My 2023 Championship Match Schedule

Plus a few extra matches worth the trip!

“Always plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” — Richard Cushing

At the end of very year I schedule my shooting year and send an email to our local shooters in south Louisiana and the surrounding area containing my shooting calendar for the next year. Now that I have this cool newsletter I figured I’d share it with all of you. Of course, it’s very early and all of the matches haven’t been officially announced yet and the dates to some of these matches aren’t set in stone; but the dates listed are probably accurate. Also, the Monarch Cup matches have not been announced yet so there will likely be some adjustments to my schedule once we know these matches. Some of these matches I’m tentatively planning to attend — I may or may not be able to attend depending on the Monarch Cup and the parts of my life that don’t revolve around shooting.

So, without further ado, here is my 2023 championship match schedule:

February 25-26 — The Coop Shoot (Indoor Air Rifle), Jonesboro, Louisiana

This is the season opener every year. The early part of the season is very heavy on air rifle down here in the south and this is the kickoff. It is the best indoor air rifle silhouette match in the world at the most technologically advanced indoor air rifle silhouette range in the world.

March 18-19 — Shamrock Silhouette Shootout (Outdoor Air Rifle), Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The best outdoor air rifle silhouette regional in the country! Also includes air pistol silhouette, benchrest air rifle silhouette and several other cool airgun silhouette games.

April 1-2 — Spindletop Championship (Smallbore), Beaumont, Texas

This is a very competitive top-notch regional championship. Also includes a great air rifle silhouette regional on Friday afternoon!

April 29-30 — Conard Bernhardt Championship (Smallbore), Pe Ell, Washington

This one is TENTATIVE: I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be a Monarch Cup match for 2023. This is the top smallbore silhouette regional in the country. Great match with outstanding competition. Everyone should try to make this one at least once. It’s also extremely cold.

May 6-7 — Louisiana Silhouette Championship (Smallbore & Air Rifle), Gonzales, Louisiana

This is the Louisiana state championship in both smallbore and air rifle silhouette. State championships awarded in Standard & Hunter Smallbore rifles and Open, Target & Sporter air rifles. This one likely won’t be cold.

June 10-11 — Missouri Highpower Silhouette Regional Championship (Highpower), St. Louis, Missouri

It’s true, the rams don’t fall in Missouri; but other than that this match is outstanding. The club is absolutely amazing. You get to shoot 240 highpower shots over two days and the food is excellent!

June 18-21 — U.S. Lever Action Silhouette National Championships (Lever Action), Ridgway, Pennsylvania

This is VERY TENTATIVE: If the stars align and I can make this match I’m mostly going to get to shoot in Ridgway, a place that I LOVE, and I’ll be most excited to shoot the next match on this list.

June 24-25 — Sierra Classic (Highpower), Ridgway, Pennsylvania

Also VERY TENTATIVE: It’s highpower in Ridgway, what else needs to be said? I think June is still winter in Pennsylvania but if I can make it up to PA I’m sure I’ll get to enjoy a great match.

July 17-23 — United States Smallbore & Highpower Silhouette National Championships (Smallbore & Highpower), Raton, New Mexico

The U.S. Nationals. These dates were just announced today. They may be backed up by one day to follow the normal schedule of starting on Sunday and finishing on Saturday. This is also one of the Monarch Cup matches.

TBA (August, September, or October) — Monarch Cup Final (Smallbore), Somewhere in Mexico

This has not been announced yet so I don’t know when or where. The Monarch Cup is the biggest show in the silhouette world and there is nothing like shooting in Mexico. If the good Lord wills it I’ll be there!

September 2-3 — Tulsa Red Castle Regional (Smallbore & Highpower), Tulsa, Oklahoma

This match may be at the beginning or end of September depending on the Monarch Cup match dates. This one has it all; you should put it on your calendar! You get smallbore on Saturday, highpower on Sunday, and you get to shoot red targets!

October 21-22 — Louisiana Highpower Silhouette State Championship (Highpower), Zwolle, Louisiana

The oldest annual silhouette match in the country at the Fenway Park of silhouette ranges. If you shoot highpower, this is a can’t-miss match!

November 11-12 — Texas Smallbore State Championship (Smallbore), Houston, Texas

I actually have no idea whether this will be the Texas state championship. It’s up to the Texas “Smallbore Silhouette Director” which is apparently a very hotly contested elected office. The word is that the state championship will either be in Houston or in El Paso, which I think is right next to California. If the state championship goes to California, there will hopefully be a smallbore regional in Houston on this date. Either way, this is a great match at a great range!

December 9-10 — Drue Wands Invitational (Lever Action), Arnaudville, Louisiana

This is the Louisiana Lever Action Silhouette state championship. It’s an invitational and it’s hard to get into but its a fun match and extremely competitive. We got mud on the range this year so the board of directors is mad at me but I’ll try to convince them to let us have the match again next year. Being a match director is so much fun…

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That’s it for my schedule. The following matches are ones that I won’t be able to make this year but are definitely matches that you need to put on your list. If I was a rich bachelor like Bruce Finley I’d go to all these matches but I have to show up to the office and family events sometime.

March 11-12 - Arizona Highpower Silhouette State Championship (Highpower), Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona is a great state for silhouette. Their championship matches are shot at Ben Avery, which is one of the nicest ranges in the country. The crowds are huge and there are lots of great shooters. The Arizona Highpower, Smallbore and Lever Action championships are worth the trip to the desert. (I think the Arizona Department of Wildlife gives $1,000 or something if you can beat John Mullins in the state of Arizona!)

June 3-4 — The Ironman (Smallbore & Highpower), Missoula, Montana

This is a classic bucket-list type match with tons of shooting at one of the most beautiful silhouette ranges in the world. Plus it’s in Montana, which is one of the coolest states. It’s probably super cold but this is one to travel to!

July 4-8 — Western Lever Gun Championship (Lever Action), Raton, New Mexico

For all you Lever Action shooters out there, you’ve gotta go to this one! 130+ shooters at the legendary Whittington Center. Lots of prizes and the best competition in all of Lever Action silhouette. I wish I could go.

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For those of you in and around south Louisiana, this is the current local club match schedule for 2023:

HIGHPOWER in Gonzales, LA on the FIRST Sunday afternoon of the month (beginning in MARCH; gate opens around 1:30) 

AIR RIFLE at the airgun range in Baton Rouge, LA on the SECOND Sunday afternoon (gate opens around 1:30). 

SMALLBORE at SMGA (Mississippi) on the THIRD Saturday morning (Contact Woody Walk for details)

SMALLBORE in Gonzales, LA on the FOURTH Saturday morning (gate opens about 8:30)

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Put the matches you think should be on my list in the comments below. Whether you go to one of these matches or choose other championships, I hope you all shoot a ton of silhouette in 2023. Be on the lookout for lots of big announcements in the world of silhouette this season. There are great things happening all over North America!

I wish you all a very MERRY CRISTMAS celebrating the most wonderful gift in the history of humanity, the birth of Jesus Christ. I hope 2023 is your best year yet and until next time, stay warm and keep shooting!