RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
A group of retired Airmen and civilians who have found a home at the range have shot Randolph into international prominence.
Five members of the Randolph Air Force Base Skeet Shooting Club, who shoot at the range not far from the east flightline, have earned top billing on the National Skeet Shooting Association's 2009 Class All-American teams.
Matthew Hansen was chosen "captain" - or the highest-rated shooter - in Class AAA, the highest classification, while Shawn Scott led all Class AA shooters. Gregg Paillex topped Class A, Henry Wurzburg placed first in Class B and Arnold Dubcak earned top spot in Class C.
Another Randolph shooter, Harry Frey, placed second in Class D, just 14 points behind the leader. Randolph had no representative in Class E, the final classification.
"We've been the top small club in the nation for five years," said Denny Taylor, Randolph outdoor recreation manager. "To pull this off is really good."
Paillex said placement on the NSSA's first-ever class teams is based on the number of points accumulated over the shooting year.
"Points are earned by winning gauge events," he said. "The system is a little complicated ... but it is numbers-based with no subjectivity involved. You win, you get points."
Paillex also said Randolph shooters accounted for nearly 13 percent of the 233 team members chosen nationwide.
In skeet shooting, participants, usually four to six in a group, typically use double-barrel over-and-under shotguns to break clay targets, or "pigeons," from different positions on the course. The clay targets are released from a "high house" and "low house" when the shooter yells "Pull."
"It's not an easy sport," Taylor said, noting consistency is the key to success. "It's pretty competitive. You have to shoot good every time."
Other members of the Randolph club also earned placement on first teams - Bill Tanner and David Lamascus in AAA, John Rodriguez in AA, Hugh Milner and Bob Henderson in A, Dennis Gates and Phil Nikel in B and Walter Jackson, Louis Levy and Frank Edmondson in C.
Club members shoot for points at the Randolph range on Tuesday and compete in tournaments on weekends at Randolph and around the state and the nation.
"Texas has lots and lots of shoots," Wurzburg said. "It's the most competitive of all the states."
He attributed much of the Randolph club's success to its members and its home.
"It's a good group of people who have been shooting together for a long time, and the Services organization is friendly," Wurzburg said. "It's more economical here, too."
Paillex said San Antonio, home to the National Skeet Shooting Association, is a hub of skeet-shooting activity.
"We live in an area where there are a lot of shooters," he said. "San Antonio is a mecca of world skeet shooting. There are a lot of ranges in the local area."
Paillex said Randolph shooters "have a facility that allows us to shoot a lot," and their wives understand that when Tuesday rolls around.
"We shoot and they go shopping," he said.