trying to be like the big boys Awards input needed to help us set up and grow our Annual

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

We have been trying in increase our annual into the realm of "Major Matches"

 

still have a ways to go but we're working on it

 

Awards Questions:

1. Do major matches award prizes to all the entered categories even if there is just one shooter? 

or

2. Do you have to have so many to have awards?

   ▲  example:

3 shooters to award a 1st place category winner

4 shooters for 1st and 2nd award

5+ for 1st, 2nd and 3rd

 

we're looking to be "Main Stream" on this as awards are pretty important at these matches

 

thanks

cr

 

 

 

[Itchy Trigger]

IMHO,

 

There should always be an award to the 1st place category winner, it is not the shooters' fault if no one wants to compete against them after they choose a specific category. Additional places (ie 2-10) should be solely based on how many entrants there are.

 

BUT, if you are trying to increase the participation you need to have bigger and better shooter prizes / awards / raffles even if you lose money the first couple of matches. Once the event gets big and popular, you will have more revenue, people will have more fun, and you can spend less per person on prizes / awards / raffles.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

Buckles seem to be pretty popular these days.  Award to top 3 places.  Clean shoot pins or coins.  Buckles are expensive and you'll need to order the number carefully.  A nicer buckle will stand out in someone's collection and remind them of your match every time they look at it.  

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

More knowledgeable pards will chime in, but I think a lot of big matches will have a 1st place for any official SASS category.  Add-on categories (age added) like adding Silver Senior or Elder Statesman to Frontier Cartridge, Gunfighter, Duelist, etc. will need to have a minimum number (often 3) to "make" the category.  Otherwise they get consolidated into the lower age versions of those categories.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

Focus on the SHOOT.

No one that I am aware of attends any shoot based on its awards.

 

The above are some inexpensive examples of what can be done without breaking the bank; while still providing an attractive award.

 

Awards, door prizes, etc. are solely icing on the cake - nice to have but not the reason that the shooters show up.

 

Buckles are nice but, (speaking completely honestly) unless your match is a "high prestige" event - most of your shooters already have brag buckles and will not be exchanging out their current buckles for another events.

 

And since I am a believer in honoring EVERY category - doing away with the expense of buckles allows you to do so.

Framed printed awards can be done both with class and cost effectively.

See above.

And unused awards can be thrown away and the frames recycled for the next year - throwing handfuls of year and category branded buckles into the trash is painful to the bottom line.

 

I would rather see money be spent on the things that benefit ALL your shooters - not just those who place highly.  Better steel, full size shooters books, better props, ice cream social, etc.

 

How I feel about a match is established on the range - not at awards.

[Chief Rick]

+1 to @Creeker, SASS #43022

 

I want to attend matches that are run well and treat the shooters well.  The vast majority of shooters entering any match are not in a position to win.  I personally don't believe in participation awards.

 

1 - All SASS recognized categories should at least have recognition/prizes for 1st - 3rd.

2 - If you're going to recognize categories other than the SASS recognized, then you should at least recognize/award first place.

 

Clean matches should be recognized.

 

How many spots you choose to recognize should be based on funds available and entries per category. 

 

I also don't want to attend a match that has a match entry fee, but then warm-ups, side matches and food are all pay-as-you-go.  I personally don't care for all the speed side matches but I do like to shoot a warm-up to make sure everything made the trip with no issues (including me).

 

As for food, it doesn't have to be fancy it just has to be good.

 

If it's a two-day match and you don't want to provide lunches, ensure the stages flow so that shooters can get something fairly quickly afterwards.

 

As for what to award, people can only wear so many buckles (if they are in a position to win one).  Do you have anything local to you that would be a unique award?

 

As an example, the Jackson Hole Regulators in N. Louisiana had a local syrup manufacturer donate quart jars of syrup to clean shooters.

[Assassin]

How much $ does it cost in order to become a "Major Match"? I'd rather pay less and shoot more. More shooting equates to more fun. Awards are the biggest expense for the Match Director, especially with all of the categories. There are certain variables that keep me from attending a match.

Awards and prizes aren't part of the equation. 

 

[Itchy Trigger]

A few thoughts, of course everybody has their own opinions.

 

1) A well-run match without too much down time between events. Dead time is one of the biggest turn-offs in my opinion.

2) A well-run match. 
3) A well-run match. 

4) Personally, I am not a real fan of plaques or framed certificates. Prefer something small or not at all.
I disagree with the person that doesn't feel like there should be buckles, because the good shooters already have bigger and better ones from more prestigious events. They may, but they will come or not just based on the size of the event.
If you want to attract a larger crowd, there are lots of people that haven't received a buckle and would love to have one to show coworkers, etc.  what they do on weekends. The more buckles you give out the more people who will want to come to try and get one. When someone gets one, other people will want to come the next year because they think they are better than some of the people that did get one. Not talking about just participation buckles, but don't be stingy with them either.
All that said, the buckles don't have to be big shiny silver buckles, but a cheaper mass-produced stamped ones serve the purpose just fine.
5) Good food truck(s) is just as good as a catered meal.
6) One entry fee which is all-inclusive (with the exception of food-trucks and/or raffles). Do not charge for side events, warm-up, etc.
7) Personally, not a fan of the speed-events. Do we really need 18 different speed shotgun categories?
8) The more events which are not typically done at a monthly match to make it stand out, possibly wild-bunch, long-range, plainsman, etc.
9) I do like retro stage(s) which are silly or just different from what a typical monthly stage is.

10) Parking can be a big issue and turn-off if people have to walk 
11) Make sure that the cost is not prohibitive.
The Awards can be a mass-produced buckle. I prefer the year, but if you don't put the date on it any extras buckles can be used for the next annual.
Depending on the range, you might be able to have the awards at the venue saving a major expense. 

Rather than catering, food trucks and/or grilling some hamburgers and hotdogs during the award ceremony.

 

In other words, a well run event that offers something different from the typical monthly matches at a reasonable cost that makes them feel good and want to return the next year.
 

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

The Tennessee State Championship changed to 12 stages a few years ago to give you more shooting for your money. We do a small buckle for State Champions. We award 5 deep in any category on our application even if the are only 5 shooters. We still do an offsite Awards Banquet on Saturday night after the match is over. We do Side Match Awards and a dinner on the range on Friday night. Last year due to the change of Land Run being the National Championship we had to move our match from the 2nd weekend in October to the first weekend in June. This year we filled up to our limit of 225 and started a waiting list.  I think the main thing you have to remember is that we are selling entertainment!!!!! If people are not having a good time and enjoying your match they'll find somewhere else to spend their entertainment dollars.

 

Just my opinion.

Randy

 

 

[Assassin]

8 hours ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

The Tennessee State Championship changed to 12 stages a few years ago to give you more shooting for your money. We do a small buckle for State Champions. We award 5 deep in any category on our application even if the are only 5 shooters. We still do an offsite Awards Banquet on Saturday night after the match is over. We do Side Match Awards and a dinner on the range on Friday night. Last year due to the change of Land Run being the National Championship we had to move our match from the 2nd weekend in October to the first weekend in June. This year we filled up to our limit of 225 and started a waiting list.  I think the main thing you have to remember is that we are selling entertainment!!!!! If people are not having a good time and enjoying your match they'll find somewhere else to spend their entertainment dollars.

 

Just my opinion.

Randy

 

 

12 stages is the only way to go. Not that I'll be missed by anyone, but I won't waste my time on anything less.

[Long Fingers, SASS#56813]

On 5/30/2023 at 3:31 PM, Creeker, SASS #43022 said:

I would rather see money be spent on the things that benefit ALL your shooters - not just those who place highly.  Better steel, full size shooters books, better props, ice cream social, etc.

Offer a great shoot and people will come regardless of the awards. All the other stuff is fluff. 
I also wish clubs would indicate what kind of match they are offering. Am I lassoing horses and throwing dynamite or targets big and close ect… especially if it’s a relatively new match. Can’t attend them all so would like to make an educated decision on where to spend my money. 
LF. 

[Possum Skinner, SASS#60697]

I like shiny things.  However, as much as I appreciate every award I’ve ever received (almost), I don’t keep plaques, certificates or except for a special few, buckles.  I’d much prefer something useful such as a nice insulated tumbler, embroidered gun case, etc.

 

All of that said, it is the shooting match I go for.  And I agree about speed sides.  Don’t even bother to shoot them any more.

 

Possum

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

40 minutes ago, Long Fingers, SASS#56813 said:

I also wish clubs would indicate what kind of match they are offering. Am I lassoing horses and throwing dynamite or targets big and close ect…

I have fought this battle for 20 plus years - shoots should be proud of what they are offering - Fast and close, small and technical, drag race or gimmicks - if a club is unwilling to share their match philosophy; I avoid the match.

 

I wouldn't patronize a restaurant unwilling to tell me what they serve until after I paid nor would I attend a movie whose trailer was a black screen that said "trust me".

[Sedalia Dave]

Shot Mississippi State last weekend. Overall a very good match. The club has a nice pavilion with plenty of seating.

 

For those that arrived the day before the club hosted a potluck on the range.

 

Because food truck/trailers are getting so expensive the club opted to provide lunch and dinner for all three days.

 

Lunch was simple. Make your own sandwiches. Pile them as high as you wanted with ham, turkey, chicken, assorted cold cuts, lettuce, tomato, pickles and assorted cheeses. 

 

All you could drink water, soda, or gatoraide for the entire match.

 

Thursday night was a potluck. Friday night was soft tacos, Saturday night was BBQ pork and fried chicken. Sunday night was the party after the party. BBQ pork and Smoked bologna. 

 

The couple that cooked all the BBQ brought their pellet smoker to the range. They put the meat on before the match and everything would be cooked to perfection by dinner time.

 

What made it so great was that people could hang out at the pavilion and relax and visit with one another when not shooting. Great alternative to driving back to the hotel with nothing to do in between events. 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

I prefer smaller unique awards. Plasma cut steel in a shape that is related to the club or its location is nice. Simple brass plate affixed to it with the place, date, and category. If I want a more elaborate plate I can always order one to my liking. They are very inexpensive

 

I also don't want a swag bag with a bunch of stuff I either can't use or I already have 10 of. A match booklet and a good writing utensil is all I need. I also like unique name tags that are related to the theme of the match.

 

Catered banquets are almost always prohibitively expensive and with a few exceptions that food is not worth 1/4 the price the club paid for it. 

 

I prefer to shoot 12 stages vice 10 but it is not a deal breaker. 

 

The deal breaker for me is not having fun and the social aspect of the match is a large part of that fun. If all I wanted to do was shoot I can do that at home.

[Totes Magoats]

At our small club annual, the theme is "There's no second place in a gunfight".  We give champion buckles to all category winners and the overall man/lady.  For second place in the categories, we award an engraved wooden token with our annual logo and theme, which can be traded in for 1 free monthly match.

[Houston CAS]

1 hour ago, Totes Magoats said:

At our small club annual, the theme is "There's no second place in a gunfight".  We give champion buckles to all category winners and the overall man/lady.  For second place in the categories, we award an engraved wooden token with our annual logo and theme, which can be traded in for 1 free monthly match.

 

 

Those are so nice that I'd rather keep the token instead of redeeming it!

[Eyesa Horg]

31 minutes ago, Houston CAS said:

 

Those are so nice that I'd rather keep the token instead of redeeming it!

My thought as well.

[Hoss]

If you are giving buckles, make them decent. I’ve got some that look like they were stamped out of tin. I’d rather have a leather coaster or something like that. 
Nice award for first place. Then no more than 50% of the shooters in a category get something. No need in everyone getting an award

nice yeti type tumbles with match logo are nice. And useful 

 

on the range, bottled water available at every stage, or at least every other stage. 
counting sticks 

simple to shoot stages. No mind benders. Rifle & pistol sequences the same. 
 

I’d prefer a hot dog at the range to a catered banquet. Very few banquets have decent food, for the money charged. (My home club,Texas Riviera Pistoleros does banquet on the range. Nobody tops Mar-Lynn in prepping and putting out the grub!) 

Nice shooter prizes are good, and decent raffle prizes. Many CAS related companies will donate (or sell at reduced price) an item if asked. 

 

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

2 hours ago, Houston CAS said:

 

Those are so nice that I'd rather keep the token instead of redeeming it!

I just ran across my token the other day, forgot I had it!

[Oak Ridge Regulator]

There are a couple of web sights where you can get poker chips custom made for about a $1 each in orders of 100 or more, they can print pretty much anything you design and the ceramic chips are really nice, they would make a good clean shooter, stage winner or second/ third place trophy and not cost you an arm and a leg, I just had https://pokerchiplounge.com/ make me up 300 custom chips for a faro table I am making. they are great quality and you design what you want on them, you can even have the edge printed

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

10 hours ago, Totes Magoats said:

At our small club annual, the theme is "There's no second place in a gunfight".  We give champion buckles to all category winners and the overall man/lady.  For second place in the categories, we award an engraved wooden token with our annual logo and theme, which can be traded in for 1 free monthly match.

OWSA had the same philosophy: no second place in a gunfight !

They only gave 1st place awards. 

They no longer exist!

[Chief Rick]

The MS Peacemakers use coins that have been pressed with a doming punch and then soldered with a staple. Gold dollars are for clean matches.  Half dollars are for first place, quarters for second place, dimes for third and nickels for fourth.

 

Here are examples, front and back, of gold dollars and half dollars.

[Tyrel Cody]

If I somehow manage to shoot a Clean Match I really appreciate a nice pin I can show off on my hat or suspenders; anything else will wind up in a drawer or toolbox never to be seen again; that's a long way to say Please giveaway clean match PINS.

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

Here's a few pictures of the awards from the Tennessee State match this past weekend. They were made by Slater's In House Guns.

 

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

The Molly's box is for a Magnificent 7 buckle not shown. 

 

Randy

[DeaconKC]

As a shooter who will never win a buckle , I like getting a nice nametag or pen to remember the places by. Also, Clean Match pins are something that every shooter can attain [or hope to].

[Sedalia Dave]

2 hours ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

Here's a few pictures of the awards from the Tennessee State match this past weekend. They were made by Slater's In House Guns.

 

 

+1000000000000000000000

 

Slater's in House Guns did a first class job.

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

On 6/4/2023 at 7:10 PM, DeaconKC said:

As a shooter who will never win a buckle , I like getting a nice nametag or pen to remember the places by. Also, Clean Match pins are something that every shooter can attain [or hope to].

These are the name tags by Slater and the pens from National Pen. 
 

Randy

[DeaconKC]

1 minute ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

These are the name tags by Slater and the pens from National Pen. 
 

Randy

Those are great!

[Preacherman]

I go to SHOOT! Put on the best shoot that you can. Fast, close and very fun so folks can do it clean. Shoot 12 like others have said. Do a great shoot and they will come. Pay attention to the the matches that draw the most people and they put on a super shoot. I don't really care about awards or food. You can buy buckles and food. Keep it affordable. Camping on the range if possible is a plus. Good shootin'!