doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Side by Side Shoot "Oscar" Award Nominees

With the Fall Southern SXS this past weekend, the big side by side shoots have wrapped up for the year. It was a great year overall, and it was encouraging to see most of the shoots growing in spite of the economy.

Having attended both the spring and fall Southern SXS shoots, the Great Northeast at Hausman's, and the Vintage Cup, I thought it would be fun to nominate some of the shoots for awards this year. As I didn't make it to the UP, Duluth or any western shoots, I'll leave it up to others to make the case for them, but here are my nominees if there were an "Oscars" for Side by Side shoots in 2010:

BEST TARGETS: With targets set in the woods and over a pond, and with traps largely hidden, I thought the Great Northeast at Hausman's Hidden Hollow had the best variety and most natural hunting style targets of any shoot. With the prospect of a 40 yard high bird field in the future, it might even be better next time. ... Honorable mention goes to Backwoods Quail Club and the Fall Southern for some really imaginative targets, including a simo pair thrown to bounce off a trampoline.

BEST VENDORS: The spring Southern at Deep River continues have the most and widest variety of vendors and seems to add new vendors each year.

BEST FOOD: It's probably not fair because of its location in the South Carolina low country, but the Fall Southern at Backwoods Quail Club provided a full southern buffet with fried chicken, pulled pork, fried shrimp, Oysters, mac & cheese, banana pudding, etc. All for the price of cold wrapped sandwich at some other shoots. Hard to beat that.

BEST HOSPITALITY: The Great Northeast at Hausman's feels like a family event because it basically is one with the entire Hausman family and RST crew involved in putting on the shoot.

BEST DRESSED: You had to admire all of the people who "dressed to the gun" at the Vintage Cup this year in spite of near 100 degree temps.

BEST VENDOR: It was hard not to notice the huge number of guns Steve Barnett brought up from Mississipi to the four big eastern side by side shoots and the Orvis Cup as well. He seemed to take up a quarter of a tent at the Vintage Cup all by himself. ...CSMC/Galazan also deserves credit for attending all four shoots and sponsoring prizes. ... Although not strictly a side by side shoot, the Orvis Cup at Sandannona deserves honorable mention for bringing in Davidoff Cigars to set up an outdoor cigar lounge with complimentary $20 cigars. Not a bad place to kill an afternoon.

BEST SUGGESTION FOR NEXT YEAR: This would be mine. I think the shoots should have an "ultimate vintager" or "ironman" award for the shooter who breaks the highest total number of targets throughout the event, counting only one score for each category (gauge, hammer/hammerless) this would recognize the person who collects and shoots the widest range of SXSs and shoots them the best. ...and presumably is also a great patron of the vendors.

Well, those are a few of my nominees. I'm sure others have some as well. Overall, it was a great year and those who worked so hard to put on these events deserve praise for making them such fun. I'm already looking forward to next year's offerings.

Great post. I also qualify as an attendee of all four shoots starting last fall. I missed last weekend's shoot. I always attend Hausmann's, the Southern, and the Vintagers. My first Fall Southern was 2009 and I will attend next year.

I won't get to any of them but I liked your idea and opinion. I'm not a food guy at all---make a point of staying at the playing weight of the great hockey player/gentleman Jean Belliveau---but that Fall Southern at Backwoods Quail sounds tantalizing! It gets my vote, too.

Good post, DGM. My suggestion would be that a trap or two be set up for a long bird competition. Many of the big registered shoots have them now, and they are great fun. I dearly love seeing those long birds break with those tight chokes.

Dr. Gaddy would be honored to have awards named after him - I presume that is what you mean by and "Oscar."

I nominate the Flat Water for the Congeniality Oscar. They are a really fine bunch to shoot with.

Yes, long birds can be great fun. The Great Northeast at Hausmans Hidden Hollow included a "Bo Whoop" long bird competition sponsored by the Fox Collectors, along with several other shooting games. I believe the Fall Southern at Backwoods Quail Club may have included a long bird among its shooting games as well. The Orvis Cup at Sandannona has included one as a fundraiser with nice prizes.

I didn't see one at the Southern last weekend, or see it listed on any shoot schedule of events.

Stan

How about a category for the best Collector's Club Display?

Sounds good. Do you have a nominee?

Well of course I do. I may be a little biased but the L.C. Smith Display at the Vintagers has been hard to beat for the last two years.