2003 NATIONAL TROPHY PISTOL MATCHES
Marine and Army Shooters Take Top Honors
Junior Shooters Impress the Veterans


The annual National Trophy Pistol Matches took place at Camp Perry, Ohio on Sunday, July 20th, in conjunction with the 2003 Centennial National Rifle and Pistol Matches. Approximately 600 competitors stepped to the firing line. The National Trophy Matches were inaugurated by an act of Congress in 1903. They feature competitions between the nation's best service and civilian shooters and teams in service (military) pistol and rifle events.

In individual competition, the winner of the President's Pistol Trophy was Sergeant Robert Park, United States Marine Corps. Sergeant Park bested all other shooters in the President's Match with a score of 381-15x out of a possible 400. In addition to receiving the prestigious President's Trophy, the winner traditionally receives a letter of congratulations from the President of the United States. Sergeant Park also won the Military Police Corps Trophy that is awarded to the individual shooter who fired the highest individual score in the National Trophy Pistol Team Match.

Continuing a trend of Marine Corps domination of National Trophy individual honors, Gunnery Sergeant Brian Zins, USMC, took top honors in the National Trophy Individual Match. Zins was awarded the General Custer Trophy for his score of 289-10x out of a possible 300.

The Marines, however, did not win all of the most important awards. With a scant one-point margin of victory, the United States Army Marksmanship Unit Blue Team won the Gold Cup Trophy that is awarded to the overall winner in the National Trophy Pistol Team Match. The USAMU Team fired a score of 1115-32x out of 1200. The United States Marine Corps Scarlet Team placed second with a score of 1114-29x.

For the first time, the CMP allowed junior shooters to shoot .22 caliber pistols in the National Trophy Pistol Matches, instead of traditional centerfire service pistols. The new rules were implemented to encourage more junior participation in the National Matches. Juniors could choose between the service calibers and.22 caliber pistols, but the Junior Trophy and Junior Team Trophy were awarded to juniors who fired .22 cal. pistols. Heather Deppe, a twelve-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, won the Junior Individual Trophy with her score of 270-1x out of a possible 300 points. The Michigan Rifle and Pistol Association Junior Team won the Junior Pistol Team Trophy with a score of 512-6x. MRPA team members were Lauren Duthie and Teresa Meyer. Their coach was Joseph Tekelly.

For complete final results of the National Trophy Pistol Matches and for information on the National Trophy Rifle Matches to be held at Camp Perry August 5-9, log onto the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) website at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi where online results were posted from the firing line as they are shot…something never before done for the National Matches.