Shootout at the Cross H Ranch

KateLynn Slaamot
NLJ Reporter
 
For two years now Newcastle has been the scene of a unique handgun contest that draws participants from all over the country. The second annual Handgun Hunter’s Competition just took place June 17-18. The competition, organized by Newcastle’s Joe Sandrini and Chris Rhodes, was held at the Cross H Ranch near Newcastle. 
The competition, with its four divisions, offered scenarios to sharpen hand-gun hunting skills by introducing challenges and conditions similar to what one would encounter in hunting situations. 
“We try to create shooting positions and platforms that mimic what you might encounter when you sneak up on a game animal. The emphasis of the competition is to mirror field conditions during a hunt,” Sandrini said. He added that there are limits for caliber, ammunition and weight in order to create as realistic a hunting environment as possible. 
The four divisions include rimfire, centerfire revolver or pistol open sights, centerfire revolver or pistol with optics and single shot. Each division boasted six stations consisting of various positions, and each station had between eight and 10 targets. Targets ranged from 10 to almost 500 yards, depending on the division. Rhodes said that the wind on the first day challenged shooters, especially with long distances. 
Sandrini said that over 50 shooters attended — even some coming from far and wide. Local participant Kory Horn said he has participated in the event both years it has been offered. Horn said that he enjoys the contest because it’s great practice for handgun hunting. 
“It shows that you can hunt with a handgun.  … This is all tailored towards hunting and the practicality of handguns in the field,” Horn said. 
Rick Lippman, first-time participant from Las Vegas, said he first heard about the shoot in an American Handgunner magazine article, written by another participant and writer Mark Hampton. 
Although Lippman had to travel for two days to get to Newcastle, he said that the competition was exactly what he was looking for. 
While he’s not a hunter, he is a handgun enthusiast and was excited to participate in such a unique event. 
“I enjoy the sport of hand gunning and long-range hand gunning.  … It (the event) was truly top notch,” Lippman said. 
Lippman even won the door prize, a single-shot handgun crafted by Rhodes. 
Lippman beamed.
“I still cannot believe that I won it,” he said. 
Winners were Jeff Vicars in rimfire, Vicars in centerfire revolver or pistol with optics, Ethan Pennington in centerfire revolver or pistol open sights and Mark Hampton in single shot. 
Besides just providing a fun event for handgunners, Sandrini and Rhodes wanted the event to raise money for an important cause. 
“We wanted to host a competition that mirrored the challenges of hunting with a handgun and promoted the sport, but that was also a way for the handgun hunting community to give back while enjoying time with others and learning from each other,” Sandrini said. 
Last year, Sandrini and Rhodes founded the Handgun Hunters Charitable Foundation to raise money for and support outdoor recreation and hunting. The foundation is funded by the annual competition and participant shooters. Sandrini said that the foundation has provided aid to Weston County’s 4-H shooting sports, has given money to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, which benefits veterans, and other causes. 
Rhodes said that it’s important to use the money to help support the foundation’s mission. 
According to Sandrini and Rhodes, each year they also honor a special guest who is physically disabled. The honoree is nominated by other shooters, who also donate to help pay for the guest’s costs to attend. 
“Last year we had a fellow confined to a wheelchair with a degenerative neurological disease, and this year an amputee. It was really special to get to see those guys compete when they normally would not have had the chance,” Sandrini said. 
That aspect also means a lot to Lippman, and he said he appreciated that the funds benefit others, especially veterans. 
“I bleed red, white and blue.  … I really appreciate that as well,” Lippmann said. 
Sandrini and Rhodes said they expect the event to continue to grow in the years to come.