Volume: 17, Issue: 1 (1st Quarter 2013) - IDPA.com

2012 European Cup
belongings with me. Then we were
headed back to Brescia. There were
3 vehicles in our little convoy.
Andrea Sgro (Mattia’s brother) was
drafted to drive the trailing vehicle
with those of us who were playing
tourist on board. Again, I perfected
the art of taking pictures from a
moving vehicle.
Upon arrival back at Trattoria
Gardesana, I found I had a new
roommate, Elena Cochio. I speak
nothing but redneck English,
and while Elena speaks several
languages, apparently my brand
of English isn’t one of them. We
managed to communicate after a
fashion, but I think she understood
much more than I did. We had
a good time trying to teach me
very broken Italian. She was very
patient with me in that regard.
Finally, we came
to the 1st day of
the match. Friday,
safety officers
and staff shot the
match. I don’t recall
there being any
problems, but that
could be because
I was still paying
more attention to
the trip I’d made
the day before
than the match.
I do remember that I liked the
score sheets so well I resolved to
make some changes to the score
sheets we use at the IDPA National
Championship.
Saturday, the 1st batch of regular
competitors shot the match. The
actual club hosting this match is
Shooting Team Livigno. They
imported 2 people to make
traditional Livigno cuisine for
our lunches. While I can’t tell
you what the food was, the taste
was outstanding. The young man
drafted into bringing me back from
Livigno was one of the cooks and
he did a great job. Andrea also tried
his best to teach me some Italian.
I’m afraid he wasn’t successful,
but, again, we had a good time in
the attempt.
food. Of course, after that, we had
to get up way too early the next
morning to go back for the last day
of shooting. Tiziana and I were
typing furiously to keep up with
shooters and make sure we had no
mistakes, but I believe we managed
to get scores posted within minutes
of last shot fired.
After it was decided there would
be no challenges on the scores, I
started breaking down equipment
in the stats shack. Match Director
Frank Glover informed me I was
to attend the awards ceremony.
What’s that old saying… when
in Rome? I went to the awards
ceremony.
They made the most beautiful
laser engraved wooden trophies for
the main match with glass trophies
for the division champions and sub
categories. I had been admiring
them for several days. The
workmanship was exquisite and the
design quite unique. I didn’t realize
I would be receiving one. I’ve
never received a trophy for scoring
a match before. It was a uniquely
kind gesture to let me know they
appreciate my time and effort. That
trophy sits in a place of honor in
my home this very minute.
I made an amazing discovery in
Italy. As I sat down to enjoy the
When we arrived wonderful meals, I was intrigued to
back at Trattoria find myself surrounded by at least
Gardesana for the five different nationalities of people
evening, we found who had all come together because
that Luciano and we loved to shoot; specifically
his wife Barbara IDPA style. One night, I looked
had been hard at around and discovered Italians,
work preparing a Americans, Venezuelans, Russians
feast for us. We all and Costa Ricans at my table. At
assembled in a semi the next table over, there were also
private dining room Romanians. We were all having a
and proceeded to great time. I hope to do the same
drink too much vino thing next year at the 2013 IDPA
and eat too much European Cup.
20 IDPA Tactical Journal First Quarter 2013