Great Outdoor Games staff
There were two winners last year in the shotgun competition at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games.
Robby Purser from Macon, Ga., won the gold medal. A new format — both easier for spectators to understand and more fun for competitors — also was declared a winner.
"Its certainly not boring from a fans standpoint," said Purser, "and it's probably easier for the non-shooter to keep up with. It's just an all-around fun event.
"It seemed like there were a lot of judgment calls on the grid (format used in 2001)."
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| Shotgunner Robby Purser's knack for quick reloading has some rivals in a state of awe. |
"I'm really looking forward to it," said Purser, who defeated silver medallist Tre Sides in the finals of this head-to-head single elimination event.
A round consists of 20 clay targets each for two shooters. Within that round, they alternate shooting at five targets each. The targets are released 3.5 seconds apart. A competitor may have no more than two shells in the shotgun. The targets are released from three machines spaced evenly in an 85-foot line. In each competitor's five targets, two will be "rabbits" — targets rolling and bouncing along the ground — and three will be "teal" — targets thrown relatively straight up in the air.
As in any type of shotgun competition, whether skeet or trap or sporting clays, the obvious key to winning is: don't miss. But in this event you are allowed to shoot at each target as many times as you are able. Being able to reload quickly gives you an edge.
"I shoot sporting clays and I shoot a lot of teal and rabbit targets," said Purser, who won the 1998 National Sporting Clay Championship. "This game is similar to sporting clays."
A reloading expert
Purser was also a winner in the 2002 Sportsmen's Team Challenge, an event where quick reloading is important.
"I really got some good practice for this (last year) by competing in the Team Challenge," Purser said. "I also think my gun is important. The Browning Gold loads from the bottom. You just push the shells in. There's no button to push or anything like that. It loads as fast as anything out there."
Purser may load faster than anyone in the field. It's something he has practiced. In addition to keeping that second shell in the gun when needed, quick reloading allows you more time to concentrate on breaking the target, so you don't need a second shot as much.
Last year, fellow competitor Bobby Fowler watched in awe as Purser slid shells into his gun instantly — again and again and again.
"Look, he's loaded, watch, he's loaded again," said Fowler as he watched Purser during his semifinal match. "The guy is amazing."
Purser says he'll have to be amazing to keep up with some of the "young guns" in this year's competition, particularly 18-year-old Jamie Riggs of Nashville, Tenn., who has been shooting well and practicing for this event.
Motivating Purser is the opportunity to get a gold medal around his neck for the second straight year.
"I certainly enjoyed that last year," said Purser. "And your sponsors tend to be a lot more generous when you get their names on television."
