When CARLO FIOCCHI first came on the Trigger Sports Radio show, we had a great time discussing the origins of FIOCCHI, from the historical beginnings in Italy, to the present. CARLO even gave up some closely guarded, NEW information, on soon to be, products by the great FIOCCHI COMPANY.
So, when CARLO invited me to come to his first, FIOCCHI GOLD CUP in Boulder City, Nevada, being held at the famous and much loved DESERT LAKE SHOOTING CLUB, I could not refuse. Plus...a Special award was being created with a GOLD Fiocchi Shell to mark the occasion. NICE! Does that mean, on the 10th annual FIOCCHI GOLD, there will be 10 gold shells? Lets hope...
Recently, I had heard that the club was under new 
ownership/management. The rumors were that MR. JARED SMITH had made an investment coup and scooped up a dwindling, unhappy membership and pushed it to the next step, adding activities, expanding services and creating the kind of enthusiasm needed to bring in new membership from the West..the North..and the South. So I was anxious to see the club and meet it's new owner.
CARLOS' invitation was immediately approved, and my calender and travel plans adjusted to include a "STOP & SHOOT", before departing the West Coast for the US OPEN in Jennings, Louisiana. The timing could not have been better.
What most people may understand.... but do not realize, is that when you're attending an event this close to Las Vegas...you better get a hotel room sooooon! Vegas hotels, folks, can and do SELL OUT! Unless you're one of the rare few with personal connections to a hotel owner OR deeeep pockets, you need to plan your visit to the DESERT LAKE SHOOTING CLUB. My personal choice was LAKE LAS VEGAS----> Get ready for a shock if you have never been there...its the RITZ, no pun intended, because the RITZ CARLTON holds some of the most beautiful property around the lake. But there are TWO championship golf courses, boat rides AND fishing! And of course, in typical Las Vegas fashion, the food is terrific everywhere and the clock never signals a closing time......
I had just begun the check-in process, when familiar faces and names began to line up. 
Being a day early, the check-in was very quick and easy. So it was not long after that I was 
breaking out the radio equipment and beginning a series of radio interviews.
Normally, I try to schedule an interview in a quiet area....forget it! The bar is the area where everyone shares congrats and...and...and...well, you got to hear the show to appreciate the fun. I just walked around the bar with a open microphone. The RICH & FAMOUS and everyday lovers of the sport were there. NORM SMITH stood right in front of me during the check-in and I did not recognize him because he did not have that wonderful hat, his signature yellow glasses.... when I 
mentioned it, he said, " I'll be right back!" Norm returned IN UNIFORM!
Then there was my old friend from Idaho and photographer for CLAYSPORTS MAG. JERRY SINKOVEC! If you're ever up that way, check out his web site---------------------> www.itishooting.com
Remember...click on any photo on this site and it will go full screen, and, with good photo paper, you can have a digital copy! FREE!
At the far end of the bar, holding court with a handful of shooters ,was Master Class shooter, CURTIS LESSEL! Curtis has been on Trigger Sports Radio and we have had many conversations about the future of Sporting Clays. A southern CaLEFTornia guy with a viewpoint that's worth hearing.
Eventually, slowly making my way around the bar, I finally met THE, DAN MITCHELL...quite by accident. I was interviewing GARY BERNE of the Virgin Islands when he said he had come all the way here because of "....this guy" and he pointed to the gentleman on my right. I glanced over my shoulder and smiled but continued my conversation with Gary. When I had finished, I turned to the distinguished looking man and asked his name...I had been trying to meet Dan for two years. We had never been at the same shoot, at the same time. I have a great radio interview with Dan....see it on the radio! Dan concluded by introducing me to another of the RICH & FAMOUS ----------of skeet fame. A convert now, shooting 
SPORTING CLAYS exclusively! Charlie and his wife Betty , also brought another younger friend into the SPORTING CLAYS game, all the way from New Mexico.
The day was rapidly ending. I had promised my wife, back at the hotel, that I would not be long. I was only going to check-in, and say hello to CARLO and JARED....but as luck would have it, both were busy taking care of the business-end of things, and I only caught sight of Jared twice and never saw Carlo. Oh well, tomorrow is another day....
DAY ONE---PRELIM!
After dropping off my wife at one of the golf courses, surrounding Lake Las Vegas, I made a quick dash for DESERT LAKE. I like to shoot a few rounds at the 5 Stand before I actually settle down to serious shotgunning...
The squad was made up of a father and son team from Colorado, the MYERS', and a husband/wife team from Southern California, CHRISTY & CHAD ROBERTS-----plus a couple of Nevada locals.
It was a tough and challenging course. After the first station, everyone seemed to lighten 
up a bit and we started to enjoy ourselves. Nothing is more boring than shooting with a squad that can't laugh at themselves...and I would say, the spirit of the squad was lead mostly by CHRISTY, CHADS' wife----she was not shooting this tourney and became designated driver.
After shooting our way around the PRELIM course, I volunteered to buy the beer. Entering the beautifully designed bar area, the crowd was beginning to congregate for refreshments. I 
broke out the microphone and started around the bar once again. SANDY raced to fill orders behind the bar. But I was able to get her out front later, seen here, between MR. BILL DANIELS of WHITE FLYER and Jared. Boy, we can't say enough about WHITE FLYER, probably one of the strongest supporters of our sport and certainly the manufacturer of the the best clay targets on the market! THANX BILL!
BUT WAIT!....some of the RICH & FAMOUS have arrived---------------------------->
MR. SCOTT LINDEN, Executive Producer of "FIELD & STREAM"..."OUTDOOR LIFE"..."WHAT THE DOGS TAUGHT ME" and "CAST & BLAST" fame....radio...TV...and...and, I ask you, what has this man NOT done in the media? SCOTT also agreed to a radio interview. I think mostly because I trapped him behind a table with CARLO and would not let either of them out..lol..lol..but none the less, SCOTT was the gentleman, and secretly ...though under some pressure--->admitted to why he was there, since he was NOT shooting in the Tourney. But, you have to see it on TRIGGER SPORTS RADIO if you want to know the inside edition on the negotiations....I mean, just l
ook at that face. Do you think he may know the actual hiding place of Jimmy Hoffa's body, in the desert?? lol..lol..That is the look of a guy with a lot of secrets and he made a quick exit to get out of there before I squeezed any more information out of him, like ----> what was in Al Capones' vault that Geraldo discovered, anyway?? All kidding aside, SCOTT LINDEN is a guy you have to meet. THANX SCOTT! I am going to call you and get you on the show again.
Now before I get tooooo far away from the PRELIM, I just want to mention someone who I have heard about but never met, GREG TEDESCO. Talk about a guy who has only recently arrived on the SPORTING scene and shot his way to the top! Some of us are just born with talent! Greg brought his FAST BOAT reputation to SPORTING CLAYS and has rocketed to the top. We will be hearing more from Greg and his boat racing in another blog....GOOD LUCK GREG!
DAY 2--THE MAIN:
Now...here is a team that is as good as it gets, AND more fun than many!
From left to right-->MIKE McFARLIN--> BIG BRAD LANDRETH-->MR. JERRY SINKOVEC--->TEXAS', GORDON HART--"FAST BOAT", GREG TEDESCO!!!
Jerry and I know one another because we are in simular industries. Jerry is a top Photographer for CLAYSPORTS Mag. and we have been squadded together once before, at the Zone 7 shoot. Jerry surpassed any of the shooting I had seen him do in the past. Jerry was " RIGHT ON" those targets and scored well by the end of the Main Event. It is always good to shoot with people you have met and shot with before...thanX for the support Jerry! Having said that...both Mike and Gordon pulled me forward with encouragement.
Shooting behind guys like Greg, you always learn something-- Greg, ease back on that throttle " FAST BOAT", stick with us... we all need your support...we actually share secrets of success and count on fellow squad members for support....boy, I would look over my shoulder and see Greg ZOOMING off to the next station, before the smoke cleared on his rotation..lol..lol..Greg, just kidding pal, it was a pleasure shooting with you.
As we assended around the course, on our final day, I ran into the man responsible for setting the
traps....MR DAVE FIELDER! He confidently drove around in his cart watching as low class and no class shooters, like me, punched holes in the sky. I saw you snickering up on the hill...---> what was that station where one in-commer was on the left and dropped off suddenly into an arroyo...then from atop "Mount Baldy" , this dark spot in the sky, slowly desended from the sun god and spun off to the left like a meteor....sure...sure...you stayed up all night laughing about that one! Dave is a gracious man by reputatiion and we agreed to meet after the shoot for a "LIVE" interview on the radio...
Hey shooters, if you're not getting the FREE CD of the Trigger Sports Radio Show in the mail, you're going to miss this interview!
THANX DAVE! It was a great shoot.This hired gun travels all over the country...in his own words, "Just me, myself and I" trying to challenge SPORTING shooters from coast to coast. Keep up the good work.
Now, let me just say this right here....JOSH GOMEZ--> SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TOP GUNS is one of the guys who keeps DAVE FIELDER awake at night... trying to outwit a young gun is a task. JOSH is a rising star in this Sport and his coach is "THE, JIM PORTER"!! Seen here with TWO of his students at this shoot.
Hey Jim, it's okay to actually smile when someone is going to take your picture...lol.
Again Shooters, I had a good interview with JOSH on the radio so call MONICA or CATHLEEN ----> 888-785-2876 and get a copy of the FIOCCHI SHOW.
Well, it's time to quit...I am leaving for the US OPEN, the TEXAS STATE shoot as well as the DIAMOND CLASSIC, so we will begin the "ROAD SHOW" edition next week.
SEE YOU ON THE RADIO!
P.S. WARNING, WARNING, WARNING
To all you new shooters or those, like me, in paperwork purgitory, double check your entries at registration to be sure you are signed up for the events you want to shoot.
Although I shot well and won my class it was not in the main, due to an oversight on the registration. Ugh!!
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