2008 NRA Bianchi Cup
21-24 May 2008
Columbia, Missouri

SSAA junior Matthew Harriman goes prone at
50 yards for the Practical Match.


SSAA members at Bianchi 2008. In front row (L-R):
Brett Foster, Richard Siebert and Matthew Harriman.
In back row (L-R): Allan Harriman, Tom Whitehead,
Brian Hardy and Zeljko Cvetnic.


NRA President John C Sigler addressed the awards
dinner on issues surrounding the Second
Amendment, the forthcoming United States election
and increasing membership of the NRA.


Safariland executive Scott Carnahan, left,
congratulates Victorian Tom Whitehead, who once
again took out the Top Revolver Division using his
Smith & Wesson revolver for a final score of 1912 -
151X. This is the third year in a row that SSAA
members have won this division using Smith &
Wesson products.


After a request from the SSAA, Smith & Wesson
generously donated an S&W M&P 9mm pistol to the
Top Junior competitor. USA competitor Jordan Dick
is congratulated by SSAA team manager Allan
Harriman, left, and NRA director of competitive
shooting division Mike Krei.


Larry Potterfield, CEO of MidwayUSA, left, reflects
upon past Bianchi events with John Bianchi. Professional shooter and Smith & Wesson-sponsored Doug Koenig maintained his dominance of Action Pistol shooting with his 11th win at the 30th NRA Bianchi Cup at the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club in Columbia, Missouri. Koenig won narrowly ahead of former NRA Bianchi Cup Champion Bruce Piatt, claiming victory after a count-back of X-ring hits (1918 -185X to 1918-182X).

Significantly, the 30th event was the milestone at which a change of direction of the NRA Bianchi Cup’s purpose was identified by both NRA officials and guest speaker and Bianchi Cup founder, Mr John Bianchi. Speaking at the pre-match competitors’ meeting, NRA Action Match coordinator Tom Hughes said, “There will be changes and Action Match supporters will be aware of those changes later this year.” It is our guess that the NRA focus will be upon the use of Production and Metallic Sight handguns to be eligible to win the Bianchi Cup.

The SSAA’s commitment to NRA Action Match has been focused upon encouraging all licensed handgun owners to participate in an event that is internationally recognised, demands a high skill level and one that specifically allows the use of ‘production-type’ firearms. The established SSAA ideology fits well into what appears to be the way in which the event will be heading in the future. Competitors were advised that the traditional four stages would remain the same for future events, including the forthcoming World Championships in New Zealand.

Building upon the success of the 2007 team, the SSAA once again sent two teams and a junior to participate in the world’s most prestigious and demanding handgun event. SSAA A team members included New South Wales (Blacktown Pistol Club) member and team captain Allan Harriman, Victorian Zeljko Cvetnic and first time to Bianchi competitor Queenslander Brett Foster. Brett has shot Action Match since 1996. In Open Division, he uses a Smith & Wesson Model 586 with a Tasco scope and Limcat holster, while in Metallic events, he uses his Smith & Wesson Model 14. Zeljko and fellow Victorian Tom Whitehead continue to use Smith & Wesson handguns for this event, with Tom taking out for the second time in three years Top Revolver for the match. Allan Harriman continued with his customised Ray Pulver STI.

The SSAA B team consisted of Victorians Richard Siebert, Brian Hardy and Tom Whitehead, with New South Wales current Junior World Champion Matthew Harriman representing the SSAA in Junior Division. Competing at his eighth Bianchi Cup and a member of the winning SSAA B Team, Victorian Richard ‘Dickie’ Siebert came 21st overall while shooting a personal best in Metallic and personal best Bianchi score in Open Class. “I keep coming back to Bianchi for the challenge and so far, the match keeps just ahead of me. Every year I learn from the experience and those of the world’s best competitors,” said Dickie.

Fifth-time Bianchi entrant Brian Hardy was pleased to be a member of the same team. “I am proud of my fellow Victorian shooters who made up a winning combination,” he said. “The Barricade event was my best score, but fell short of expectations in the Practical event”.

The NRA’s recent efforts to encourage involvement by a broad range of organisations were rewarded when both the US Army and US Marine Corp entered teams for this year’s event, with members winning trophies in the Service Division.

Inspired by the success of the 30th Annual National Action Pistol Championships and its impact on his hometown of Columbia, Larry Potterfield, President of MidwayUSA Inc, pledged a $50,000 cash donation for the 2009 NRA Bianchi Cup. The gift will be used to possibly increase the $95,000 that is currently given out in cash and prizes. “This gift is just another wonderful example of the great generosity of Larry and Brenda Potterfield. They are outstanding citizens who are dedicated at bringing more people to the city of Columbia, Missouri,” said NRA President John C Sigler. “They have always been great supporters of the National Rifle Association and huge promoters of the shooting sports.”

In an exclusive interview for both the NRA and SSAA, Mr Bianchi discussed the history and the future, as he sees it, of the NRA Bianchi Cup. While stocks last, a DVD of this interview will be made available to SSAA members who supply a current membership number and request a copy by email to bianchi@ssaa.org.au

The 2008 NRA Bianchi Cup was proudly supported by Grycol International and Smith & Wesson.

by Allan Harriman

Scroll down or click to go to:
Match 1: Practical Event
Match 2: Barricade Event
Match 3: Moving Target Event
Match 4: Falling Plate Event
Match 8: Teams Event

Match 1: Practical Event
	Comp #	Competitor	Class	Score	Xs
1	3	Carl Bernosky	Open	480	46
2	10	Tomoyuki Hasegawa	Open	480	45
3	1	Doug Koenig	Open	480	44
4	2	Bruce Piatt	Open	480	43
5	108	Ichiro Nagata	Open	480	43
6	11	Kevin Angstadt	Open	480	36
7	17	Enrico Hoover	Open	480	34
8	31	Allan Harriman	Open	480	31
9	134	Robert Vadasz	Metallic	480	27
10	133	John Pride	Open	478	42
11	5	Don Golembieski	Open	478	40
12	32	Matthew Harriman	Open	478	38
13	4	Michael Voigt	Open	478	38
14	6	Darryl Carnicelli	Open	478	37
15	156	Andrew Barksdale	Open	478	36
16	80	Craig Ginger	Open	478	35
17	24	Park Gilmore	Open	478	32
18	98	Billie Hughes	Open	478	32
9	113	Jordan Dick	Open	478	27
20	72	Scott Miller	Open	478	24
21	14	Luca Mangano	Open	476	38
22	59	Adam Lennert	Open	476	36
23	123	Jay Della Bella	Open	476	35
24	34	Jack Ragsdale	Open	476	35
25	126	Max Michel	Open	476	34
26	15	Richard Gonsman	Open	476	30
27	8	Roland Croes	Open	476	28
28	18	Ken Macari	Open	476	26
29	96	Warren Piper	Open	476	26
30	44	Bernd Geppert	Open	476	25
31	103	Thomas Whitehead	Open	476	22
32	13	Karl Piper	Open	475	39
33	16	Tony Holmes	Open	475	38
34	27	Travis Hayton	Open	475	31
35	119	Steve Weathersby	Open	474	38
36	106	Gary Valentino	Open	474	34
37	99	Vera Koo	Open	474	32
38	111	Richard Munt	Open	474	31
39	60	Ralf Vanicek	Metallic	474	29
40	19	Greg Dick	Open	474	27
41	107	Timothy Theno	Open	473	30
42	81	Lee Webb	Open	472	27
43	74	Marty Curfman	Open	472	27
44	129	Dhon Hauserman	Open	472	26
45	47	Ian Coates	Open	472	26
46	30	Richard Siebert	Open	471	28
47	102	Zeljko Cvetnic	Open	470	32
48	9	Chuck Thomey	Open	470	32
49	48	Allen Alley	Open	470	30
50	68	Alfred Peters	Open	470	28

Match 2: Barricade Event
	Comp #	Competitor	Class	Score	Xs
1	101	Brett Foster	Open	480	48
2	6	Darryl Carnicelli	Open	480	48
3	2	Bruce Piatt	Open	480	48
4	1	Doug Koenig	Open	480	48
5	11	Kevin Angstadt	Open	480	48
6	77	Frank Tait	Open	480	47
7	5	Don Golembieski	Open	480	47
8	80	Craig Ginger	Open	480	47
9	14	Luca Mangano	Open	480	47
10	3	Carl Bernosky	Open	480	47
11	126	Max Michel	Open	480	47
12	104	Brian Hardy	Open	480	46
13	19	Greg Dick	Open	480	46
14	111	Richard Munt	Open	480	46
15	81	Lee Webb	Open	480	46
16	31	Allan Harriman	Open	480	46
17	92	Mark Itzstein	Open	480	46
18	118	Daniel McDonald	Open	480	45
19	32	Matthew Harriman	Open	480	45
20	113	Jordan Dick	Open	480	45
21	23	Martin Johnson	Open	480	44
22	133	John Pride	Open	480	44
23	79	David Duprez	Open	480	43
24	4	Michael Voigt	Open	480	43
25	16	Tony Holmes	Open	480	43
26	30	Richard Siebert	Open	480	43
27	103	Thomas Whitehead	Open	480	43
28	8	Roland Croes	Open	480	43
29	141	Alan Fleshman	Open	480	42
30	47	Ian Coates	Open	480	42
31	21	Mike Flagler	Open	480	42
32	9	Chuck Thomey	Open	480	42
33	68	Alfred Peters	Open	480	41
34	27	Travis Hayton	Open	480	41
35	13	Karl Piper	Open	480	41
36	123	Jay Della Bella	Open	480	41
37	34	Jack Ragsdale	Open	480	40
38	119	Steve Weathersby	Open	480	40
39	72	Scott Miller	Open	480	40
40	29	Hilary Hoover	Open	480	39
41	35	Jerry Miculek	Metallic	480	36
42	15	Richard Gonsman	Open	480	36
43	99	Vera Koo	Open	480	35
44	156	Andrew Barksdale	Open	480	35
45	18	Ken Macari	Open	480	35
46	105	Rod Hansen	Open	480	34
47	44	Bernd Geppert	Open	480	34
48	46	Bernd Werkshagen	Open	480	34
49	107	Timothy Theno	Open	480	34
50	153	Doris Siebert	Open	480	28

Match 3: Moving Target Event
	Comp #	Competitor	Class	Score	Xs
1	24	Park Gilmore	Open	480	43
2	1	Doug Koenig	Open	478	45
3	2	Bruce Piatt	Open	478	43
4	5	Don Golembieski	Open	478	38
5	3	Carl Bernosky	Open	478	35
6	11	Kevin Angstadt	Open	478	35
7	102	Zeljko Cvetnic	Open	478	34
8	81	Lee Webb	Open	478	34
9	103	Thomas Whitehead	Open	476	38
10	119	Steve Weathersby	Open	476	34
11	6	Darryl Carnicelli	Open	476	33
12	133	John Pride	Open	476	32
13	9	Chuck Thomey	Open	476	32
14	107	Timothy Theno	Open	476	30
15	86	Vance Schmid	Metallic	476	30
16	129	Dhon Hauserman	Open	476	26
17	150	Aaron Roth	Open	476	22
18	12	Robert Leatham	Metallic	475	43
19	14	Luca Mangano	Open	475	37
20	17	Enrico Hoover	Open	475	31
21	4	Michae Voigt	Open	474	33
22	30	Richard Siebert	Open	474	32
23	134	Robert Vadasz	Metallic	474	32
24	16	Tony Holmes	Open	474	31
25	125	Kyle Schmidt	Metallic	474	29
26	66	Andre Schroeder	Metallic	474	27
27	104	Brian Hardy	Open	474	26
28	57	Mark Owensby	Metallic	474	24
29	35	Jerry Miculek	Metallic	474	23
30	59	Adam Lennert	Open	474	22
31	37	Carroll Pilant	Open	473	33
32	89	Jay Gardner	Open	473	29
33	31	Allan Harriman	Open	473	28
34	18	Ken Macari	Open	472	35
35	13	Karl Piper	Open	472	33
36	44	Bernd Geppert	Open	472	31
37	58	Phil Strader	Metallic	472	30
38	139	Randy Hollowbush	Open	472	28
39	47	Ian Coates	Open	472	28
40	121	Marc Kleser	Metallic	472	27
41	27	Travis Hayton	Open	472	20
42	41	Gary Curfman	Open	472	19
43	80	Craig Ginger	Open	471	31
44	23	Martin Johnson	Open	471	29
45	15	Richard Gonsman	Open	470	32
46	72	Scott Miller	Open	470	27
47	65	Thomas Glas	Metallic	470	24
48	33	Charles Coppola	Open	470	21
49	112	Jacob Hill	Metallic	470	17
50	19	Greg Dick	Open	469	30

Match 4: Falling Plate Event
	Comp #	Competitor	Class	Score	Xs
1	5	Don Golembieski	Open	480	107
2	12	Robert Leatham	Metallic	480	107
3	2	Bruce Piatt	Open	480	103
4	32	Matthew Harriman	Open	480	101
5	102	Zeljko Cvetnic	Open	480	97
6	80	Craig Ginger	Open	480	89
7	19	Greg Dick	Open	480	86
8	14	Luca Mangano	Open	480	86
9	11	Kevin Angstadt	Open	480	72
10	10	Tomoyuki Hasegawa	Open	480	71
11	6	Darryl Carnicelli	Open	480	70
12	35	Jerry Miculek	Metallic	480	69
13	17	Enrico Hoover	Open	480	66
14	104	Brian Hardy	Open	480	65
15	16	Tony Holmes	Open	480	65
16	18	Ken Macari	Open	480	61
17	125	Kyle Schmidt	Metallic	480	61
18	89	Jay Gardner	Open	480	60
19	60	Ralf Vanicek	Metallic	480	59
20	15	Richard Gonsman	Open	480	59
21	121	Marc Kleser	Metallic	480	59
22	82	Andrew Hansen	Open	480	58
23	53	Troy Mattheyer	Metallic	480	55
24	118	Daniel McDonald	Open	480	53
25	59	Adam Lennert	Open	480	53
26	30	Richard Siebert	Open	480	53
27	68	Alfred Peters	Open	480	53
28	23	Martin Johnson	Open	480	52
29	9	Chuck Thomey	Open	480	51
30	25	Ruth Conn	Open	480	50
31	113	Jordan Dick	Open	480	50
32	119	Steve Weathersby	Open	480	49
33	81	Lee Webb	Open	480	49
34	50	Christopher Giles	Open	480	48
35	156	Andrew Barksdale	Open	480	48
36	37	Carroll Pilant	Open	480	48
37	108	Ichiro Nagata	Open	480	48
38	8	Roland Croes	Open	480	48
39	21	Mike Flagler	Open	480	48
40	26	John Dowell	Open	480	48
41	111	Richard Munt	Open	480	48
42	47	Ian Coates	Open	480	48
43	46	Bernd Werkshagen	Open	480	48
44	103	Thomas Whitehead	Open	480	48
45	3	Carl Bernosky	Open	480	48
46	133	John Pride	Open	480	48
47	90	Roger Parris	Open	480	48
48	72	Scott Miller	Open	480	48
49	1	Doug Koenig	Open	480	48
50	66	Andre Schroeder	Metallic	470	47

Match 8: Teams Event
		Match 1		Match 2		Match 3		Match 4		Match 8
		Score	Xs	Score	Xs	Score	Xs	Score	Xs	Score	Xs
AUSTRALIA										5733	482
81	Lee Webb	472	27	480	46	478	34	480	48	1910	155
80	Craig Ginger	478	35	480	47	471	31	480	48	1909	161
6	Darryl Carnicelli	478	37	480	48	476	33	480	48	1914	166
SSAA TEAM B										5710	447
104	Brian Hardy	459	25	480	46	474	26	480	48	1893	145
103	Thomas Whitehead	476	22	480	43	476	38	480	48	1912	151
30	Richard Siebert	471	28	480	43	474	32	480	48	1905	151
SSAA TEAM A										5657	456
102	Zeljko Cvetnic	470	32	478	42	478	34	480	48	1906	156
101	Brett Foster	467	27	480	48	461	29	470	47	1878	151
31	Allan Harriman	480	31	480	46	473	28	440	44	1873	149