The Bianchi Invitational Pistol Tournament,in its three years of operation,has attracted top shooters, worldwide;serious competitors who are accustomed tothe pressures of the high prestige, bigmoney shooting matches.Yet, in each of the three tournaments todate, a top competitar has experienced alapse in concentration that resulted in afailure to reload for one stage, and a resultantlower finish.It started in 1979, the first tournament,with Mickey Fowler who had fired sixrounds from a .45 auto clip that wasloaded with the usual seven rounds. At thestart of the next stage, he checked thesame magazine, saw the single round in thelips, thought it to be a fully loaded magazine,slammed it home in the butt of hispistol, and jacked the round into the chamber.He was shooting the steel plates, anddropped five shots of his six round string, ofcourse, and wound up in second place atthe end of the tournament. He may nothave beat out Ron Lerch, who won that inauguralmatch, even if he had fired his fivemore rounds, but he sure didn't help hiscause any. But for that one lapse of concentration,he could have owned the tournamentfrom the very start.The same year, 1979, the Third Placefinisher was a top PPC shooter, MikeMurray. Obviously, his high finish madehim ane to watch the following year, anddozens of spectators watched him in 1980when he failed to reload for a stage at themoving target. Not only did he drop threerounds, 30 points, on that event, but heTHE BIANCHI JINXwas still "snakebit" for the next day'smatch as well. He went on to finish in theNumber 20 position, and the term "BianchiJinx" was started to be heard buzzedaround the Chapman Academy, Murrayshook it off in the <strong>1981</strong> tournament,though, and climbed back to 6th in theoverall standings this year.Gavin Carson of South Africa was the<strong>1981</strong> victim of the Bianchi Jinx. This time itwas at the Barricade event, and his embarrassmentwas similar to Fowler's in 1979an auto clip not fully loaded. Gavin was theInternational Event winner in 1980, andfinished 2nd in that special category in<strong>1981</strong>. Again, not to downgrade the Number1 shooter in that event, but only 20points ·separated winner Paul Liebenbergfrom second place Gavin Carson. PossiblyCarson's lapse did cost him First Place. AsGavin related it, "... Iwas on a real 'high;just me and the target, and I was shootingwell. No one or nothing distracted me, I· justblew it ..." .Well, "Bianchi Jinx" was whisperedabout the range and hotel once again, thistime a little more seriously than the year before.All the shooters affected so far havenot been those of lesser talent who may notmake the "cut" and not get invited backnext year. They have been among the verybest, the pros, the contenders. What gets inthe way of their total concentration? Hardto say. Will it happen again next year,maybe at the Practical Event? Also hard topredict. Does the jinx exist at all? A lot ofshooters at the Bianchi ~Tournament think so. -,competing to ignore their chances of takingthe tournament.There has been much verbal and printeddiscussions these past three years of theBianchi Invitational Pistol Tournament, asto the merits ofthe revolver vs. the auto. Inspite of my prognosticating, again, thistime that a PPC shooter will take a nel!rfuture winner's spot, I believe I have theanswer.as to why a revolver has not won upto now. It's so simple. It's because ~Mickey Fowler shoots an auto. ~THE BIANCHI CUP <strong>1981</strong>SCORE1890-881882-831869-831868-641863-781858-821854·731851·711843-761835·661831-851831-761831·641829-571825·601824-661822-611816-551815-491810-47NAMEFOWLER, MICKEYDUNCAN, MARKDALTON, MIKEPRUITT, NICKWEDDLE, ROYCEMURRAY, MICHAELCAMPBELL, TOML1EBENBERG, PAUL(REP. OF so. AFRICA)GIFFORD, CRAIGPRIDE, JOHNCARSON, GAVIN(REP. OF so. AFRICA)FICHMAN, MIKEWILLIAMS, KENTROGERS, WILLIAMROCK, JOHNSHAW, JOHNCLARKE, DAVID, PETER(RHODESIA)GRAY, BRUCEBOWKER, WAYNEGRABBATIN, CHARLESTom Campbell of Smith & Wesson ashe attacked the falling plates. He isin the process o·f going prone.
JOHNW\YNECommemorativeHolster andGunbelt SetAn authentiereproduction ofthe holster, gunbeltand trousers' beltworn by the legendaryJohn Wayne in hismany motion pictures.Meticulously handcraftedby BianchiGunleather and endorsedby Wayne Enterprises.Each set is handsomelypackaged with a signedCertificate of Registrationand a to-page color bookletdescribing this collectors'item. Limited to only 3000editions, each individuallynumbered and registered $250.(Plus $5 postage and handling.CA Res. add 6070 sales tax.)A portion 0/the proceeds/rom thissale will be donated to the JohnWayne Cancer Clinic, LosAngeles, CA.issued exclusively by the~~~ HISTORICAL CENTER100 CALLE CORTEZ. DEPT. AH11 • TEMECULA CA 92390
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