County, Sports

Cameo hosts shooting competition July 19-21

RBC I Competitive shooters from across the country and around the world will make their way to the new Cameo Shooting and Education Complex when the United States Practical Shooting Association hosts its ESP-Bighorn Classic Sectional Championship July 19-21.

The world-class range just outside Grand Junction is shaping up to become the most comprehensive firearms facility in the world, and is estimated to boost the local economy with an additional 50,000 annual visitors to the Grand Valley.
“When this $30 million Colorado Parks and Wildlife range is completed over a 10-year build-out, it will attract shooters from all disciplines as well as law enforcement and anti-terrorist training programs,” said CPW CSEC Manager Walt Proulx. “Everything is state-of-the-art. The dedicated enterprise Wi-Fi network is the first of its kind.”
The system allows for electronic scoring, where competitors get their scores emailed to them the moment they’ve finished each stage, with final match results posted and distributed instantly. Future capabilities will include live-streaming, High-Definition visual drone feeds, and provision for as many as 300 users at a time on the 10GB fiber-optic network.
Everything is going high-tech in the shooting sports, even the event sponsors. ESP-Bighorn Classic Match Sponsor, Electronic Shooter Protection of Brighton, Colo., makes an in-ear, custom-fit, digital hearing protection product that blocks out harmful sound volume, yet lets the shooter hear normal noise and conversations.
“With the increasing popularity of all shooting sports, the camaraderie has become more important,” said ESP owner Jack Homa. “In a social setting like a USPSA match, it’s more fun to hear what’s going on around you, and many people feel they can shoot better when they hear better.”
Other sponsors include: Longmont-based Henning Group, manufacturer of custom firearms parts and aftermarket accessories; and Tactical Performance Center, a firearms training facility in Hurricane, Utah.
Gun ownership in general, concealed carry permits and participation in the “action shooting” sports like USPSA that simulate the practical use of firearms are increasing dramatically.
“There is no better way to be proficient, intimately familiar and second-nature safe with your handgun than to become involved in this kind of shoot-on-the-move competition,” said Paul DiMarchi, Match Director with the Action Pistol Group of Grand Junction, host club for the ESP-Bighorn Classic that is expected to draw 200 competitors.
The Club is dedicated to putting Western Colorado on the map for national competitions that traditionally take place on the coasts and near large populations centers.
“With this superlative facility, Colorado is serious about becoming the shooting Mecca of the world,” said Sean Utley, nationally known firearms writer and photographer based in Surprise, Ariz., who wrote about the CSEC inauguration last year for Guns & Ammo Magazine. “It’s a center for all disciplines of shooting, hunting, archery and education with the goal of capturing and retaining new shooters, and opening accessibility to far more people.”
The 1,800-acre CSEC is the brainchild of Colorado Parks and Wildlife Regional Manager J.T. Romatzke. Six years ago, he saw the need to increase public participation in the shooting sports with a world-class shooting and education complex in the up-and-coming destination of Western Colorado.
The Grand Junction area is a fast-growing transportation, agriculture and energy hub, with a burgeoning tourism market developing around vineyards, river-sports, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, off-road adventuring and now recreational and competitive shooting.
For more information about CSEC visit the CPW website or go to cpw.state.co.us/cameo.
Go here to learn more about participating in the ESP-Bighorn Classic Match, or go to www.actionpistolgroup.com/uspsa_section.html.

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Meeker FFA Chapter members competed at the District Leadership Development Event in Craig, Colorado, this month. Top row from left to right: Eva Scritchfield, Charlie Rogers, Alan Rivera, Trent Sanders, Koy Weber, Orion Musser, Said Rodriguez, Carlos Carrillo, Aidan Tapia, Hayden Garcia, Tristan Rollins, Mathew Willey, Quentin Simpson. Middle row: Sidney Keetch, Aurora Stallings, Sydnie Ross, Ava Nay, Lili Piper, Leah Wood. Bottom Row: Jaicee Simmons, Kailynn Watson, Cody Richardson, Kayla Castillo, Braydin Raley, Autumn Stallings, Aimee Shults, Emily Hamm. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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