From the Shooting Sports USA archives: Former Managing Editor Chip Lohman’s match report from the 2014 Bianchi Cup National Action Pistol Championship, where Kevin Angstadt stunned the competition world with his first victory at the match. As published in the July 2014 digital magazine.
35th Anniversary Bianchi Cup National Action Pistol Championship
By Chip Lohman
Like a photo finish at the Kentucky Derby or the final lap of the Indy 500, the 2014 Bianchi Cup Champion was determined on the last shot, of the last event, on the last day of the three-day match. Since 1990, Doug Koenig has won the Bianchi Cup 15 times, but this year’s score of 1918-182X earned him second place (among 295 contestants, the largest attendance so far). While some may ask “What went wrong?”—let’s examine what went right.
When Koenig fired his last 25-yard shot as the tombstone target made its 6-second pass from left to right, he knew immediately that it was outside the eight-inch 10-ring. Keep in mind that the preceding 191 shots for the week were all bullseyes. Those of us standing nearby could see his understated reaction, which was simply mouthing the word “ooh.” There was no exaggerated look to the sky, no grimace or drama. He calmly waited for his targets, confirmed what he already knew, thanked the range officer holding the targets and exited the range. He rebounded to win the Open class Colt Speed event the next morning.
We don’t need a calculator to tabulate what Doug Koenig has done right. He was the first to shoot a perfect score at Bianchi in 1990; he’s won the Cup 15 times, all with perfect scores except in 2008, and he holds the Bianchi record of 1920-187X, fired in 2011. That’s 192 bullseyes, of which 187 were inside the four-inch X-ring. Did I mention his sixth World Action Pistol victory the week prior to this year’s Cup? Congratulations Doug for your dedication, for raising the bar and for your sportsmanship.
Having won 60+ State and Regional matches, this is 2014 Bianchi Cup Champion Kevin Angstadt’s 15th Cup and his first “clean”—the only one to do so at this year’s Championships. No newcomer to the sport, Angstadt has been on every USA Action Pistol Team since 2006. Angstadt shot an 1890-171X last year with a 450/480 on the mover. He apparently put in the hours on a practice mover since then, rewarding him with a mover score this year of 480-35X.
Said Angstadt: “The dream for all action pistol shooters is to come here and shoot a 1920. I was just hoping to get second place, but to win the whole thing? That’s unreal.”
The Pennsylvania native is sponsored by Midsouth Shooters, Safariland and Zero Bullets.
Amidst her television production schedule for NRA All Access and Taurus sponsorship duties, Ladies Champion Jessie Harrison put aside a few practice weeks to fine tune her shooting in preparation for the Bianchi Cup’s unique demands.
Responding to National Champion Julie Golob on “Gun Girl Radio,” Harrison said: “Other events put your adrenaline to good use with running between targets and shooting fast. In Bianchi, you stand and shoot. There’s no running to help shake off the nerves. When I stepped up to the first target on the Practical this year, my hands were shaking. I really have to work at staying calm, especially on the Mover where all eyes are on you.”
NRA National Police Pistol Champion and Marine Corps Team Member Kevin Worrell took the top honor in the Bianchi Metallic division in 2014.
After 30+ years of professional shooting, Production Champion Rob Leatham is still busy winning and loving every minute of it. He recently became the second person to win all six USPSA divisions, the most recent one being the revolver division. Julie Golob was the first. As Leatham jokingly points out, “She did it with a revolver I loaned her. So, technically, both titles were won with Leatham guns.”
Leatham’s first Bianchi match was in 1982. He has stood on the winner’s podium at Bianchi so often that NRA now orders the trophies with his name already engraved (just kidding). Watch for a feature article with Leatham later this year, after he shoots Bullseye Pistol at Camp Perry this month. For those new to the Bianchi Cup course-of-fire, see our previous article here.
2014 BIANCHI CUP NATIONAL ACTION PISTOL CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD
NEW SHOOTERS
One of the hurdles for growing our sport is to avoid the appearance of being an elite group. When new shooters come to a match to watch, they have overcome several challenges, including just finding the range. We should all extend a friendly hand to make them feel welcome. Apparently, the Bianchi Cup has done just that because the “new shooter” category continues to grow. The number of unclassified shooters in 2014 reached 98—up from 79 last year.
Two new (new to Bianchi anyway) “tyros” in 2014 included reigning High Woman Record Holder in service rifle Julia Watson and six-time Woman’s National Bullseye Pistol Champion Kimberly Hobart. Both competed this year and when asked, said, “We’ll be back!”
MISSING IN ACTION
Absent this year were:
Enoch Smith: Border Patrol’s Enoch Smith, last year’s Production Champion, was picked up by another agency and was attending their academy when the first shot went downrange at Bianchi in 2014.
Carl Bernosky: National Rifle Champion and last year’s second place Bianchi winner Carl Bernosky was recovering from a back injury. He hopes to be well enough to shoot at the National Matches later this month.
Randi Rogers: Third place overall in the Production division last year, Randi Rogers had to bow out this year to film the next season of Ammo & Attitude in New Mexico.
So, with the 35th Bianchi Cup filed away in the record books, practice for next year begins today. Visit Coming Events and sign up for an Action Pistol Match. There’s no time like the present!
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