what was your first prize won

[Rifleman1776]

Just a curiosity and fun question.
I would like y'all to tell, better to show, us what the first prize was you ever won in a muzzle loading competition. This doesn't mean you had to take first place. If you were last in a blanket prize shoot with 20 competitiors, that still counts as the first prize you ever won. Applause and ribbons don't count. It has to be a 'thing'.
I'll start. It was 1970 and I had my new CVA flintlock pretend kentucky rifle. It was a classic hunka junka. Lock didn't like to spark and barrel was a welded together two piece disaster. We were shooting on the NMLRA range at Friendship on an off weekend. I was surrounded with some of the greats in muzzle loading. Webb Terry, Max Vickery, Ron Moss, my friend Don Davis and others. I shot every match and took last in every match. At the awards, Don presented me this Sid Bell powderhorn pin for being the only competitor to fire every match of the day even though I finished last in every one. I still have it to this day and cherish the thoughtfullness of my, now deceased friend.

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[pa woods roamer]

First shoot, first place, six Cans of Baked Beans. Things went downhill from then!!!

 

[Trench]

My first club shot for groceries. I brought home the bacon.

 

[Little Wattsy]

A blacktail deer... My 1st ML hunt.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Some framed pheasant picture my wife wouldn't let me hang up. It was for 4th place in a BP snow shoe biathlon last year. I shot an Armi Sport '58 Enfield

Did better this year and won the thing with an Ohio Vincent build I made just for this event. Got a possibles bag.

 

[meanmike8665]

Thank you for a great story, wished I could remember my first prize, I can remember my first win the prize was a 1lb of powder. I miss those days, like you most of the people I shot with 20years ago are gone and I miss them.

Michael

 

[Bill Hall]

I was shooting in two events at once. I got first place in one event and third place in the other. First place prize was a half gallon of Earnest and Julio's finest. Third place was a can of beer. I was 16 years old at the time :shocked2: . Things were different back then. Bill

 

[buzz]

Im a terrible shot i guess have yet never do good in a group contests

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Have no clue what my first prize was, obviously it was very unremarkable as I struggled alot in the beginning.

However, I have every first place prize.

It started with this, I wear it in my daily kit.

 

[sidelock]

My first "trophy" with the ML was a grey squirrel taken with my just completed build. I don't care for medals hanging from me.

 

[ohio ramrod]

The first time I went to a rendezvous I won a latern holder. I did not think I had shot very well and did not expect to win anything ( I ended up taking third place out of fourty shooters. ) so instead of going for a prize I went to my camp to cook supper. The man in charge chose the latern holder for me. It was one I had donated to the prize table! :idunno:

 

I have been doing this for something in the vicinity of 44 years now. Looking back, I guess most of the shoots have been grocery or cash shoots because I really have to strain my memory to think of many ”˜things’ I’ve won.
The best, but certainly not the first, was a plug bayonet with a center seam sheath made by Glen McClain. The thing is though, I don’t remember if it was the best thing on a blanket when they got to me or if it was a specific prize for a smoothbore match.
I did pretty good at **** Hunters at Batesville one year and got a bunch of trophies. Several years ago I gave ”˜em all back so they could be recycled.
About all I have left from the first time around are two “Best Xs” from chunk gun matches. The first was from (I think) the first Ohio State Shoot at Dale Linkhart’s (.080) and the second was from one of the early Conner Prairie shoots, my personal best ever, (.002) As a matter of interest, the guy who took third place in that particular match shot .015 off dead center.

 

[Idaho Ron]

The first prize I ever won was a turkey at a turkey shoot. Some smart azz thought it would be funny to give a live turkey. SO I went up to get it and they said there it is take it out of the dog box. They were all laughing when I reached in grabbed this huge bird held him to the ground and put my fists in his back. I compressed the lungs and the bird strangled. All the while flapping wings and going crazy right in the middle of the prize ceremony. I also won a griddle that day as the second place shooter. Later that year I won third place for shooter of the year. I only shot at three matches. If I would have went a few more times I am sure I would have won shooter of the year. Ron

 

[M. De Land]

I don't really remember but probably a tin of caps or a pound of powder.
I have a drawer full of medals as these are pretty easy to get in local or state competitions but much prefer caps, powder or something one can use. Won a flash hole liner last year that was a new award for me. MD

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Mine was a gift certificate for a twenty pound turkey.

 

[jdw276]

every match I have shot in I get a lesson. Never won anything. Just get a lesson or two. :surrender:

 

[necchi]

My first shoot was as a walk in with street clothes so I couldn't win the official prizes but I grabbed a few of the
un-sanctioned shoot money prizes. (buck-a-round winner takes the pot)
That suprised'em, the new guy could shoot!
I think my first official was a years subscription to Backwoodsmen magazine.

Never won anything. Just get a lesson or two.

And that my friend can be a huge help, :thumbsup:
Watch the guy that wins a lot, he's usually quiet when shooting, he may be elusive if asked questions after shooting because he's found a technique that allows him to win.
But if you just watch what he's doing you'll see a routine.

 

[Billnpatti]

I started muzzleloading around 1970.....maybe a little earlier, I don't remember exactly. But, I didn't shoot in any matches until we moved to Indiana and I joined The Fish Creek Long Rifles muzzleloading club in North Vernon, IN. in 2000. If I remember correctly, the first prize I won was a pound of bacon. It sure wasn't first place but I sure was proud of my pound of bacon. I moved from Indiana in 2010 and just before I left, I was proudly made an Honorary Life Member of Fish Creek Long Rifles. I miss those guys......a lot!

 

[Deadeye]

That's a tough one, so many yrs. ago but since then I've been lucky enough to win several rifles,many knives, self bows,arrows, pack baskets, wooden cases, blankets, dutch ovens, lamps, stoves, money, trader bucks, turkeys, hams, buckskin clothes, shirts, horns, bags, lots of stuff made by blacksmiths, pliers, strikers,folding fry pans, tripods,all kinds of cooking stuff, you name it.
I've sold some stuff but still have most of it, I should open a store. Deadeye

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Watch the guy that wins a lot, he's usually quiet when shooting, he may be elusive if asked questions after shooting because he's found a technique that allows him to win.
But if you just watch what he's doing you'll see a routine.

Solid gold right there.