The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-06-20

broadway" According to details now being ar
ranged by Lieutenant Colonel william c.. Harllee,
Y. ,. Nj. Co. who Is executive officer Of the
matches, rifles will begin TO crack in competition
as early as July 1, and the final cease firing"
will not sound much before September l. Dur
Ing the first part of this period practice matches
and minor competitions will be scheduled. These
Will be followed up by a period of instruction
In craftsmanship for the civilian teams who will
participate in the national matches. After the
school of instruction, a series Of craftsmanship
competitions, which include some of the oldest
and most historic of rife contests, will be held
by the National Rifle Association of America.
These events will lead up to those American
craftsmanship classics which are called the Ma
tional Matches. The National Matches, there
fore, will probably be held toward the middle
or end of August.
They consist Of three competitions. The most
important Is the National Team Match. In this
event teams of II shooting members are pitted
against one another. Each team. using the
United States military rifle, fires 20 shots rapid
fire at a target 200 yards away, 20 shots slow fire
at a target GOO yards away and 20 shots slow
Gre at a target 1000 yards away. To the victors
In this competition are awarded four trophies
which are highly priced among marksmen: One
q prize to the service teams; a second to the Ma
honal Guardsmen; a third to the civilian clubs.
and q fourth to schools and colleges.
The first trophy is known as the National
sophy. 1t is a bronze plaque showing Mars
1lding in leash the dogs of war" The sec
ond trophy Is known as the Hilton trophy. 1t is
also a bronze bas-relief, hung about with "scalps"
upon which are recorded the names of the teams
that have won 1t since 1t was placed In competi-
lion in 1878. The third Is known as the Soldier
of Marathon 1t Is a bronze statuette and is the
Oldest Of the three.
The second Of the National Match competitions
Iu kuoua Ia tho National Iudiyidua1 Match xvhouo
IN individuals instead Of teams participate, fol-
lowing the same course Of fire prescribed In the
team competition. N
The third competition is known as the Ma
tional Pistol Match and the honor Of being VIC
torious in this event Is as highly priced among
hand-gun enthusiasts as is the victory in the
National Individual Match among rifemen.
Program 10 Attractive.
The program of the National Rifle Association
matches is no less attractive to marksmen.
There Is 1.-THE Wimbledon" a match shot at tar
gets 1000 yards away. the winner of which holds
Cor one year the Wimbledon cup. presented to
American rideneD by the Princess Louise Of Eng
land In 1878. and assumes the title Of long
range champion" There is the Leech Cup Match
Tor the oldest trophy In competition at the pres
ent t1me-a massive silver tankard, a gift to the
Mr.. A. In 1874 by the captain of the Irish
rife team which that year visited this country
to take part In the first international marksman.
hhip contest. There Is the Presidents Match. to
the winner Of which goes an autographed letter
of congratulation from the chief executive and
me title '~1nilitary champion" and there is the
Marine Corps Cup Match open to everybody. the
winning Of which is also a signal honor. The
trophy Ia this competition was the gift Of the
commissioned officers OF the marine corps.
Until 1915 there participated in ting National
rx.tchcs only the army, the<D0Uks the marine
CORDS and thsAR gsr01 'kIs21