There's something of an evolution that takes place when an expert shooter reaches the top of her game; a moment when she realizes that the only way to keep ascending is to lift others up with us. Taurus pro shooter Jessie Harrison is one such competitive shooter at the top of her game, and her recent win at last weekend’s Atlanta Arms Georgia State USPSA Championships provides all the proof. That said, as Taurus Shooting Team Captain, Harrison's real work begins after she's taken home her trophies ... mentoring the other shooters on the team. Joining her on the winner's podium this year is tyro shooter Trent Eichler, who just took his first-ever match win.
The Atlanta Arms Georgia State USPSA championships was held at the Riverbend Gun Club in Dawsonville, Georgia, on September 24-26. Out of 269 shooters, Harrison and freshman team member Trent Eichler both took First Place in their respective divisions (Jessie is Ladies Open and Trent is Single Stack). The match featured 10 courses of fire that included paper, steel and moving targets.
Although Harrison loves the Georgia State Championships, the truth of the matter is that as one of the top shooters in the world, her participation in the match was as much practice as it was podium-seeking. Her gaze is already fixed on the 2021 USPSA Limited & Open Nationals, to be held October 20-24 in Talladega, Alabama.
“I love competing at the GA State Championships,” confirmed Harrison. “It’s held at my home club, and they always design fast, fun, and challenging stages. This is my last match before heading to the USPSA Open Nationals in October, so this was a great test. I like to use matches like this to gauge where I’m at before bigger matches and to push a little harder, like in practice, while under match conditions.”
Freshman shooter Eichler's dedication and talent are already shining, and the rising shooting star has benefited enormously from Harrison's mentoring.
“I couldn’t be prouder of Trent and his first match win!” said Harrison. “He has worked incredibly hard, putting in the time on and off the range, so this is well-deserving and I’m happy that the team was together for his win!”
For his part, Eichler's taking his win as a good sign, but not the end of the road. “Like most matches,” said Eichler, “I’ll have some good stages and not-so-good stages, but fortunately, this match I ended up with more good stages! I’m still learning and growing as a shooter but winning my first match is very exciting! I can’t wait to take what I’ve learn from this weekend and apply it to my next competition. I’m truly fortunate to have the coaches and sponsor support that I do. I wouldn’t have the opportunities I have now without them.”
