2007 “Camp Perry Centennial” National Matches Close - National Matches Highpower Match Director Jim Hill had the honor of firing the canon that signaled “colors” at the Matches one last time on 14 August as the 2007 “Camp Perry Centennial” National Matches came to a close. It was Hill’s last day as Match Director after serving in that capacity for the CMP and NRA highpower rifle championships for the past 13 years. It was a memorable ending to a great National Matches and one more special experience in one of the most remarkable careers in marksmanship.

2007 National Matches Were a Record Year for CMP Matches - Now that the 2007 “Camp Perry Centennial” National Matches are over, it is a good time to look back on the matches to assess what happened and to give accolades for the most outstanding performances. The biggest stars of the 2007 Matches may well have been the competitors because they came to the matches in record numbers. A total of 4,123 unique individuals participated in CMP events during the pistol, smallbore rifle and highpower rifle phases of the Matches. This number was up two percent over the 2006 total, which was the previous high for participation in all CMP National Matches events.

National Matches Team Matches - Team Matches are a big part of the National Trophy Rifle Matches program. Many shooters and coaches regard the National Trophy Team Match, in particular, as the most important trophy and team championship in American marksmanship. The National Trophy, which was commissioned by the U. S. Congress in 1903, goes to the overall winning team in the National Trophy Team Match, but the Soldier of Marathon Trophy for the top Civilian team, the Hilton Trophy for the top Reserve Component Team and the Minuteman Trophy for the top Junior team, along with the Infantry, Hearst and Whistler Boy Trophies represent especially prestigious team titles that service rifle teams all over the country put great effort into trying to win.

2007 CMP Games Matches Set Records - A full three days of CMP Games Matches now take place at the end of the National Trophy Rifle week during the National Matches. For large numbers of shooters, the John C. Garand, Springfield, Vintage Military Rifle and M1 Carbine Matches are the high point of their shooting year and the experiences they have at Camp Perry while firing in these matches will fuel their enthusiasm for the shooting sports for the whole year to come. The 2007 CMP Games Matches were highlighted by record numbers of competitors in all four of these fast-growing events. The Games Matches also featured lots of fine shooting by competitors who took home record numbers of Gold, Silver and Bronze Achievement Medals.

Marine Corps Shooter Wins National Matches Daniel Boone Trophy - Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Jason Benedict was in CMP Headquarters a few days before the National Trophy Rifle Matches to plan a clinic the Marine Corps Rifle Team was to conduct during the Matches. While he was there, he wrote a prophetic message on a large whiteboard the CMP staff uses to list important tasks to be accomplished. Benedict’s message stated, “prepare M1 Garand for SSgt Benedict.” It referred to the special presentation M1 Garand that the CMP and the National Match Armory of Rendon, Texas would award to the winner of the National Trophy Individual Match that took place at Camp Perry on 31 July.

The President’s Rifle Trophy Match Was An “On The Edge Of Your Seat” Show For Everyone! - The President's Rifle Match was first fired as a military rifle match in 1894. When the National Matches were established in 1903, it was incorporated into the National Matches program and has become one of the most important of all National Matches events. The winner of the President's Match receives a congratulatory letter from the President of the United States, the President’s Rifle Trophy and a presentation M1 Garand rifle. In 1904, Theodore Roosevelt began the tradition of providing a letter of congratulations to the winner and most U. S. Presidents since have honored this practice, including Presidents Clinton and Bush.

National Matches Juniors Learn Advanced Highpower Skills from Marine Shooters - On 27-29 July, during the first three days of the 2007 National Trophy Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, 117 junior highpower rifle shooters from across the country participated in classroom and on-the-range instruction given by the U.S Marine Corps Rifle Team. The CMP-USMC Junior Highpower Camp, which was coordinated by the CMP and conducted by the Marine Corps Team, has become a traditional start of the National Matches as well as a learning opportunity that the country’s best junior highpower service rifle shooters look forward to each year. The clinic includes classroom presentations, on-the-range demonstrations and lots of one-on-one coaching from Marine Corps team members. In order to attend the school, participants must have previously attended a Rifle Small Arms Firing School or achieved an advanced highpower rifle classification.

Army Reserves Support the 2007 National Matches - CAMP PERRY, OHIO – U. S. Army Reserve Soldiers from all over the United States have come to Camp Perry in support of the National Matches sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the National Rifle Association and the Ohio National Guard starting July 8th and continuing through August 14th.   The Army Reserve annually establishes their National Match Training Support Group, which provides the command and control of over 300 Soldiers, most of whom rotate through duty positions while performing annual training. Army Reserve duty at Camp Perry also requires Soldiers to attend classes and training in Warrior and Leader tasks so necessary for all Soldiers in today's world.

New Painting Unveiled at National Matches -- Print Available from CMP - A new “Camp Perry Centennial National Matches” oil painting by renowned Wyoming artist Jerry Antolik was commissioned by the CMP as one of the special events that celebrated the 1907-2007 Camp Perry Centennial. The painting was finished earlier this year and has been on display at the National Matches In-Processing Center throughout the 2007 National Matches. A full-sized print of the painting is now available for purchase from the CMP by anyone interested in target shooting art and National Matches memorabilia.

47 Shooters Earn Their First EIC Points During the National Matches M16 EIC Match - The annual Rifle Small Arms Firing School took place at the Camp Perry on 28-29 July 2007. More than 500 students participated in the classroom instruction, which was followed by a practice firing on Camp Perry’s Viale Range.  The CMP administers the school and the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit conducts SAFS training, range practice and the M16 EIC Match that concludes the school. The USAMU, along with military coaches from other services, are outstanding, experienced instructors and they work hard to give SAFS students two full days of instruction, assistance and guidance. Most students are new to target shooting, but many experienced shooters come back to the school for several years. SAFS students do their firing with rack-grade U.S Military M16 rifles. 5.56 mm ammunition for the practice and competition is provided as well as a SAFS t-shirt, and certificate.

Another Record Year in Rimfire Sporter - 200 shooters gathered on Viale Range at Camp Perry on Sunday, 22 July to participate in the 6th National Rimfire Sporter Match. Last year 169 shooters competed in this fast-growing National Matches event. Match participants were especially lucky this year; the weather was absolutely gorgeous! With the sun shining and a gentle breeze, the day was just that, a breeze. Scores and the spirits of competitors and match staff were high. It was a fantastic day to be at Camp Perry.

A "Behind the Scenes Look" at the NRA Range Engineering staff - CAMP PERRY, OHIO – The National Rifle Association's Range Engineering Crew has been instrumental in providing support for the National Matches since 1968, when Department of Defense support was withdrawn, and this year, it is no different. As part of the NRA’s National Matches partnership responsibilities, Range Engineering crew sets up and maintains the National Matches firing ranges.   One man is tasked with directing this 60-person crew and providing the best ranges possible for the top shooters in the world.  That man is Joseph M. DeCosta, a man with a legacy, high work ethics and a kind heart. 

National Junior Air Rifle Competitions at Bowling Green Have Impressive Turnouts and Scores - From the 2nd to the 12th of July, nearly 700 of the country’s best junior air rifle and air pistol shooters and their coaches competed in a series of major national junior air rifle championships at Bowling Green, Kentucky. The 2007 Daisy Air Rifle Championship, National Junior Olympic Three-Position Air Rifle Championship and USA Shooting Progressive Position Pistol Championship all took place on the beautiful campus of Western Kentucky University. The matches were highlighted by 17-year-old Michaela Jochum’s double victory in the Daisy and Junior Olympic sporter class events, by 17-year-old Ethan Settlemires’ close win over a strong field in the Junior Olympic precision class competition and by overall best Junior Olympic team scores posted by R. L. Paschal High School in sporter and the DuBois Junior Rifle Team in precision.

Eastern United States Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship 2007 - The 2007 Eastern U.S. Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship took place 24-29 June at North Carolina's National Guard Training Site in Butner, North Carolina.  Read about this exciting event by clicking on the articles below.

2nd Annual Eastern U.S. Junior High-Power Clinic and Championship Camp Butner, North Carolina, Kevin Trickett (MA) takes top Junior in the Eastern US Championship - By Maureen Trickett

My Experience at the Eastern U.S. Junior High-Power Clinic and Championship - By Jodi Hilt