McCarthy captures P.H. Parker event
by Greg Walker
Mark McCarthy of New Port Richey, was the top overall shooter Sunday in the Annual P.H. Parker skeet shooting event at the Palatka Skeet Club, with a score of 391 out of a possible 400. Sanctioned by the National Skeet Shooters Association (NSSA), and the Florida Skeet Shooters Association (FSSA) the three-day Parker competition attracted over 50 shooters from the southeastern United States, where they shouldered 12, 20, 28 and .410 gauge shotguns in a grueling match in hot and windy conditions.
McCarthy is an adult veteran shooter, but the runner-up was 14-year-old Gil Ravenel of Naples, Fl. - with less than two years experience - who scored a total of 382. During the second round on Saturday, the youngster scored 50 hits out of 50 targets in the .410 gauge competition. Last month he took third overall in Atlanta, competing in "The Zone", an event for all ages, and was first in the C class.
Steve Johnston, president of the Palatka Skeet Club, was third with a total of 380. The P.H. Parker event is held to honor Parker, a past founding member of the skeet club.
"P. H. was one of several members who got our club going back in the early 60's," said club vice-president Terry French. "He, Quincy Masters, Jack Parker, George Thigpen, my dad S.B. French and others brought this club from a potato field in Hastings to the property we have now, and today we are one of the top shooting fields in the United States.
The Palatka Skeet Club was voted the top intermediate skeet range in the United States by the NSSA. An intermediate range is one with three to seven shooting fields, and Palatka has a seven-field range he explained.
"We have received the award five out of the last six years,
and we are pretty proud of that."
French said points are given on how a facility is maintained, condition of its target stations and machines, and the club's ability to host large competitions.
"We keep the complete grounds mowed and manicured, and our target machines are state of the art. The field lighting is excellent for low-light or nighttime shooting. We have a large clubhouse, with a spacious kitchen, which we recently modernized; bathrooms and shower houses, and plenty of hook-ups for RV's and camping trailers.
In October the skeet club will host the Carlos Otero Bass Capital at the skeet club, located on Skeet Club Road off west St. Johns Avenue.
The club was founded in 1964 and presently has 150 members.
"It's a family sport," French said. "Many of our shooters come to our events in RV's and trailers and spend the entire time on the club grounds, and have a great time. The grounds are safe and secure, and when folks aren't on the field shooting, they spend much of their time socializing, barbecuing or just having a good nap in their air conditioned campers.