Top junior shooters face off in an international postal match

Fairfax, Virginia - During this year's NRA National Junior Air Gun Championship, the first day's top shooters were selected to join the NRA National Air Gun Team for a postal match against South Africa.

The match, which has been going on for years between the two nations, sees each country field two teams: one Sporter and one Precision. Each team is comprised of 14 shooters - 12 shooting for record, a coach and a manager.

On the United States side, the NJAGC's second day scores go on to be used in the postal match.

Last month we received South Africa's scores and have tallied everything up. How did the stars and stripes do?

Turns out it was a split. South Africa's shooters took the Sporter match by 68 points, 6605 to 6537, and the United States won Precision by 130 points, 6995 to 6865.

For years South Africa has engaged in a postal match of this nature with the USA. In 2011 they sent their first team across the Atlantic for their first shoulder-to-shoulder with us Yanks and received a warm welcome. Unfortunately, South Africa was unable to attend the championship this year, and we returned to the traditional postal match. But no postal will be needed next year as South Africa will return to the 2013 NJAGC in full force at Camp Perry.

Congratulations to all our shooters and thanks for keeping the spirit of international competition alive.