I think the intent of these awards is being forgotten. These awards are not typically given at local club matches. They are most always given at State, Regional, and National matches.
It's real nice to give these awards at these larger matches. They are given to give more shooters a chance to get an award. A lot of folks travel a long way to get there and it's nice to have a momento if you shoot well.
Let me use my own recent experience as an example. I traveled from Pa to Az to shoot the Arizona State Cowboy matches. In the PCLA match I shot the 4th highest score with a 68X40, I am a master shooter and a Senior. Since they did not give 2nd and 3rd Open the awards, that put me at 4th Master with no award. The 3rd place Master winner was also a Senior so I was awarded the High Senior. Now after traveling 2400 miles th shoot that match, and shooting a decent score I was very grateful to receive the high Senior award. It was a nice award also.
The next day in the CLA match I placed 2nd in Master class and shot the highest Senior score. The Senior award was given to the next highest Senior shooter, and that didn't bother me one bit. I won a nice class award and I was happy with that.

Al Foust

My personal thoughts are this, I have been shooting for awhile and I have all the 2nd and 3rd place master trophies that I'll ever need and I imagine most master class shooters do also. I would rather see those trophies go to the lower classes, it would mean more to them IMHO.

In reference to Dustin's original question should we differentiate between sexes. I believe it is dependent on the game being played. Air, cowboy, SB or HP. In air and SB I feel It is implying that women are less than men and we have all seen that is most definitely NOT the case. I used to shoot Air, SB, and HP with a vey talented young woman who has many national records. When she would get the high woman awards I would tease her about it. And she would respond by holding it up and smiling. It was great fun but the message remains. I really like the junior and senior awards though. I'm unsure how I feel about this in High Power though. The men have a larger physical stature which may enable them to endure recoil better. Although the same young lady shot my 6.5x55 at thirteen without problems. And also set National records in HP. So again I'm not sure. I have no experience with Cowboy so I'd have to defer to other shooters on that aspect.

There are not many women in Cowboy lever, but there are several that are quite good. I don't know if they are at a disadvantage or not, but the rifles are quite light, so I'm not sure what the disadvantage might be.

I mostly shoot BPCR silhouette and there are very few women in that game and fewer still at BPTR (paper targets out to 1000). The guns are much heavier but they are supported on cross sticks except for shooting chickens. It would be nice to see more women in the matches and if the high woman trophies bring out the few that are there, all the better.

BrentD wrote:It would be nice to see more women in the matches and if the high woman trophies bring out the few that are there, all the better.

Does anyone here really think a high woman trophy will bring out new female shooters?

I'm relatively new to this sport, and I didn't start (nor would I stop) based on the trophies that I can or can not win.
Except of course for the coveted High Lefty Award, that would bring us running!

Just for the record 24 women shot the Cowboy nationals last year at Raton.

Al Foust

And roughly 125 males or so. BPCR would be lucky to pull 1/2 that percentage.

I have given this topic some more consideration.
As a male competitor my opinion should not carry any weight, let the ladies figure it out,(IF) it's a problem.
As a match director I do have an opinion, and if we are going to give special category awards at a match;high woman will be included. If anyone in any of these categories finds their award offensive or discrimatory, they could simply decline to accept it.

" If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it "

Al Foust

For example does high super senior really mean anything when you might be the only high senior at the match?

I am counting on it - I figure if I keep shooting long enough I will win something.

JimF, Not going to happen. I waited to become a super senior just to find out that all the top shooters were also becoming super seniors. I can only hope I out live somebody.
ppkny

ppkny wrote:JimF, Not going to happen. I waited to become a super senior just to find out that all the top shooters were also becoming super seniors. I can only hope I out live somebody.
ppkny

They should give out a 'last shooter standing' award to the oldest shooter!

They should give out a 'last shooter standing' award to the oldest shooter

And that would have been won many times over by Carlos Soler.
In answer to Dustins question, to many of us long term women shooters the answer is no, but to many of the new shooters yes. If you follow the spreading of the award to the person not winning class/overall award it is key to the winner of a special category.

Mary

I cannot vote either "yes" or "no" because I feel that both a High Lady and a High Man award should be given. If the High Lady or High Man is the Match Winner then the Gender Class Award by default goes to the next highest person. While we are discussing awards, think about this. With the computer age, it would be great to see overall 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and maybe down to 15th or 20th Place Awards handed out in addition to the regular Class Awards with the total number of Overall awards determined by the number of entries and significance of the Match. The Olympics and most International non-Silhouette events only give out awards to the first three finishers but that is not good for the spirit and promotion of Silhouette.