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2026 SOFT AAFTA Grand Prix
The 2026 SOFT AAFTA Grand Prix brought competitors to the AirGun Oregon Range in Ashland, Oregon, for three days of field target competition.
Friday opened with a 60-shot pistol match. Saturday and Sunday brought the two-day, 120-shot rifle Grand Prix, shot Worlds style with one shot per target.
Both courses were essentially 36 Troyer: 35.96T for pistol and 35.99T for rifle.
Champions at a Glance
Official Results and Equipment
Friday featured a 60-shot pistol match across 30 physical targets, with each target shot twice. The pistol course was calculated to 35.96 Troyer, effectively 36T.
The rifle Grand Prix consisted of 60 targets Saturday and 60 targets Sunday, for 120 possible points. The rifle course calculated to 35.99 Troyer, also effectively 36T.
All listed velocities from registration. Confirmed with chronograph at the match.
Hunter Pistol 60 Shots Possible
| Place | Competitor | Score | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Wayne Burns | 58/60 | 96.67% |
| LD Custom Pistol · Athlon Heras 4-20×50 · JSB 10.34 gr @ 690 fps | |||
| 2nd | Jason Blackburn | 56/60 | 93.33% |
| Crosman 1720T · Athlon Heras 4-20×50 · JSB 10.3 gr @ 710 fps | |||
| 3rd | John Knapp | 54/60 | 90.00% |
| Crosman 1720T · Hawke 3-12×50 · Air Arms 10.3 gr @ 711 fps | |||
| 4th | Randy Ebersole | 49/60 | 81.67% |
| LD Custom Pistol · Athlon Heras 4-20×50 · JSB 10.34 gr @ 690 fps | |||
| 5th | Sam Russo | 48/60 | 80.00% |
| Scorpion Motorhead · Hawke Panorama · Air Arms 10.3 gr @ 700 fps | |||
| 6th | Paul Burdeaux | 34/60 | 56.67% |
| Brocock Atomic XR · Athlon Heras 4-20×50 · AEA 13.7 gr @ 585 fps | |||
| 7th | Larry Durham | 16/60 | 26.67% |
| LD Custom USFT Pistol | |||
Larry dropped his pistol on the second lane and bent the scope, then continued the match with the damaged equipment.
Limited Pistol 60 Shots Possible
| Place | Competitor | Score | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Cameron Kerndt | 58/60 | 96.67% |
| RAW TM1000 Pistol · Athlon Argos 10-40×50 · Air Arms 10.34 gr @ 710 fps | |||
| 2nd | Mark Weidert | 51/60 | 85.00% |
| FX Dreamline · Vector Veyron 6-24×44 · JSB 10.34 gr @ 710 fps | |||
| 3rd | David D’Agostino | 28/60 | 46.67% |
| Crosman 1720T · Athlon 4-20×50 · JSB 8.44 gr @ 708 fps | |||
Rifle Grand Prix 120 Shots Possible
WFTF Piston
| Place | Competitor | Day 1 | Day 2 | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Cameron Kerndt | 42 | 46 | 88/120 | 73.33% |
| Air Arms TX200HC · Athlon Heras 15-60×56 · Air Arms 10.34 gr @ 710 fps | |||||
| 2nd | Jason Blackburn | 32 | 30 | 62/120 | 51.67% |
| Air Arms TX200HC · Athlon Heras 15-60×56 · JSB 8.4 gr @ 780 fps | |||||
WFTF PCP
| Place | Competitor | Day 1 | Day 2 | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Joe Hayward | 47 | 43 | 90/120 | 75.00% |
| Thomas · March Scope · H&N 9.57 gr @ 744 fps | |||||
| 2nd | David D’Agostino | 41 | 48 | 89/120 | 74.17% |
| USFT #96 · Athlon Heras SPR 15-60×56 · JSB 10.34 gr @ 704 fps | |||||
| 3rd | Mark Weidert | 42 | 42 | 84/120 | 70.00% |
| Steyr Challenge · Sightron 10-50×60 · JSB 10.34 gr @ 715 fps | |||||
Hunter PCP
| Place | Competitor | Day 1 | Day 2 | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Alain Herriott | 54 | 51 | 105/120 | 87.50% |
| Brocock/BRK Ghost · Athlon Scope · JSB 13.43 gr @ 797 fps | |||||
| 2nd | Wayne Burns | 52 | 49 | 101/120 | 84.17% |
| USFT/LD Custom · Athlon Heras 4-20×50 · JSB 10.34 gr @ 880 fps | |||||
| 3rd | Randy Ebersole | 51 | 49 | 100/120 | 83.33% |
| USFT #146 · Athlon Heras 6-24 · JSB 10.3 gr @ 887 fps | |||||
| 4th | Scott Schneider | 47 | 50 | 97/120 | 80.83% |
| RAW TM-1000 Custom · Athlon Heras SPR 6-24 · JSB 13.73 gr @ 800 fps | |||||
| 5th | Todd Hartman | 50 | 45 | 95/120 | 79.17% |
| FX Crown · Arken EPL 4-16 · JSB 10.34 gr @ 910 fps | |||||
| 6th | Paul Burdeaux | 48 | 42 | 90/120 | 75.00% |
| USFT · Athlon Heras 6-24×56 · AEA 13.7 gr @ 800 fps | |||||
| 7th | Sam Russo | 48 | 41 | 89/120 | 74.17% |
| Daystate Red Wolf Carbine · Athlon 6-24 · JSB 13.4 gr @ 800 fps | |||||
| 8th | John Knapp | 38 | 40 | 78/120 | 65.00% |
| Steyr LG110 · Hawke 8-32×56 · Air Arms 13.7 gr @ 800 fps | |||||
| 9th | Kevin Hirsch | 33 | 37 | 70/120 | 58.33% |
| Epic Vision Max · Sightron S6 10-60×56 · JSB .177 10.34 gr @ 920 fps | |||||
Open PCP
| Place | Competitor | Day 1 | Day 2 | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jim Whittlesey | 52 | 49 | 101/120 | 84.17% |
| Thomas #293 Field Target Carbine · Sightron 10-50×65 · JSB 13.4 gr @ 809 fps | |||||
| 2nd | Chris Merritt | 42 | 37 | 79/120 | 65.83% |
| USFT · Nikko Stirling Scope | |||||
Freestyle PCP
| Place | Competitor | Day 1 | Day 2 | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Larry Durham | 51 | 52 | 103/120 | 85.83% |
| LD Custom USFT · Athlon Heras 15-60×56 · JSB 10.34 gr @ 845 fps | |||||
Overall Rifle High Score
| Alain Herriott | 105/120 | 87.50% |
The Course: Disneyland of Field Target
Randy Ebersole and Wayne Burns once again went above and beyond in creating the courses.
AirGun Oregon has earned the nickname “Disneyland of Field Target,” and this weekend showed why.
Rifle Course Statistics
| Course Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Targets | 60 |
| Targets Over 40 Yards | 26 |
| Percentage Over 40 Yards | 43% |
| Average Kill Zone | 1 1/9″ |
| Average Distance | 34.4 yards |
| Course Troyer Standard Deviation | 6.43 |
| Average Troyer Without Environmental Effect | 35.99 |
| Average Troyer | 35.99 |
The course also included 7 targets beyond 50 yards, 6 one-inch kill zones between 38 and 44 yards, and 8 half-inch kill zones between 21 and 24.5 yards.
With 43% of the targets beyond 40 yards, an average distance of 34.4 yards and an average kill zone of only 1 1/9 inches, the challenge was spread across the entire course.
Targets were integrated into the terrain, including elevated targets on stands that created different angles and sight lines. Several placements pushed right to the edge of what could legally be presented while remaining completely shootable.
Saturday’s shifting wind and Sunday’s deceptive tailwind added another layer not reflected in the base Troyer calculation.
Pistol Course Statistics
| Course Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Targets | 30 |
| Average Kill Zone | 1 1/9″ |
| Average Distance | 22.8 yards |
| Course Troyer Standard Deviation | 5.48 |
| Average Troyer Without Environmental Effect | 35.96 |
| Average Troyer | 35.96 |
The pistol match consisted of 60 shots across 30 targets, with two shots per target.
A tremendous amount of work goes into courses like these: target positions, stands, painting, maintenance and keeping everything within the rules while still challenging competitors.
Wayne and Randy delivered again.
Friday: Pistol
Friday was the coolest opening day, with a high around 68°F and a low around 48°F. Conditions were cloudy, with lighter wind earlier in the day building into the afternoon. By the time the pistol match was underway, winds were running roughly 12 to 13 mph, adding another challenge to the 36T course.
Hunter Pistol Champion: Wayne Burns
Wayne Burns shot an outstanding 58/60, 96.67%, dropping only two shots on the 36T pistol course.
He took the victory with his LD Custom Pistol, Athlon Heras 4-20×50 and JSB 10.34-grain pellets at 690 fps.
Jason Blackburn finished just two targets behind at 56/60, 93.33%, followed by John Knapp at 54/60, 90.00%.
Larry Durham’s low score deserves context. On the second lane, Larry dropped his pistol and bent the scope, then continued with the damaged equipment.
Limited Pistol Champion: Cameron Kerndt
Cameron Kerndt matched the highest pistol score of the day with 58/60, 96.67%.
It was the first of two class victories for the multiple-time World Field Target Champion during the weekend.
Mark Weidert finished second with 51/60, 85.00%, followed by David D’Agostino.
Saturday: Rifle Day One
Saturday warmed to around 75°F after a morning low near 48°F. Winds were relatively light early before building through the afternoon to around 10 to 13 mph, with gusts reaching roughly 22 to 23 mph.
Those shifting winds became one of the major factors during Day One.
The class leaders were:
- WFTF PistonCameron Kerndt42/60, 70.00%
- WFTF PCPJoe Hayward47/60, 78.33%
- Hunter PCPAlain Herriott54/60, 90.00%
- Open PCPJim Whittlesey52/60, 86.67%
- Freestyle PCPLarry Durham51/60, 85.00%
Hunter PCP was especially close heading into Sunday, with Alain at 54, Wayne Burns at 52, Randy Ebersole at 51 and Todd Hartman at 50.
Saturday Lunch
Pretzel sliders, chips and soda were had for lunch before the afternoon’s Quigley Challenge.
The Quigley Challenge
At Paul Burdeaux’s request, we held the Quigley Challenge after lunch.
The format was $5 buy-in, five shots at a 2-inch target at 50 yards, using a Crosman Challenger with diopter target sights set up by Randy Ebersole.
Mark Weidert and Randy Ebersole tied the first relay with two hits each.
After that opening tie, multiple competitors bought back into the challenge, trying to match Mark and Randy’s two-hit score. Those buy-backs eventually brought the pot to $85, but no one was able to knock Mark or Randy out of the lead.
Mark and Randy moved on to the second relay, where they each recorded one hit, keeping them tied and sending the challenge to a third relay.
On the third relay, Mark connected with one hit while Randy connected with two, giving Randy the win.
Randy Ebersole won the Quigley Challenge and took home the $85 pot.
Sunday: Rifle Day Two
Sunday cooled again, with temperatures ranging from roughly 53°F to 68°F. Light rain moved through during the morning before conditions improved.
The bigger challenge was the wind.
A tailwind came from behind the firing line and repeatedly shifted from left to right. What shooters felt at the firing position didn’t always match what the pellet encountered downrange, making the conditions particularly deceptive.
Despite that, the shooting remained strong.
Sunday’s class leaders were:
- WFTF PistonCameron Kerndt46/60, 76.67%
- WFTF PCPDavid D’Agostino48/60, 80.00%
- Hunter PCPAlain Herriott51/60, 85.00%
- Open PCPJim Whittlesey49/60, 81.67%
- Freestyle PCPLarry Durham52/60, 86.67%
WFTF Piston Champion: Cameron Kerndt
Cameron followed his Friday pistol victory by winning WFTF Piston with 88/120, 73.33%.
He shot 42 Saturday and improved to 46 Sunday.
Cameron is a multiple-time World Field Target Champion, and his ability to stay composed and adjust to conditions remains impressive to watch.
In my opinion, Cameron is one of, if not the best, field target shooters out there.
Two disciplines. Two victories.
WFTF PCP Champion: Joe Hayward
The man from Down Under brought the thunder again.
Joe Hayward led Saturday with 47/60. David D’Agostino answered Sunday with 48, but Joe’s 43 was enough to preserve a one-target victory.
Joe Hayward: 90/120, 75.00%.
Joe shot a Thomas with a March scope and H&N 9.57-grain pellets at 744 fps.
The man from Down Under brought the thunder and took another WFTF PCP win.
David D’Agostino: Trust the Setup
David had recently purchased USFT #96 from AirGun Oregon, already carrying Randy Ebersole’s established numbers, setup and tune.
He changed absolutely nothing.
David shot 41 Saturday and 48 Sunday, finishing at 89/120, 74.17%, only one target behind Joe.
The rifle wore an Athlon Heras SPR 15-60×56 and shot JSB 10.34-grain pellets at 704 fps.
Looking for competition-ready equipment?
David bought the rifle, picked it up Friday, didn’t change a thing and finished one target away from a Grand Prix win.
Swamp Donkey Tuning · AirgunOregon.shop
Hunter PCP Champion: Alain Herriott
Alain Herriott produced the highest rifle score of the Grand Prix.
Only roughly two years into his field target career, Alain shot 54/60 Saturday and 51/60 Sunday for 105/120, 87.50%.
He led Hunter PCP both days and did it on a 35.99T course where 43% of the targets were beyond 40 yards.
Alain shot a Brocock/BRK Ghost with an Athlon scope and JSB 13.43-grain pellets at 797 fps.
For someone this early in his field target career, it was an exceptional performance.
Open PCP Champion: Jim Whittlesey
Jim Whittlesey again showed the consistency that keeps him near the top of the rankings.
He led Open PCP both days with 52 Saturday and 49 Sunday, finishing 101/120, 84.17%.
When Jim’s name is on the competitor list, seeing it near the top at the end of the match is rarely a surprise.
Freestyle PCP Champion: Larry Durham
Larry Durham rebounded from Friday’s pistol mishap to shoot 51 Saturday and 52 Sunday, winning Freestyle PCP with 103/120, 85.83%.
Larry is a legend of the sport and the creator of the Simple Simon air rifle, the design lineage that later became the USFT and LD Custom USFT rifles.
The USFT and LD Family at SOFT
There were nine documented USFT/LD-family match entries across rifle and pistol:
- Larry Durham, LD Custom USFT rifle: 1st Freestyle PCP
- Wayne Burns, USFT/LD Custom rifle: 2nd Hunter PCP
- Randy Ebersole, USFT #146: 3rd Hunter PCP
- Paul Burdeaux, USFT rifle: 6th Hunter PCP
- David D’Agostino, USFT #96: 2nd WFTF PCP
- Chris Merritt, USFT with Nikko Stirling scope: 2nd Open PCP
- Wayne Burns, LD Custom Pistol: 1st Hunter Pistol
- Randy Ebersole, LD Custom Pistol: 4th Hunter Pistol
- Larry Durham, LD Custom USFT Pistol: 7th Hunter Pistol
That’s six rifle entries and three pistol entries from the USFT/LD design family.
Larry also spent the weekend freely sharing decades of knowledge: equipment, positioning, technique and lessons on how to shoot field target well.
He didn’t just drop targets.
He dropped knowledge.
Then he backed it up with one of the highest rifle scores of the weekend.
Sunday Lunch
Sunday returned to our traditional pizza lunch.
Pre-registration next year should make accurate food counts and pizza selections easier.
Team Competition
The team competition added another element to this year’s SOFT Grand Prix. Once everyone had arrived, four team captains were selected by a number draw from a hat. The captains then took turns choosing their teammates until every competitor was assigned to a team.
Every competitor’s score counted toward their team’s result. To keep things fair with teams of different sizes, standings were determined by averaging the combined scores of all members of each team. A four-person team’s total was divided by four, a five-person team’s total by five, and so on.
When the scores were averaged, the final team standings were:
- 1stTeam 1 Joe Hayward, Mark Weidert, Jim Whittlesey, Larry Durham, and Wayne Burns
- 2ndTeam 3 Randy Ebersole, Todd Hartman, Paul Burdeaux, and Chris Merritt
- 3rdTeam 2 Jason Blackburn, Alain Herriott, Sam Russo, Scott Schneider, and Bill
- 4thTeam 4 Kevin Hirsch, John Knapp, Cameron Kerndt, and David D’Agostino
There was more than bragging rights on the line. Each member of Team 1 received a $100 gift certificate, each member of Team 3 received a $75 gift certificate, and each member of Team 2 received a $50 gift certificate.
A huge thank you to AirGun Oregon for providing the gift certificates and supporting the team competition.
Thank You
A huge thank you goes to Wayne Burns, Randy Ebersole and Jerome Evans for assisting with and helping host this match.
Without them, this event would not be possible.
Another huge shout-out goes to Scott Schneider, Paul Burdeaux, and everyone else who helped paint, prepare the course, set up, clean up or simply stepped in when something needed to be done.
Every contribution mattered.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Their support helps make events like this possible and allows us to continue growing field target competition in Southern Oregon.
Thank you to AirGun Oregon, Air Venturi and JSB Match Diabolo for supporting the 2026 SOFT AAFTA Grand Prix.
The Future of Field Target
One of the best parts of the weekend was watching newer competitors prove themselves alongside some of the most experienced shooters in the sport.
Alain Herriott
Only roughly two years into field target, Alain led Hunter PCP both days and finished with the highest rifle score of the Grand Prix: 105/120, 87.50%.
The new shooter didn’t just prove he belonged. He took the top spot.
Todd Hartman
Todd Hartman can literally count the number of field target matches he has competed in on his hands.
He shot 50/60 Saturday and finished the weekend with 95/120, 79.17%, fifth in Hunter PCP.
That’s impressive shooting for someone with so little match experience.
Jason Blackburn
Jason Blackburn left SOFT with two second-place finishes.
He shot 56/60, 93.33% in Hunter Pistol and finished second in WFTF Piston with 62/120, 51.67%.
He’s beginning to turn his limited field target experience into results.
Paul Burdeaux
Paul Burdeaux shot 48/60, 80.00% Saturday and finished Hunter PCP at 90/120, 75.00%.
He also deserves credit for suggesting the Quigley Challenge.
Alain, Todd, Jason and Paul are at different stages, but all four are showing that another group of field target competitors is coming along quickly.
They shared the firing line with a multiple-time World Champion in Cameron Kerndt, a legend and innovator in Larry Durham, and shooters with years of experience in the sport.
It’s so important to have these new competitors on the same firing line as its legends. And to see the legends sharing the knowledge they need to succeed. That’s one of the best things about our game. It’s the people having safe fun in a friendly shooting competition!
And this year, one of those newer shooters walked away with the highest rifle score of the match.
Alain Herriott: 105/120, 87.50%.
Thank you to every competitor who traveled to Southern Oregon, everyone who helped make the weekend happen and every sponsor who supported it.
Jacob W. SumnerMatch Director / Host2026 SOFT AAFTA Grand Prix