Match of June 28, 2008

June 28, 2008

If there is one thing you can say about this year, it is that the weather does not want to play along. The wind was enough to make you think we were going to end up in another state! On the bright side, this year we have had more new shooters than ever before. So, let’s give a big shout out to Striped Buffalo (Ashley Bourgois, Doc Syn’s daughter, and if you saw her paint job on the buffalo targets, you’d understand where the name came from), Cleo C. (Tom C’s wife) and we even had some fellers from South Dakota that must have gotten lost. Thanks to Trail Driver, Sagundo and Grease Cup for making the long trip up to play with us, and believe it or not, we even had a tall stranger show up that we haven’t seen in a while, huh, Joe.


We also need to put out a big thanks to Not So Slim Jim and his wife Cindy for the grub, they did a wonderful job at keeping everyone feeling fat and sassy.


For those of you not at the match, we did shoot “Nitro Express”. For those not familiar with the stage, it is a two person stage with one person shooting and the other loading nitro into the wagon (water balloons). This worked well, it even made for some real interesting match ups. Doc Syn and Blake Stone took on Misty Target and Striped Buffalo (yup, dads against kids). The dads won, but not by much. In fact, only two teams shot the stage clean, Doc and Blake Stone and Misty Target and Striped Buffalo.


Folks, we have a couple of young girls shooting with us that in a few years are going to be giving everyone a run for the money. It’s great to see the young shooters at this year’s matches, we all know Austin LaVista, but Gall Dixie and Cousin Roy have their kids shooting, also.


Dakota Dealer

Scheels Female-Focused Handgun Education Demo Night

February 27, 2026
Scheels will host a female-focused handgun education demo Tuesday, March 3, 2026. The session will run from 4pm to 8pm. You have to preregister through Scheels for this event. This event is designed as an educational, introductory-style demonstration for women ages 21 and older , with an emphasis on safety, responsible ownership, and informed decision-making. The goal is to provide a comfortable, welcoming environment for attendees who may be new to handguns or looking to learn more in a low-pressure setting. The demo will focus on: · Firearm safety culture and range etiquette · General considerations when selecting a handgun (fit, comfort, ergonomics) · The importance of training, legal compliance, and safe storage · Encouraging continued education through certified instruction and range experience Any firearm interaction will be conducted by qualified staff or instructors in accordance with all applicable laws and your facility’s requirements. Our intent is to promote responsible participation in the shooting sports while creating an inclusive and respectful experience for female customers.  Additional Information: Melissa Neutman 701-255-7255, Tom Thompson 701-220-4601

Marlin Fried

January 18, 2026
Dear BMRPA Members, It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to let all of you know that the BMRPA has lost one of its founding fathers. Marlin Fried, the namesake of the Fried Family Marksmanship Center, passed away this week. He is survived by his wife Leanne, children and grandchildren. While Marlin has not been active as a shooter with BMRPA for several years, we would still occasionally see him at the outdoor range in his red Chevy pickup, tending to the trees he had planted. In years before, many of you might have known Marlin from Gun City, the shop he started on Main Street in Bismarck. For those of you have never made it to Gun City, it was the type of unique gun store we don’t really get to see anymore. Not all of the trees at the Fried Family Marksmanship Center were planted by Marlin but a great many of them were. He embodied the spirit of old men planting trees which they will never live to enjoy the shade of. It was that spirit of providing for future generations and his enthusiasm for marksmanship and firearms ownership that inspired Marlin to donate the land that the Fried Family Marksmanship Center sits on today. The BMRPA, a club founded by competitive shooters coming together never had its own facility before Marlin’s gift. It was that gift by Marlin and the Fried Family that was one of the greatest factors turning the BMRPA into an organization that provides opportunities for competitors, youth and female shooters and provides a space to exercise our freedom. For that gift, we are thankful and appreciate how uncommon an act such as that is.  So, Marlin and the Fried Family, we thank you! We also wish to express our condolences to the Fried family for their loss during this sad time. A memorial service will be held at 11:30AM on Monday, January 19, 2026, and visitation will be held Sunday, January 18, at 5:30PM at Bismarck Funeral Home, and 7pm prayer service. https://www.bismarckfuneralhome.com/obituaries/marlin-fried Tom Headrick President, BMRPA
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