The 2010 Target Line Cup to be held May 14-16 is sure to be a highlight of the shooting season. The event is the brainchild of TargetLine Shooting School ring leader Steve Schultz aka "El Grande." Only in it’s second year, the popular event is held in Slidell, Texas at Fossil Pointe Sporting Grounds owned and operated by David and Maryam Niederer. Last years event was a highly successful kick-off for the young club which then followed it up with one of the best state FITASC Championships yet held.
Whether you call them the school, the boys, the crew or the mafia, the success of both of these great events is due to the TargetLine mob and several co-conspirators. Whatever it is, this group of people know how to hold and event and hold it the right way. Excellent organization, smooth registration, truly great facilities at Fossil Pointe and fabulous target sets are the hallmarks of a TargetLine event.
The event offers a 200 target English SPorting main, 100 target Parcours de CHasse, 100 Target 5-stand main, 100 target ESP pre-lim, 50 target 5-stand pre-lim (whew!…let me catch my breath…) 50 target Super Sport and 3- 50 target small gauge events. New this year is a 5,000 square feet club house and a pro shooters pool. The buy in for the pro shooters pool is $300 and pays out 100%. There are already some big names on the list like Miles, Kruger, Robertson, Duffy, Kienbaum etc.
In usual ISC fashion I’m just going to let Steve Schultz and David Niederer tell you about it in their own words. Following that you will find our guide to the event with registration, maps, hotels, airport and travel information.
-Steve Schultz
International Sporting Clays: How did the TargetLine Cup come about?
Steve Schultz: For a long time I have wanted to put on an event that was built from the ground up to be all about the competitors and showcase TargetLine as more than just a shooting school. I wanted to create a national level shoot that drew shooters from across the nation and gave them a venue to match their skill. I just never had the grounds to match the vision until I saw David Niederer’s place. One look at that piece of ground was all it took. David has been a Team TargetLine member for quite awhile and has always wanted to own and operate his own club. By putting our two visions together both the TargetLine Cup and Fossil Pointe Sporting Grounds were born.
ISC: What can people expect if they have never been to the event?
SS: Shooters can expect to attend an event that is foremost, professionally run and operated. An event run by shooters for shooters. I bring in some of the best people in the game to put this event on. People like Lois Lessing, Casey Hansen, Jason Menke, Mo Parsons, Stormy Weatherford and Team TargetLine. Professionals who know their business and know what it takes to run a large event. Shooters can expect smooth registration, lots of events to shoot, prompt payouts and some of the best targets you will see. Attention to detail and a beautiful venue to match the spectacle of this event are what makes The TargetLine Cup what it is.
ISC: Anything new planned for this year?
SS: We will have the new 5,000 sq. ft. clubhouse finished which will add tremendously to the comfort of the shooters who attend. We are also adding an additional caterer to the other 2 for more choices in dining at the club. The main events will be laid out on completely new grounds from last year’s TargetLine Cup.
ISC: What is your philosophy on target setting?
SS: I have been around this sport since 1984 and have seen millions of targets. I try to set stuff that I would like to shoot. I’ve learned from some of the best ever. Guys like Henry Burns, Johnny Johnson, Bob Brister and Dave Peckham have been big influences on how I set targets. I try to never forget that as a targetsetter, I am in the entertainment business and my job is to provide fun, thought provoking targets that are safe, easy to see and that allow for good competition throughout the classes. I want to throw you targets that you walk away from saying "Wow!" that was fun and give you a chance to compete. I always strive to be a professional by setting a course that flows, has a wide variety of presentations that compliment each other and that shooters really love to shoot. I put my heart and passion into it and never compromise the set. That’s something I learned from Dave Peckham and it really does matter.
ISC: Tell us about the TargetLine school and your goals for it.
SS: TargetLine Shooting School has evolved to include my long time students who have reached some of the highest levels of competition. I coach them and now they are out teaching others what they’ve learned. We want to pass on the knowledge and experience we have hard earned, whether as coaches or course designers. I’ve always taught shooting in multiple disciplines and have been lucky to mold some very talented shooters. With 2 NSCA National Champions, 2 World Sporting Junior Champions, 2 4H All Around Champions, a former Jr. Olympic trap record holder and a 2008 Olympian and World Cup silver medalist in international skeet, TargetLine Shooting School has produced champions in multiple disciplines. My goals for TargetLine are to continue on the course I have set and to further develop TargetLine into a full service school that offers the finest instruction, the best targetsetters and course designers, mentoring programs, full service event management and the continued development of winning shooters.
-David Niederer
ISC: For those that don’t know you, tell us a little about yourself.
DN: Some personal info: I’m 28, married (Maryam), and we recently had our first child (Sophia 3 mo.). I grew up and live in North Texas. Some shooting info: Growing up I would shoot skeet at a local club with my dad on the weekends. Soon after I began shooting skeet tournaments, so I guess you could say I was originally a skeeter. It wasn’t until 2000 that I was introduced to sporting clays by a friend of mine, and I haven’t shot skeet since. Shooting has always been my passion and sporting clays was a perfect discipline for me. Since first shooting clays, I have traveled the country and world to compete in the game we all love.
ISC: How did the club come to be? What made you decide to open it?
DN: After shooting for a few years we bought some of our own traps and began practicing at some family land we used for recreation. It was 480 acres of rolling hills and wooded creek bottoms we first used for 4 wheelers and a weekend getaway. I started setting my own 
targets and it soon became a place to my friends and I to practice and hone our skills. In 2005 a local club closed its doors and left many North Texas shooters with limited options and at the time I was thinking what a great place we had and what a great course we could have out there. The only problem was I was still in school, so it was really nothing more than a "what if". It wasn’t until 2008, several years after college, that the thought of opening a sporting ground really became a viable option. The Dallas area shooters were ready and very responsive to the thought of a new club in the Metroplex. After consulting the family, and getting advice from Steve Schultz and Tim Miles; Maryam and I decided to go forward and open Fossil Pointe Sporting Grounds. Steve and Tim have been a vital part of Fossil Pointe and have given up time and energy to help us open and establish the club.
ISC: How did you get involved with the TargetLine crew?
DN: If you shoot longer than a month in Texas you are sure to hear Steve Schultz’s name. When I finally decided, after 4 years, that I had reached a plateau, I sought out an instructor. I knew of Steve, but did not meet him until the 2004 State Champ at Prairie Moon. Several months later I took my first lesson and soon after was invited to join Team TargetLine. I have learned so much from Steve and can confidently say he is in the top tier of instructor/coaches in the country. TargetLine offers more than just shooting instruction. We have experience and offer services in all aspects of sporting clays, including target setting, shooting, trap mechanics, range owners and shoot management.
ISC: Tell us about the new club house.
DN: The new club house is 5,000 sq.ft. complete with guest rooms and a commercial kitchen. It is a perfect place to relax and unwind after a long day of shooting. It’s design is ideal for tournaments, clinics and private/corporate events. The 2000 sq.ft. wrap-around porch sees some excellent sunset and offers a scenic view of the property and shoot-off field. It really has to be seen to be appreciated.
ISC: Tell shooters what to expect if they have never been to the TargetLine Cup?
DN: The TargetLine Cup is a shoot for shooters, by shooters. Our focus is on the shooter and the targets. Between Steve, Tim and myself, we have a huge wealth of experience. We know what we like and expect from tournaments and thats what we want to give everyone at the TargetLine Cup. We always try to set up and make decisions from a shooters perspective, and I feel like that is what makes the TargetLine Cup what it is.
ISC: Who is setting targets for the various events?
DN: The main event and FITASC will be set by Steve Schultz. The other events will be set by Tim Miles, Jeff Foster and myself, although we have not finalized who will be setting which event.
ISC: Explain the Professional Shooters Pool.
DN: The Pro Shooter Pool works like a option with payouts are based on the number of entries. It is designed to spotlight the top shooter and give them a little something more to shoot for.
ISC: Do you have any favorite restaurants or things to do near the club?
DN: Decatur offers a variety of restaurants and hotels. A local favorite is Sweetie Pie Ribeye on the square. Go north across the border (approx. 30 min.) and you will find Winstar Casino. It too offers hotels, restaurants as well as gaming (slots and cards). The best thing about being a range owner is I get to do what I want. I have a lot of great ideas for the future, and through Fossil Pointe with the help from Steve and Tim, I look to refine the tournament experience for shooters. This is the greatest sport ever created, but we still have a long way to go.
Registration:
Register online, on the phone or through the mail at: CH Shoot Results.com
Shoot Flyer (.pdf)
Squadding (.pdf)
Location:
Fossil Pointe Sporting Grounds is located in Slidell, Texas Northwest of the Fort Worth/Dallas Metroplex. (see map below)
Club Address: 7282 North FM 51, Slidell, TX 76267
Directions: from the Fossil Pointe web site.
Airport: Dallas/Fort Worth International. Exit the North end of the airport and take Hwy. 114 West until you hit I-35W and then head North to Sanger.
Accommodations:
The closest will be in Decatur. Look at this list of hotels for the club rate. (locations indicated on the map below) There are lots and lots of hotels within 30 minutes drive of the club. If you can’t get in the host hotels look for something along I-35 from Sanger, south to Denton.
Food:
In addition to the on-site catering which has been excellent burgers and BBQ fair, check out the restaurants in Decatur. Decatur is a short drive from the club gates and also has several fast-food chain outlets. To get there, turn left out of the club gates and drive south on FM-51 right into town. The fast food chains are mostly located through town along Hwy 287.
Interactive Map:
View 2010 TargetLine Cup in a larger map
Fossil Pointe Sporting Grounds
Photos courtesy of: Tracy Self and David Niederer
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