For Immediate Release:

Contact:

Ian Cheeseman
United States Long Range Rifle Teams
860-739-5598
ian@lva.com

UNITED STATES LONG RANGE RIFLE TEAM WINS AMERICA TROPHY
National Team Recaptures Prestigious Trophy at Spirit of America Matches

Niantic, CT—September 14, 2008 *– The United States Long Range National Rifle Team won the prestigious America Trophy Match today at the Spirit of America Matches in Raton, New Mexico.

The Spirit of America Matches are hosted by the Bald Eagles Rifle Club and include individual and team competitions. The America Trophy Match was last contested in 2006 at Connaught Ranges, Canada. Today’s match included the Australian national team and the defending America Trophy Match champions, Team England. The U.S. won gold with a score of 4758 and 258 x’s, Australia won the silver with a score of 4712 and 237 x’s, and England took bronze with a score of 4712 and 234 x’s.

Members of the winning National Team, which includes former members of the United States Palma® team, were Captain Dennis Flaharty, Vice Captain Dan Simpson, Head Coach SFC Emil Praslick III of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit, line coaches Ray Gross and Steve Hardin, and shooters Noma Mayo, Kent Reeve, Robert Gustin, Lane Buxton, GySGT Justin Skaret USMCR of the Marine Corps Reserve Rifle Team, Brian Litz, PFC Sherri Hurd and SPC Tyrel Cooper, both also of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit. SPC Cooper is also the National Fullbore Champion, having secured his win the previous day in the individual competitions. Official team alternates include, Wayne Forshee and Trudy Fay. Extra shooters include, Josh Harless, Sandy Pagel and Jorge Puignau all of whom played an important role in the success of the team.

“Team England and Team Australia are formidable shooting teams, and I’m very proud of the way our team worked together to secure the win for the United States,” said Dennis Flaharty, Team Captain of the National and the Palma® Teams. “We’re grateful to the Bald Eagles Rifle Club for hosting such an outstanding event, and to our sponsors for their support. We simply couldn’t do it without their help.”

Sponsors of the United States Long Range Rifle Teams for the America Trophy Match and the Spirit of America Trophy Matches were Sierra Bullets, Kowa Optimed, Inc., Kestrel Pocket Weather Trackers, Creedmoor Sports, and Ogre Manufacturing, Inc.

For additional information about the United States Long Range Rifle Teams and its sponsors visit their Web sites at: http://www.usrifleteams.com, http://sierra.com, http://www.kowa-usa.com, http://www.kestrelmeters.com, http://www.creedmoorsports.com and http://www.ogremfg.com.