Dear friends of WGC,

I want to thank each of you for the great support for the last 23 years that we have hosted the premier silhouette event in the world at Winnsboro Gun Club.

When Jerry and I started on this great journey we never realized how much fun we would have and how many close friends we would get to know. We originally started the match in 1990 to perpetuate the sport in Louisiana and to host a match second to none. Through persistence, guidance from many great silhouette shooters from all over the country, strong community support, Louisiana Department of Tourism support and the generous national sponsors; we were able to hold matches that no one had envisioned.

Due to the standards that Jerry and I held our selves and Club up to there is no one to take up the mantle and hold an event equal to the Last Dance Match. We were successful with the Party last year and Dustin Flint and his committee held a great match, but Jerry and I are just plain tired and will retire permanently this year from running any events at Winnsboro Gun Club. This does not mean there will not be any future silhouette events, but we are letting our sponsors know that this is the last year.

Jerry and I hope that each of you will attend our last party this year June 6 - 7. The fee will be $75/person that will include all that you have been accustomed to. We are expanding the cooking contest and promise an event with many special moments and surprises. We will send out details soon along with the online program. We have already received scopes, rifles, knives ,hearing protectors and several other great items from our sponsors with many more to come.

In closing, I want to personally thank a few that really helped me throughout the last 23 years. First is my great friend Jerry Breithaupt who kept me grounded and focused on the big picture. Robert Massey, Dennis Glasscock and the late Chuck Deason gave good advice when asked and not even asked and were totally honest in how we could improve the matches for the benefit of the competitors. I want to mention William Zander, Teresa Everheart and Bill and Mary Slaughter for the encouragement and insight to host a party last year. It was a lot of fun but more work than Jerry and I had envisioned. The most important person throughout the last 23 years in hosting this match is Robin Ulmer, who did over 50% of the hard work herself and made this match successful and the smoothest run match in the world.

One more item is that without the support of my wife Debbie and my daughters I could not have accomplished what we did with this match. I know that they are extremely relieved that this is my last year!

Thank you again for your support and we hope to see you in June.

I'm sad I never got to attend one of your parties. Sure you won't go just ONE more year? ;)

Jerry and I discussed this about a month ago to be sure and it is a fact at this is our last year. I am sure that Dustin and his committee will be hosting an event each year as we have been told by our Australian friends that we had the best Smallbore silhouette range in the world and it needs to be utilized since we cannot remove our racks and backstops easily. We will sell our four portable units and if anyone or club is interested, let us know. They are on skids that includes the stacked racks and metal backstops along with swinging animals between each bank. They are numbered 6-10.

After missing the first few years we caught on to the madness in '95 and haven't missed since. Helluva ride. Anyone not appreciating the magnitude of this event has not been paying attention. We even proved that you don't even have to shoot to have fun at a rifle match... this could've been the Louisiana Pumpkin Throwing Contest and would have still been a hoot... but that's due to all the hard work put into it by Robin, Jerry, and David. At least we get one more shot at it this June. To quote the late Hunter Thompson, "Buy the ticket, take the ride."

We are working on a championship-level match to be held each year at Winnsboro Gun Club after 2014. As David mentioned, the range is the best in the world and it would not do to be used only as a site for a local match. So, there is a good chance that there will still be a big match at WGC each June into the future.

HOWEVER, unless David and Jerry change their minds, there is a 100% chance that this will be the LAST "Southern Nationals." Everyone involved with this event puts forth a LOT of work securing sponsors and making sure all of the non-shooting events and activities are second-to-none. The "Southern Nationals" is a lot more than a shooting tournament; and if you shoot silhouette and have never been, I strongly advise you to make it happen this year!

For this year, our match fees will be the same as last year: $25 for all Air rifles (matches on Friday), $25 for Smallbore Standard Rifle (matches on Saturday), and $25 for Smallbore Hunter Rifle (matches on Sunday). Each of those fees are $15 for Juniors. Even with the additional $75 party fee, that is the best deal on a silhouette match in the world.

Please note that the smallbore matches will be limited to the first 120 shooters who send in registration!! When David puts the packet up, please send in your registration ASAP because the match may fill up fast.

As for the future at WGC, we have a very interesting idea in the works. It's different but still purely silhouette. The match will have lots of shooting and lots of good food (and maybe some beer). If you've ever been to one of the matches that we run in south Louisiana you know that you wont find better food at any match anywhere. More info on future matches at WGC later.

For now, please make plans to make this year's Southern Nationals. After the "Last Dance" match I was able to convince David and Jerry to keep it going. I have already tried to convince them this year but it's not happening!

Dustin

Well, I thought about it, and I think I decided to make the drive out to Winnie this year.