To Capture the Rhino!

       IT CAME DOWN IN BUCKETS! For a guy who spends most of his time in CaLEFTfornia, I had not seen that much rain in YEARS! I wondered if my first TOUR of Florida was going to be a bust!!

My wife and I...along with Benga, sat in the coach and pondered our next move....should we leave and head south to prepare for the Seminole Cup? Did we choose the wrong time of year to begin the tour? But as we learned, Florida is Florida....the next morning the sky cleared and the sun burst through...but it did get COLD! I mean "frosty" cold. The rain froze the doors shut on the car. We quickly moved our summer clothes to the storage area and brought up the winter clothes. By 2pm we reversed our efforts by returning our summer clothes to their rightful location and stashing the heavy stuff back in the cargo hold. Hey, its FLORIDA....just wait the Wx will change....

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Upon entering the easily found "Rhino Ranch", I discovered HEYWOOD CUNNINGHAM and JOE MORALES hard at work tightening bolts and squirting oil, testing the PROMATIC traps. The scene was surrounded by tension and drama as the two men exchanged ideas and solutions. I passed up butting in and saying hello. Heywood looked up, threw a smile and a wave, then quickly returned to his duties...hey, I can take a hint.  I changed course and walked directly towards a guy wearing a TOP HAT and sitting with a dog named RAT!...GARY STEVENS of WORKING DOG LEATHER, offers some of the nicest Exotic Leather I have ever seen. Get over to see Gary at the next shoot or at----> www. workingdogleather.com

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, BABE!

Boy, did I hit a home run...bought the card and secretly placed it under the wiper blade on her side of the car just before we left the campgrounds. I did not say a word about the holiday that morning as I rushed to get dressed....Rose Marie locked the door to the coach and we walked to the car together. After getting in, she spotted the envelope on the windshield. "STOP!" Expecting to read a complaint about the dog, or something we did or did not do in the campgrounds, she opened the door and grabbed it off the windshield---> tore it open. I got POINTS, that should keep me in the GOOD for at least a month!....OK maybe a day or two..lol..lol..

DAY ONE--PRELIM.

     What a beautiful piece of property, Joe...I was jealous as I drove up and found Registration. Lois Lessing was ready and organized. The Check-In went smooth as glass...probably because all the guys were liking the new "Do" Lois was wearing..." It's the NEW me.." Lois stated after asking why she seemed to look so young. Of course, the last time I saw her was at the Nationals, during HALLOWEEN... I did like that long wavy red hair.

Five men were assigned to the squad...only four showed up. JAMES BOWERS, LARRYJOHNSTON, RANDALL WESTBAY and one LOW class shooter...as GARY GREENWAY calls ME! We started on Station 4 and worked our way back shooting in the beautiful Spanish moss covered trees. A great breeze blew cool air around us...but it was light and did not disturb the targets. Heywood and his crew did a great job. They were challenging and fun. The RHINO is most shooters first competition of the season. What a great way to start. THANX, Joe. By days' end, we were still having fun and celebrating Randy's FIRST EVER clean station--> he hit every clay smoothly and with confidence. I later bought him lunch before he had to leave for his daughter's birthday. Don't give up Randy, you have a lot of natural ability. See you at the next shoot, pal.

Later I ran into BILL McGUIRE and BRAD KIDD...what a pair to have at the shoot. Brad actually helped set up the targets with Heywood. What a nice guy to talk to...and for those of you who did not make the RHINO RALLY, here's the GOSSIP on KIDD---he leaves in March to become the PRO at NEMICOLIN!...yes, I said the same thing! Nemicolin is now the place to go for good instruction from a young, hot shooter! Hey Brad, do me a favor after you leave Ocala....slip Shannon my telephone number, because she will need a mature shoulder to cry on...thanX Pal!..lol..

It was really good to see Bill again. Had not seen him since the Nationals. He is loosing weight...look for him to be on a TV ad about NUTRI SYSTEMS...he's down 20lbs and trying to reach his fighting weight....wonder if there is a women in his life motivating him. I mean why else would a REAL MAN try to loose weight???? Speaking of real men loosing weight....STEVE FISCHER was there with his pooch and driving a hot red Vett! He was bragging about loosing weight too!

I also made  some new friends. TOM KIDD and RAYMOND IVEY, Ray is better known in the racing world by his nickname the PURSER. No, No, No... not pusher. PURSER like in...well I will just let Raymond explain that when you see him??

They have invited me to North Carolina so I don't want to rock the cart, I may take them up on that invitation. These Southern boys usually mean what they say. Then, there was MARTY WOOD, new shooter excited about the sport. In his real life, he is a camera man for ESPN. Could not stay for the MAIN because he was being sent to HOLLYWOOD to film the Oscars. Looking forward to seeing Mark at another shoot. But he did want a photo with the famous BILL McGUIRE. 

It was also "Family DAY" in Canada...who cares you say?...the CANADIANS! ...and there are a bunch of them in Florida and a Bunch of them at this Shoot! I was on my way to have a look at the MAIN course when I spotted a huge big beautiful Monarch Coach with Canadian plates. I backed up and...well before it was over I had met almost all of them, Mr. & Mrs. Mills, Michael Van Der Heyden and Dr. Hugh Boyes. Always enjoyed meeting our neighbors to the North, great sense of humor, kind and hardy!

DAY TWO--MAIN BEGINS.

After dropping off my wife at the nearby Golf course, I rushed to the Rhino hoping to get in a little practice, before I began the main event. But I could not help looking at the score board...they had posted the Pre-Lim results. I approached the board cautiously. Since I had had dinner with Bill and Brad the night before I knew Brad had won the Pre Lim with a 97 and Bill had shot a 92. Of course when you hang with the BIG SHOTS, unless they feel you're a threat...don't count on them checking YOUR SCORE!....lol...lol..so I gently went down the list looking at familiar names and checking how they were doing. I smiled when I saw some and knew others deserved better. We all have an off day. Then I noticed some guy's name...I think he spends tooo much time on the LEFT coast....but he won his class anyway! All I could say was " LOOK OUT McGUIRE....TWENTY MORE TARGETS AND I WILL BE A THREAT!"..lol..lol.

The euphoria quickly vanished when I began the MAIN. Just could not seem to swing fast enough...stumbled several times on targets that I had shot hundreds of times in the past. By days' end, I was tired and a bit frustrated. JIMMIE SMITH, JOHN MYERS, TOMMY MILAN and JOSHUA TAYLOR made up the squad for the MAIN. I followed Jimmie. Great guy. Someone who is a real pleasure to shoot with....never shows disappointment and is always encouraging the shooters around him. I also want to mention--> JIMMY SMITH <-----you get the best dressed award! John & Tommy struggled with some of their targets as well...but WHITE FLYER EAST COAST DISTRIBUTOR, JOSH TAYLOR slammed them hard! We all took lessons behind Josh.

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DAY THREE...PAIN ENDS!

Should I wear a T-shirt..... The Wx was misty and foggy at 7am. The breeze was cool and cooler . Would it warm up? Oh boy, did it! But before preparations began, I had to stop in the office to say "hello"...Joe was in a discussion with John Myers from my squad. I really came to appreciate Joe's expertise as I heard him talk to John about gun fit....click here and hear it for yourself. Yes, Joe is a salesman...but a decent human being, first. Listen in and you will agree.Download last_rhino_008.MPG 

First station was the same as the Prelim first station-->GOOD PLANNING, LOIS, Keep it simple! The squad assembled, chatting and laughing when I drove up. The clock ticked by and the REF, SAM...checked the shooting order. The shoot was on!

The targets were a bit softer than DAY ONE...I knew my score would be better. But EVERYONE'S score would be better. HEYWOOD stopped by as we shot several times. A Master Class shooter himself, he watched me stumble on a few before offering suggestions. ThanX Heywood.

As the day came to a close, everyone had smiles...the targets were great and the day could not have been better. As I passed between stations I saw, SHOTGUN JOURNAL, BRUCE SCOTT!  Bruce, you shot well, Pal! Bruce is a regular on the radio show....what a schedule he has for 2008---> can't wait to see your tv shows, Bruce. A true Sportsman and expert. He will be at Seminole Cup later in the week and we will see him again.

Were there disappointments?...yes. Some who came, had not shot before and had difficulty. Some who came, expected to do better and some who came, can NEVER be satisfied no matter what do you! But I want to thank everyone for a terrific shoot...it's on my calender for next year. I wouldn't miss a shoot like this for the world. My compliments to all who helped Joe put on this event. It is a great opportunity to begin the 2008 shooting tour.

I have also met alot of new friends....from Canada to Florida, who I hope to see again. I never have room for everyone, but if your not here now....you will be at the next shoot! Remember, I'm a "radio guy", not a photographer or journalist, so please excuse my mistakes and errors.

But, before I "cast off the bow line", I do want to Thank my dinner host....Tom Kidd and his sidekick "Purser" for buying dinner in Williston. I never got a photo of them, but I did envy that beautiful new Freightliner!....oh, I stopped by the trailer on the way out and but you weren't there, so I ....well I guess the picture tells it all...lol...lol...!

      And lets not forget Megan and her "Merry Band of Trappers"..at every station we were greeted by a smile. ThanX! Megan was always on the run in her cart...supervising her staff, directing shooters and keeping a watchful eye that all went well...and it did! Special thanX to Megan.

     Ok shooters I have worn my fingers to the bone and just got the signal to get out of the Campgrounds before I am charged for another night...

Hey C U in Okeechobe!