Discussions between ATA and Cardinal Center - WSRC is a proven mistake?

Discussion in 'Americantrapshooter.com. - Trapshooting forum.' started by merlo, Aug 8, 2026 at 12:07 AM.

  1. merlo

    merlo Mega Poster Forum Reporter

    I have reputable sources telling me there have been talks between the two parties. Numbers don't lie. The crowd isn't going to the WSRC.

    Does Ohio want the ATA in town again?

    I report. You decide.
    merlo out
     
  2. Indyfireman

    Indyfireman Active Member

    I think it could be the best thing for both sides.
    The kids shoot and Ohio state is the only big shoots
    Cardinal is drawing a crowd too anymore. We all know
    Sparta is dying a little more each year. My buddy that’s
    A vendor said 1600 for grand week unofficial btw. I can
    say today was definitely smaller crowd then I’ve seen before
     
  3. Flyersarebest

    Flyersarebest Moderator Founding Member Forum Leader

    The ata site shows 1676 for the GAH event. That CAN’T be correct. winston said the shooters from the Midwest would make up for any OH and PA shooters that wouldn’t go to that place in ILLnews.

    There had to be another 2000-2500 entries that the ata missed
     
  4. BRAD DYSINGER

    BRAD DYSINGER The Philosophist Founding Member Member Trapshooting Hall of Fame Member State Hall of Fame

    Like I said before about Winston.......
     
    Flyersarebest likes this.
  5. WSRC Brad

    WSRC Brad Active Member

    I heard it was the other way around... SCTP coming back to WSRC....
     
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  6. Flyersarebest

    Flyersarebest Moderator Founding Member Forum Leader

    Yeah right, your state screwed up so badly that the SCTP turned down FREE TARGETS to go back to that white elephant. But you heard they are going to go back to that place in the middle of BFN.
    You should have started your post with, Once upon a time. That’s how all fairy tales start.

    Here’s one for your storybook.
    Once upon a time, thousands and thousands of Trap shooters from all over the Western and Midwestern states went to the backwater town of Sparta ILLnews to attend a shoot once known as the Grand American.

    They came by car, truck, motor home, train and plane. They rode horses and donkeys. One even rode a camel. They hitchhiked, they walked all day and night. They didn’t sleep for days, they had to get to Sparta and the wsrc.

    So many came that the number of paying shooters swelled to over four thousand for just one day.
    After years of pathetic numbers and even smaller more pathetic numbers in the year 2026, it was a miracle I tell you.

    And if the GAH event ever drew 3000?
    It WOULD be a miracle.



     
  7. XDelegate

    XDelegate USMC Retired USMC Retired Past State President Member State Hall of Fame

    Hi Brad....
    The Grand just ended right? How many of the 4,000 SCTP that shot at the CC competed at the Grand?

    And if your WSRC team and the ATA were capable and did their fiduciary duties there might have been 4,000 at the Grand. The SCTP will go there as a last choice. Very last.

    Brad, i know you could lose your job without the SCTP and a bigger Grand. I would check the classifieds. That dog won't hunt.
     
    Flyersarebest likes this.
  8. Flyersarebest

    Flyersarebest Moderator Founding Member Forum Leader

    For any of you that don’t know, Brad actually works at that place in ILLnews.
    Don’t laugh, it’s true.
    He posted that fairy tail thinking it would kind of “stir the pot” a little.
    When you don’t have much else to talk about that’s what happens.

    You will notice he DIDN’T post anything about how great the “grand” was. He didn’t post about the thousands, plural, that actually shot the GAH. Because there were less than even 2000.

    He didn’t post anything about how there were only 2800 TOTAL classified shooters, and not all of them shot even one event.

    He didn’t post anything about how many vendors contracted to be there then, when those contracts expired, how many chose NOT to return to that place due to the lack of people going there.

    He didn’t post anything about how the state of ILLnews would sell that place in a heartbeat if they could con someone else into buying it.
    My hope personally? I hope the ata spends millions and buys it.

    He didn’t post even one line about how the “new” ata director increased participation at that white elephant.

    He didn’t post about how the SCTP told the ata AND the wsrc, to piss off even after that real estate agent Gibson offered them FREE targets to come back.
    That one HAD to hurt. All that money from all those families going to the CC instead of that place.

    And remember boys and girls, whenever you hear anyone saying how terrific the “grand” is, it is supposed to start with, once upon a time.
     
  9. Al Peter

    Al Peter Active Member

    Sadly the sparta area was never developed to its full potential. I remember being at the first sparta grand, and hearing all the talk about shopping centers, motels/hotels, etc. With the anti-gun crowd that's in control of Springfield, I am very skeptical of the state doing much for the area.

    And the state has tried to sell the place, and never had any takers.
     
  10. Flyersarebest

    Flyersarebest Moderator Founding Member Forum Leader

    I almost forgot. Brad, would you be a gem and look into that number the ata posted for the entries for the GAH event. They claim there were 1676 entries. There is no way in the world that could be correct.

    That place where they hold the shoot, and where you work, is after all called the WORLD shooting and recreation center so that pathetic number can’t be correct.

    I understand you must be really busy getting things back to normal after the huge, enormous, overflowing crowd you had there so I don’t expect you you come back and tell us the true number of GAH entries quickly.
    I’ll check back every few days to see what you found out. Looking forward to seeing the correct number.
     
  11. BRAD DYSINGER

    BRAD DYSINGER The Philosophist Founding Member Member Trapshooting Hall of Fame Member State Hall of Fame

    please clarify which brad you're talking about.
     
  12. Flyersarebest

    Flyersarebest Moderator Founding Member Forum Leader

    The one that tried to troll the site by saying the “heard” the kids were going back to that place in ILLNEWS