I've followed the thread it seemed your two biggest complaints were
1.). Prizes going to the same people..... That's not really gonna change unless you go random draw or semi-random.
2.). New(er) shooters being intimidated. Certainly the division idea can help....but a guy losing with a 6.5cm with a bushnell is still gonna feel he's outgunned by someone with a Schmidt or someone who hand loads, or someone who has access to custom rifles, or places to shoot/practice, gets free barrels or smith work etc.
I've been following this thread with interest.....I'm new to this sport and started a little over a year ago. I've been shooting all my adult life but spent the past 20 or so years hauling horses down the rodeo road and I've witnessed the growth and splintering and re-birth of various associations on the rodeo side.....take the USTRC, it started in the late 80's as a classification and ranking system for team Ropers, hugely successful because it allowed producers (match directors) to hold one event and contestants to compete within their division.....best of all the prize table was geared to the lower divisions and the pros got cash only.......this is what the sponsors want, their stuff to go to new shooters who will use the stuff. This would require an organization to keep track of every members rank, a local board to classify shooters....he'll I got my USTRC card every year with my name printed on it and clarification number for years! I'm. Not sure we want to go here but give me a second to develop my point.......
Another example has been the NBHA barrel racing, back in the day the fastest horse won, every single race....if your horse wasn't the fastest your entry fees went to the girls who was....the sport was dying. They invented a division system within a single race where the fastest one, .5 second off the leader was first in the 2D, 1 second off the fastest won the 3D ect.....allowed for expansion of the sport and contestants to accumulate points in their respective division, have a great day, win the whole thing....have a shitty day and you still have a chance to win a division with the handicap......this way you don't classify contestants but allow them to earn points within divisions based in their performance and award prizes equally in a division.
Now, back to our issue....shot my first local match exactly a year ago with my hunting rifle, loved it went all in and now have a 6.5CM and decent scope...not a gamers rifle but certainly competitive. I shot two matches last year as well, placed 9th out of 57 and 28th out of 61...........now here's my opinion.
1. I think there is too much focus on the equipment side, I agree there is an advantage but I don't see the need to break down shooters on this basis...only limits should be for target integrity and safety.
Instead, allow everyone to shoot and break the final standings into divisions or classifications based off a % of overall match score or placing location within a match, then gear payouts and trips to the table based on divisions....It will allow a chance at good stuff to lower caliber shooters and spread the wealth while maintaining a competitive aspect....and better than a random draw.
Not sure if it should be determined on % of total match score say 0-25% shooter....25-50% rifleman...50-75% marksman....75%+ expert. Or the alternative is to break the final score sheet into equal parts.......shooter 1-25 expert, 26-50 marksman 51-75 rifleman 76-100 shooter........take your pick!
I think there's a lot of opportunity for a local, regional, national format to work here........it's all about the $$ at the end of the day and if you give a new shooter a chance at a rifle cause he won the rifleman division your on to something.
I'm behind anything that provides shooting opportunity.
