Trap Talk From The Back Fence — Ep. 119

Spring Grand 2025 Recap: Highlights, Champions & Hot Takes from Tucson!

Hosts: Zach Nannini & Richard Marshall Jr.
Date: April 11, 2025

Overview

Trap Talk returns for its third season, with hosts Zach and Ricky delivering a comprehensive recap of the 2025 Spring Grand in Tucson. Although Zach wasn’t able to attend in person, he follows the action and dives deep with Ricky, who was on-site and competing. The episode covers standout performances, tough weather conditions, equipment hot takes, and the ongoing debate around target settings and trap equipment. Layered with the hosts' characteristic banter and expertise, the episode provides both an in-depth event rundown and valuable insights for trap shooting enthusiasts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ricky's Recent Travels and Spring Grand Arrival

• Ricky recounts his teaching stints in Florida and Alabama before heading to the Spring Grand.
• Road trip challenges: “Drove home on Monday…into a lovely 60, 70 mile an hour gusting winds and dust storm and it took me 30 hours to get home. That would have taken me about 18.” (01:09)
• Teaser for the next episode’s ‘Southern Grand’ recap.

2. The Weather & Its Impact on Scores

• Despite beautiful temperatures, conditions were challenging due to “sporty” targets and wind making for lower-than-usual scores.
• Notably low scores in championship events:
  • Only a couple of perfect scores (100s) were shot in doubles.
  • Scores in singles and handicap were lower across top competitors.

Ricky: “Targets were a little sporty…myself and John Kelly from Minnesota, I think were the only two that run the first couple hundred in singles.” (03:13)

3. Championship Doubles & Pat Lamont’s Dominance

• Only two scores of 100 in championship doubles: Pat Lamont and Jake Ham.

• Pat Lamont wins the shoot-off:
  Ricky: “Pat won that shoot off. You know, Pat's pretty tough in the shoot off.” (04:54)

  Zach: “Mr. I think, what, 11 rings or 12 rings right now?”
  Ricky: “Twelve.” (05:02)

• Discussion of Pat’s recent move to Team Remington and his early struggles with new shells but a remarkable 99 in handicap. (05:33)

4. Singles Championship: Windy, Tough Conditions

Score Breakdown:

• Tied high scores: Jonathan Weber & Jason Fullbag, both with 198/200
• Only a few shooters in the 197s; an unusually challenging year.

Memorable Moment:
Zach: “How many times do you really have a shoot where 198 is high in the championship singles?” (07:43)

• Discussion on how the wind picked up, making scores drop significantly, especially in the back 100 of singles.

Ricky: “I broke 99 the first 100, and I think there was only four hundreds or five hundreds the first hundred…We shot and…as soon as I pulled the trigger, the target was hitting the ground…” (08:51, 09:12)

5. The Role of Target Setup & Gun Setup

Key insight:

• Importance of target height and presentation; wind can create “razor blade” (edge-on) targets, much harder to hit.

Ricky: “Don’t shoot a very high shooting gun if you’re going to shoot all over the country. That’s just me.” (12:05)

Zach adds: Most shooters are better served with a 60/40, 70/30, 80/20 point of impact gun because flatter targets require more precise pellet placement.

6. Fluctuating Scores in Later Events

• Sunday’s handicap event saw even lower scores, with high of 97 and many top shooters struggling.

Notable Names:

• Mackenzie Ludlow wins champion with a 97 in the handicap, a standout performance. (18:00–18:21)
• Philip Schumach takes runner-up in a shoot-off.

Ricky: “If I’d have broken 93, none of the threes played much money. It would have paid another thousand dollars.” (18:38)

7. Equipment Hot Takes & The “Bands vs Steel Springs” Debate

• Tucson switched back to throwing targets with rubber bands (vs. steel springs) due to shooter demand.
• Debate over which system provides more consistent and “smoke-able” targets.

Zach: “With bands… you might have one at 42, one at 42.5, one at 41.5… With steel springs, that speed was very, very consistent.” (20:31–21:11)

• Consensus: shooter preference and club conditions matter greatly; there’s no one-size-fits-all.

Memorable Quote:
Ricky: “Once a trap shooter’s got it in his mind that this is what it needs to be, I think that’s what it needs to be.” (24:37)

8. The Human Side of Trapshooting

• Importance of listening to shooters and customer service at clubs.
• The impact of club decisions on attendance (“…there’s a lot of people that were not happy with the way the targets were, so they chose not to come.” (19:52)).

Zach: “There’s a small amount of people doing this professionally...everyone else is just a consumer. At the end of the day, they’re coming to enjoy, and they’re basically making a decision where am I going to take my family?” (32:51)

9. Final Results, Honors, and Shout-Outs

• All-Around Champion: Jason Fag, who finished three birds over the next competitors (Ricky, Pat Lamont, Canyon Ferris).
• Notable performance from Jason Fullbag—a top wind shooter, according to both hosts.
• Ricky celebrates winning three of four “Martin Lewis” options, courtesy of the Martins. (37:33)

Ricky: “You know, my kids could eat, you know, for a couple weeks off that. I appreciate that from them.” (38:07)

10. Memorable Travel Stories & Closing Thoughts

• Ricky’s 30-hour windswept return trip home, followed by a blizzard (“…if I would have stopped and stayed and slept for like four or five hours, I’d have been stuck…” (39:53)).
• Praise for Tucson Trap & Skeet for listening to shooters and making changes.
• Anticipation for the upcoming Arizona State Shoot (now using bands again).

Notable Quotes

• Zach: “How many times do you really have a shoot where 198 is high in the championship singles?” (07:43)
• Ricky: “Pat won that shoot off. You know, Pat’s pretty tough in the shoot off.” (04:54)
• Ricky: “Don’t shoot a very high shooting gun if you’re going to shoot all over the country. That’s just me.” (12:05)
• Zach: “Once a trap shooter’s got it in his mind that this is what it needs to be, I think that’s what it needs to be.” (24:37)
• Ricky: “Pound for pound, size for size, [Fullbag]'s the toughest guy in trap shooting, you know.” (37:07)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:09 – Ricky’s travel recap and Spring Grand arrival
• 02:46 – Spring Grand weather, targets, and initial shooting impressions
• 05:28 – Pat Lamont’s performance and switch to Team Remington
• 07:43 – Unusually low singles championship scores; score breakdown
• 11:59–13:30 – Gun setup & flatter target shooting strategies
• 18:00–18:21 – Handicap final scores and recognition of Mackenzie Ludlow & Philip Schumach
• 19:52–26:29 – Equipment debate: bands vs steel springs; club approaches
• 32:51–34:23 – Serving the shooting community: shooter satisfaction & club responsibility
• 36:23 – All-around champion and shout-outs to notable competitors
• 37:33–39:53 – Ricky’s Martin Lewis victories & travel adventures
• 41:38–42:00 – Facilities and Tucson’s atmosphere

Episode Tone & Style

The episode is rich in insider knowledge, competitive anecdotes, and playful friendship. Banter between Zach and Ricky balances technical drilling with camaraderie, while both offer practical advice for shooters and club managers alike. The focus is always on the love for the sport, the value of the shooting community, and the pursuit for improvement—whether in equipment, club management, or personal skill.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This recap captures the ups, downs, and technical intricacies of the 2025 Spring Grand, spotlighting its champions, the effect of tough conditions, and the ongoing debates that shape competitive trapshooting. With tips for both shooters and clubs, the episode is an ideal debrief for those wanting to learn what really went down in Tucson this year.