Robert Steketee Wins 2011 As-Issued John C. Garand Match in Tie-Breaker over John Hefner

CAMP PERRY, OHIO – Robert Steketee, 61, of Haslett, Michigan, won the 2011 John C. Garand Match in a 3X tie-breaker over John Hefner, 28, of Gilmer, Texas, on Saturday, 6 August. Both shooters fired 292, just missing the match record set by Kurt Palmer (293-6X) in 2009. Steketee broke the X-ring 11 times to Hefner’s eight to decide the match.

Robert Steketee, left, was recognized by Jim Adell, Garand Collectors Association board member, center, and COL John C. Harris, Jr., Ohio Army National Guard Assistant Adjutant General, as the winner and high senior of the 2011 John C. Garand Match. Steketee was also the high Garand shooter in the President’s Rifle Trophy Match.

Steketee and Hefner both cleaned their prone slow-fire stages (perfect 100’s) and Hefner followed with all 10’s in his prone rapid-fire stage, edging Steketee who fired a 98. The Michigander returned the favor in the offhand stage, firing a 94 to the Texan’s 92 which deadlocked the pair at 292. Steketee’s 7 to 4 X-count in prone slow-fire was a deciding factor in the win.

Members of the Ohio Patriot Guard motorcycle group attended the 2011 CMP Games Matches awards ceremony on Saturday, 6 August. The Ohio Patriot Guard was on hand to pay tribute to members of the M1 for Vets who participated in this year’s matches.

Franco Scarpino, 64, of Pembroke, Massachusetts, placed third with an x-count tie-breaker over Steven Skowronek, 25, of Irwin, Pennsylvania, 291-8X to 291-6X, respectively.
 

Led by J.J. O’Shea, founder of the M1 for Vets organization, all in attendance at the Games Matches awards ceremony bowed their heads for a minute of silence in recognition of recent fallen armed service members serving overseas. M1 for Vets provides opportunities for wounded veterans to participate in rifle matches across the country.

Among juniors firing the as-issued John C. Garand Match, Robert Davis, 18, of Wichita Falls, Texas placed first (281-1X), followed by Ian Foos, 14, of Bellevue, Ohio (277-3X) and Mitchell Hogg, 20, of Kennard, Texas (274-4X).

J.J. O’Shea accepts a check from the Garand Collectors Association’s Jim Adell in the amount of $5,000 to help fund the programs of the M1 for Vets program.

Steketee, who was also high senior in the match, placed first among the 32 shooters who fired their as-issued M1 Garand rifles in the President’s Rifle Match on Monday, 1 August. He fired a 279-6X. Gary Leginza, 47, of Livonia, Michigan, (272-5X) and David Holub, 56, of Black Creek, Wisconsin, (272-4X), placed second and third.
 

LTC Andrew Hanson, U.S. Army, receives his award as high M1 Garand competitor in the 2011 National Trophy Rifle Individual Match from Jim Adell, GCA board member.

There were also 27 competitors who fired M1 Garand rifles in the National Trophy Individual (NTI) Rifle Match on 2 August. LTC Andrew Hanson, U.S. Army, 39, placed first with a score of 469-6X. David Holub placed second (465-8X) and Franco Scarpino was third (464-7X).

Members of the Garand Collectors Association Indiana rifle team were awarded first place plaques for winning the high Garand team category during the National Trophy Team Match.

Travis Rushing, 42, of Davidson, North Carolina, won the Unlimited John C. Garand class, firing a 292-9X. Rushing topped David Twibell, 17, of Guyton, Georgia (also 292-9X) in a double-tiebreaker. Rushing fired a 94-1X in offhand to Twibell’s 93-2X.

A spent .30-06 cartridge and M1 Garand eight-round clip eject from the action of a competitor’s rifle as she fires her last rapid-fire shot.

An Unlimited M1 Garand is an M1 Garand-type rifle that does not comply with CMP Competition Rule 6.3 for As-Issued M1 Garands. Unlimited M1 Garands include, but are not limited to the following:

• National Match M1 Garands or M1 Garands with “NM” parts other than NM operating rods.

• M1 Garands modified to fire the 7.62mm NATO cartridge.

• M1 Garands with accurizing modifications such as glass bedding, sight adjustments finer than one minute of angle, modified upper hand guards, etc.
 
• Commercial, replica or foreign manufactured M1 Garands.

• M1 Garands with U.S. Government glass bedding or shims.

Peter Kastelen, 28, of Commerce Township, Michigan, left, and Chad Harris, 28 of Madison Heights, Michigan made their first trip to Camp Perry for the John C. Garand Match and used Harris’ M1 rifle. Both said they are looking forward to coming back next year.

The John C. Garand Match brought out 1,213 shooters in 2011. Twelve years ago, the CMP inaugurated the match and, with it, an exciting new concept in target competition. The Garand Match is a unique competition where shooters fire older “as-issued” military rifles over a course of fire that makes target shooting accessible to thousands of shooters, many of whom do not participate in traditional target competitions.

Adam Kobos, 26, of Chicago, Illinois, left, enjoyed his fifth year at Camp Perry and Dennis Boyle, 27, of Greenwood, Indiana made this third appearance at the National Matches in 2011. Both competitors were shooting the Garand and Vintage Military rifle matches.

The Garand Match, like CMPs associated games matches; give shooters the opportunity to reenact military and marksmanship history and the feature camaraderie and a relaxed, fun-filled, yet challenging experience.

For complete results of the John C. Garand Match, log onto http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/report_matchResult.cgi?matchID=6544. To view, download and order photos from the matches, log onto http://cmp1.zenfolio.com. 

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