The IDPA Classifier. Again. Finally.

Since I took a few years off from shooting IDPA matches, I had not shot the official classifier since April 2012. When I started back up this Spring, I still had my old Sharpshooter classification, though it was expired since the rules say that you are supposed to classify every year. This weekend the Cavalier IDPA club scheduled a classifier match, and I was looking forward to getting current.

I'd been anxiously watching the weather forecast for a week, and it was calling for Sunday to be cool and rainy. (We actually had sleet falling here on Saturday.) On Sunday morning it looked like the rain would stop mid-morning so I headed out early for the range. It rained for most of the drive, but had stopped by time I arrived. It was still unseasonably cool out, requiring a jacket while I waited my turn to shoot. Fortuitously, the sun actually came out before I shot, taking off a bit of the chill.

The IDPA Classifier is a three stage, 90 round course of fire, providing a good all around test of shooting proficiency. On the first two stages, I was very happy with my shooting. The third stage was not as satisfying. I went a bit much too fast shooting around the barricade and dropped many points.

Despite needing a current classification, this was really a low-pressure event for me. You retain your "highest held" classification, so I only needed to complete the classifier to be current. At the time I originally made Sharpshooter it was by the skin of my teeth, and the scoring system has been updated since then, requiring a faster time to make Sharpshooter. I did feel some pressure as I wanted to be "legit" and re-earn the ranking under the more strict times. Fortunately, despite the poor performance on Stage 3, I finished safely in the Sharpshooter ranks, dropping over 20 seconds off my last classification attempt.

The match was well organized and, despite being a "test," was a lot of fun. The match folks had repeated the classifier set up in three bays so there was little waiting. I picked a bay, and enjoyed talking with other shooters and pasting targets during my brief wait. And, now I feel "legal" again.