[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page E 1902]]


                    HONORING THE WHITTINGTON CENTER

                                 ______


                          HON. BILL RICHARDSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 10, 1995

  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, this country's premier shooting and 
hunting center is located in northern New Mexico in my congressional 
district. As the proud Representative of the Whittington Center, I was 
honored to have had a tour of this outstanding facility during the 
August congressional recess.
  As my colleagues debate and consider gun control measures, I would 
strongly suggest they too visit the Whittington Center and see first 
hand how responsible gun owners are training, shooting, and exercising 
their second amendment right.
  Founded by the National Rifle Association in 1973, the Whittington 
Center is located in Raton, a wonderful community which has long been 
proud of its NRA neighbor. Whittington Center executive director Mike 
Ballew guided me through the Whittington complex. This facility, 
located on 52 square miles, is visited by some 70,000 people each year. 
It offers not just world class ranges for a variety of shooting, but 
hunting opportunities, training and camping sites. This is a first 
class center that all law-abiding shooters can be proud of.
  While the Whittington Center is well known among the shooting public 
and hosts many competitive local, State, regional, and national 
matches, it does not receive much publicity. I agree with a recent 
commentary offered by Raton city commissioner Chip Ciammaichella that 
this center and the shooting sport deserves greater coverage so that 
more of our citizens have a better understanding of the NRA, the 
Whittington Center, and those who visit it.
  I urge my colleagues to read Commissioner Ciammaichella's comments 
which follow as well as review literature I received from the 
Whittington Center during my August visit.

                 [From the Raton Range, Sept. 12, 1995]

                 Shooting Sports Deserve More Coverage

                        (By Chips Ciammaichella)

       Hearty congratulations to my good friend Ed Hager. He 
     recently competed in the National Rifle Matches at Camp 
     Perry, Ohio, and did very well. The ``National Matches,'' as 
     shooters have called them for years, is the Super Bowl of 
     competitive high-powered rifle target shooting, drawing 
     thousands of America's best civilian and military marksmen.
       Ed competed in the ``President's'' match, as well as the 
     National Trophy Match. Both matches had more than 1,400 top-
     notch participants, yet Ed was able to win the bronze medal 
     in the Trophy Match, with only a mental lapse denying him 
     first place. In the President's Match, Ed placed in the 
     ``President's 100'' for the second straight year. Well done, 
     buddy.
       It's shame that Ed's achievements in such national 
     competitions receive little or no local news' coverage. I 
     realize that much of our local news comes from wire services 
     and press releases, and today's high-tech communications make 
     a wealth of information available from these sources. With so 
     much information available at a news organizations' 
     fingertips, much less time is spent ``digging'' for news. 
     Since many people don't wish to ``toot their own horn'' with 
     a press release, their achievements go un-noticed by the 
     media. I guess, there's no substitute for good, old-fashioned 
     legwork.
       I realize that the shooting sports aren't football, but in 
     Raton, I think that they should receive more coverage than at 
     present. After all, we're the home of the NRA Whittington 
     Center, easily the finest outdoor shooting facility in the 
     world. Thousands of people shoot here every year, many of 
     them in competition.
       Whittington Center hosts many local, state, regional and 
     national matches, and the number of large regional and 
     national matches held here is increasing every year. With the 
     future of Camp Perry always under attack, chances are good 
     that the National Matches themselves will be held in Raton 
     sometime in the not-too-distant future.
       Raton benefits from the success of Whittington Center and 
     the people who use the facility help our local economy. They 
     stay in our motels, eat at our restaurants, fill-up at our 
     gas stations and buy goods and services from our local 
     merchants. Some even decide to move here. A little more news 
     coverage of their exploits at Whittington would make them 
     feel more at home and enhance their perception of Raton.
       The combination of Whittington Center here in Raton, the 
     respected Trinidad State Junior College gunsmithing school 
     over the hill, New Mexico's reasonable gun laws and the 
     natural beauty of our area make Raton an attractive 
     prospective home to industry related to the shooting sports 
     and firearms. It's a natural fit and a few firearms-related 
     companies are already seriously eyeing Raton. I'm confident 
     that more will follow, creating jobs for local people and 
     helping to strengthen our local economy.
       To succeed in drawing these companies to Raton, we need to 
     have a better coordinated effort. While the Raton Chamber and 
     Economic Development Council, Inc. has already targeted 
     firearms-related industry, both government and the media can 
     help out. Local government can best help by working to 
     provide the infrastructure and quality of life that will make 
     our community even more attractive to prospective businesses 
     bad individuals. The media can help out by paying more 
     attention to the shooting sports and the people who compete 
     in them.
       I don't want to say that our local media has ignored 
     shooting. Jim Roper and KRTN did quite a bit to make 
     Whittington Center a reality, and Curtis Williams of The 
     Range has just discovered the joys of practical pistol 
     shooting. I'd just like to see a little more coverage of the 
     matches held at Whittington and the people who compete in 
     them. I'd also like to see coverage of some of our local 
     shooters who compete at the state, regional or national 
     levels.
       NRA Whittington Center and the Raton Practical Shooting 
     Club (Rat-Pack), will be hosting the USPSA/IPSC Area II 
     practical shooting championships next spring. As a member of 
     the Rat-Pack, albeit not one of the better shooters, I would 
     like to compete. Between now and then I'm going to practice 
     my little heart out, hoping to have a respectable showing in 
     the match. Everyone, including Bill Richardson, knows that I 
     crave attention. If I screw up and actually win the match 
     (not blood likely), I'd sure like to hear my name on the 
     radio and see my picture in the newspaper.
       Better yet, maybe I'll just brag that I'm gonna win the 
     thing, hands down, kind of like Cassius Clay used to do. 
     Then, when I lose badly, The Range will definitely run the 
     story.
                                                                    ____


                         NRA Whittington Center


                       ``The Future Of Shooting''

              Founded by NRA members . . . for NRA members

       Founded in 1973, the NRA Whittington Center is the largest 
     and most complete shooting and hunting complex in the world. 
     Located on 52 beautiful square miles of New Mexico 
     countryside, the NRA Whittington Center is truly your 
     Whittington Center, with more than 70,000 visitors each year.
       Created for the use of all NRA members and their families, 
     the NRA Whittington Center offers an impressive range of 
     fully-equipped shooting range facilities, camping and 
     recreational areas, and some of the best hunting anywhere.
       The NRA Whittington Center is owned, operated and funded by 
     thousands of NRA members who want to preserve our hunting and 
     shooting heritage of firearms ownership, hunting, and the 
     shooting sports.


                                shooting

                         ``World-class ranges''

       To play host for many of the top competitions in the world 
     requires the best facilities . . . and that's exactly what 
     you'll find at the NRA Whittington Center. An incredible 
     variety of ranges are available--including high power, 
     metallic silhouette, skeet, pistol, black powder, hunter 
     sight-in, smallbore, trap and sporting clays.
       All range facilities are designed to create the ideal 
     shooting environment with safety as a priority.


                                hunting

                            ``Trophy class''

       The game rich NRA Whittington Center offers hunting 
     opportunities for deer, elk, turkey, black bear, and more. 
     Through effective wildlife management, consistently high 
     success rates are achieved for all species at the Center . . 
     . the finest hunting country in the Rockies. Everything you 
     need to create the hunting and recreation adventure of a 
     lifetime is available.


                                training

                        ``Safety as a priority''

       Firearms training makes up an important part of the 
     activities at the NRA Whittington Center. Nationally-known 
     instructors regularly conduct training in all shooting 
     disciplines. Marksmanship and competition are strongly 
     promoted, with the guiding principle of the safe handling of 
     firearms.

                   NRA Whittington Center needs you!

       You know what the best thing about the NRA Whittington 
     Center is? It truly is Your NRA Whittington Center. The 
     Center relies solely on the tax-deductible contributions of 
     thousands of NRA members. Whether you plan to use this world-
     class facility or not, why not join with thousands of proud 
     NRA members and support Your NRA Whittington Center today!
       NRA Whittington Center, P.O. Box .30-06, Raton, NM 87740.

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