2014 Competition Season Begins

The 2014 competition season got underway with Team Hornady® members Michael Voigt (shown above) and Maggie Reese setting the tone at the Florida Open Pistol Championship, February 14-16, 2014. Held at the Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, Fla., the sunshine state welcomed a field of 400 competitors from South America, Asia, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean Islands, and 25 states from North America with chilly 40-degree weather.

Kicking off his first match of the season, Michael Voigt won Open Senior shooting Hornady® 125 grain HAP® bullets in his 9mm pistol. "Hornady HAP bullets were specifically developed for action shooting sports because they are incredibly accurate and feed flawlessly," said Voigt. "They're priced and packaged for the high volume I need for practice and for matches." Voigt will return to Frostproof, Fla. in October to compete in the 2014 IPSC World Championship as a member of Men's Open Senior Team.

Maggie Reese finished 4th in the Lady in Production division shooting Hornady® 125 grain Steel Match® in her 9mm pistol. Reese explained, "I was initially drawn to Hornady Steel Match ammo as an economical practice round, but soon discovered I can trust its superior accuracy and reliability in competitions." Reese will return to Frostproof, Florida to compete in the 2014 IPSC World Championship, since qualifying for the Ladies Production Team for a second time.

Each of the match's 11 stages incorporated an outdoor sporting theme, mimicking a fishing dock, golfing stage, camouflaged blind, and a gambling stage with gold painted steel targets. Distractions like forcing competitors to shoot from awkward positions, through small ports and at no shoot penalty targets did not deter Voigt and Reese from the fundamentals of shooting.

Jerry Miculek defended his title by winning the Enhanced Service Revolver Division during the S&W IDPA Indoor National Championships, February 21-22, 2014. Shooting Hornady® 45 caliber 230 grain FMJ reloads in his JM 625 S&W revolver, Miculek claimed this was the hardest and most accuracy-oriented IDPA match he'd ever fired. Miculek credited his win by saying, "I was glad to have an accurate bullet like the Hornady 230 grain FMJ at this match."

The annual match is held at the S&W Shooting Center in Springfield, Mass. Each year attendance grows as interest in the shooting discipline of IDPA soars due to its realistic and creatively designed stages.