Terry Wiest
We enjoyed a strong turnout for this year’s Saguaro Classic, overcoming forecasts of high winds. All classes were well represented, with three Springer shooters, seven in Open, and five in Unlimited. The match featured three events: cards at 25 meters, cards at 75 yards (60 yards for springers), and silhouette shooting (“Chicken Little”).
Range master Patrick Shely opened the mandatory safety meeting at 8:50 a.m. Anticipating worsening wind conditions, he wisely started the match with the long-distance event. After a short practice, competition began as the wind steadily picked up.
At 60 yards in Springer, Hogan Liechty earned gold with a 388. Rocco Colicchia and Steve Perry tied at 360, with Rocco winning silver by scoring the only bullseye. In Open, Frank Aerstin shot an outstanding 458 with four X’s for gold, followed by Anita Teschek (434) and Jack Mercer (432). Unlimited saw Terry Wiest take gold with a 458 and seven X’s, David Hell earn silver with 451, and Missouri traveler Chris Peet claim bronze with 432.
The 25 meter event followed amid increasing wind. Steve Perry, in only his second match, captured springer gold with 377. Hogan Liechty took silver with 374, and Rocco Colicchia earned bronze with 328. Frank Aerstin continued his strong day in Open, shooting a superb 476 with 12 X’s for gold, while Jim Graham and Jeff Miller tied for silver at 474 with nine X’s. In unlimited, Chris Peet delivered a standout 496 with 18 X’s for gold, while Terry Wiest edged David Hell by one point for silver at 483, also with 18 X’s.
Thanks to Jim and Sandra, a hot lunch awaited the shooters before the final event. Their consistent generosity and excellent cooking were greatly appreciated.
By the silhouettes event, the wind was fierce. In Springer, Hogan Liechty won gold with 27, followed by Rocco Colicchia (20) and Steve Perry (15). In open, Jack Mercer posted a perfect 32 to take gold, Jim Graham earned silver with 30, and Jeff Miller won a shoot-off for bronze at 70 yards against Frank Aerstin, Jeff Miller, and first-time shooter Sean Ryan. In Unlimited, Terry Wiest shot another perfect score for gold, David Hell took silver with 30, and Chris Peet earned bronze with 29.
Overall class champions were Hogan Liechty (springer), Frank Aerstin (open), and Terry Wiest (unlimited). Sincere thanks to our volunteers—John Livingston, Tom Jackson, Greg Garman, Jim and Sandra, and Patrick Shely—for another outstanding match.