegate. That is what you conspiracy nuts wanted!!!!

And I might make the trip.

 

HA
Gipson? You mean the guy that found the office building? No "conspiracy" there. Just a good old boys business deal.

You're right, he should answer to SOMEBODY!!

Remember, if you are going, take pictures. Try and get one of that building. The way THAT deal went down there might not even BE a building.

Conspiracy nut?

Nope. my uncle Rege told me Oswald acted alone and he should know. He has always been like an older brother and took me to my first Grand at Vandalia in 1977. You can see his white Suburban and trailer at the very bottom of the picture in that large overhead shot they took that year.

 

What I really want to know is who is going to go, not just all the complaining that the Grand is no longer in Ohio. Get over it!
It will stay in Sparta and Sparta really has a lot to offer. Of course if you haven't gone there yet, you wouldn't know!! Don't live in the past, get some new adventure in your life. You might find out how nice it is and might even like it.

 

Obviously that is why Joe would like you to post pictures so everyone can see it in all of its gloriousness. I'm sure if you guys would post pictures of your visits there shooters will flock there and we will once again see 4000 shooters in the Grand American handicap. But first you must do your part and post those pictures for us to see all the beauty that is Sparta and the surrounding area has to offer.

 

"It will stay in Sparta and Sparta really has a lot to offer."

I wonder if they told the SCTP that.

 

This job is a little different than " running a gunclub"

 

I wish her well and good luck, it's nice to see young people like her, and the boys at the CC, take an interest in running a shooting club or organization. We need them in hunting too. Goods things come from the SCTP programs and thanks to Midway Foundation for supporting it so well.

I for one would not want to deal with the groups she will be dealing with but I guarantee she will be a lot smarter by this time next year about how things really work.

 

I am not sure anyone wants the ATA to re locate the grand as you imply, those that will not attend do not see this being a problem and there are many more than those that will ... There are few clubs that could host the grand especially if they got a bigger turn out than they have had for the past 14 years, which would probably happen ... I was in Sparta before the bright idea of re locating the ATA was mentioned or probably thought of and I would really like you to point out a few things out of the lot you claim Sparta has to offer would be because I didn't get to see them then either ... I met some very nice and friendly people when I was there with a Buddy who's family lived there and worked in the Hospital, Police Dept. and Peabody Coal but never really saw anything that I would call something out of the ordinary to offer or special in any way ... The ATA relocated to Sparta out of desperation and them not having any place else to go and them not be able to have a grand for a year or two until a facility was made ready ... The ATA is in a Time Warp that will probably do them more harm than good at sometime in the future ... They are renters and at the Mercy of the State of Illinois give or take and we all know what is happening there with the Governor, Taxes, loss of residents, and the list goes on and on ... Personally, I think if the ATA does not make arrangements to leave the State of Illinois they are putting them self in a position that can only do more harm than good ... I think they should stay (have to stay) there because basically nobody else wants them ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

helpme, How many grand events have you attended? The grounds are very nice at Sparta. Unless you are in the camping area, when you are done shooting there is nothing to do in the immediate area. Nothing that would entertain a shooters family. Walmart is about the only attraction they have.
The shooters told the EC. Do not relocate to Ill. they did it anyway. The trust was lost by them ignoring what the members wanted. They failed to comply with the shooter directive. That and many other moves on their part have made the members loose faith in their leadership. They continue to ignore the members, so what do you expect the snubbed members to do, they are now showing their disgust with the failed leadership. It also does not appear that they are going to admit their errors and try to rejuvenate the organization. What do you suggest can be done to bring back the upset members? Roger C.

 

This is a joke right? Getting paid by the WSRC and being a delegate?

 

As far as I am concerned, they can do us all a favor and stay where they are.

I won't be going back.

Screw me once, their fault.

Screw me twice, well that would be my fault.

When a member of an organization asks for some answers and get's told "Annual members will be notified on a need to know basis", that tells me Bye-Bye.

 

Not only Annual members but Life Members also ... They do not like to be questioned ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Roger, thanks for the thoughtful response. I am a relatively new shooter, about 6 years. I have attended 5 Grand events in Sparta. Twice we stayed in O'Fallon and drove to Sparta and the last three rented a camper and stayed on site. You are correct in saying that camping there is the way to go. I never had the opportunity to go to Vandalia and feel I have missed out on some of the rich history of trap shooting. In that respect, I have nothing to compare Sparta too. As far as other things to do besides shooting, that's what I go to Sparta for. I live in a very rural area of upstate NY and if we want to look for entertainment, we have to travel (kind of like Sparta). But again, when I go to the Grand, I go to shoot and to meet old friends and make new ones. Like a lot of things in life, it is what you make it. The facility there is the best I have seen, again, I'm new to the sport and still have other venues to travel to, Cardinal Center being one I want to get too this summer. Being new I don't know much about the EC, HOF, and the move to Sparta. As far as bringing back upset members, that's a good question. Hopefully we can all work together to make our sport better.

 

I took my team twice this year. Once to the AIM Grand and back again for the real Grand. Five nights total. We never lacked for anything to do in the evenings. Bowling one night, go cart racing another, movie night once. We chose to simply stay in the hotel and swim a couple nights but that was not due to a lack of other things to do. Had Italian one night, BBQ another, Chinese & Mexican, whatever style we wanted. Just get on the phone and search up whatever style we wanted that night. All within a couple or three miles. O'Fallon is what...40 minutes away on a perfectly nice straight highway? The drive made a nice way to wind down the day and decide what we wanted to do that evening.

 

Shotgunpeople, how did they screw you?

Just asking for a friend.

 

Leonidas,

Not only me, but all members of the organization when they GAVE $250,000.00 of OUR organization's monies to the Trapshooting Hall of Fame to help pay for the State owned Barn.

That WAS our money, and we never had any choice.

And if someone tells me it was not our money, then where did it come from ?

That was only one thing, and to be told the above when I questioned some of their moves (need to know basis), well if that isn't telling me to Screw off, I don't know what is.

They hate to be challenged about their decisions, so I just shoot leagues and have fun visiting my friends at ATA shoots without spending a lot of money shooting.