Team Springfield Captain Rob Leatham marked 2016 with his 55th birthday, launching him into a new phase of his illustrious professional shooting career. Over the course of last year, he not only competed in 10 major events as a senior, but won the senior championship at all of them.
During his inaugural season as an eligible Senior, Leatham scored victories at the following major events: USPSA Area-2, USPSA Single Stack and Revolver Nationals, USPSA Production and Carry Optics Nationals, U.S. IPSC Nationals, USPSA L10 and Limited Nationals, and the Western States Revolver and Single Stack Championships.
One of the things I love most about competitive shooting is that it's a lifelong activity.
Not one to be limited by senior wins, Leatham also took home overall championship honors for six championship events throughout the year, adding to his total of top finishes over a 37-year competitive shooting career. Last year, Leatham claimed overall titles in the following events: Western States Revolver Championship, Western States Single Stack Championship, U.S. IPSC Classic Nationals, USPSA Revolver Nationals, USPSA Classic Nationals Aggregate, and USPSA Area-2 Carry Optics.
"One of the things I love most about competitive shooting is that it's a lifelong activity," noted Rob Leatham. "I've been shooting competitively since the late 1970s, and I'll be doing it as long as I can foresee. It's a sport of discipline and concentration, so age doesn't matter nearly so much as it does in other sports."
During the 2016 season, Leatham competed with a number of Springfield Armory pistols including a 1911 SS Custom Shop .40, XD(M) 5.25" 9mm, XD(M) 4.5" 9mm OSP, 1911 Custom Shop .45 ACP Bullseye Model, and 1911 Custom Shop Hi-Cap .40 Limited gun.
Competitive Shooting: A Sport for All Ages
Proving the point that shooting is a sport for all ages, Leatham has been mentoring the team's two youngest sponsored shooters, Jalise and Justine Williams, ages 14 and 13, respectively. Under the direction of their coach Glen Wong and Team Captain Leatham, the pair is well on their way, although they've got many years of competition ahead to match Leatham's lifetime of achievements.
Leatham remains the first and only six-division USPSA Overall National Champion, and has accumulated 28 USPSA/IPSC National Championships and eight IPSC World Championships. Counting his most recent season, he's added six USPSA National Senior titles to that total, and his first U.S. IPSC Classic Nationals trophies for both overall and senior. He has also earned all four (since it's inception in 2013) USPSA Classic Nationals Aggregate Awards for high combined scores from the back-to-back USPSA Single Stack and Revolver National Championships.
Leatham has excelled in other competitive disciplines as well, having won eight Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. And, in the ultimate test of handgun shooting skill, Leatham has won 10 NRA Bianchi Cup Action Pistol Championships.
"I've been honored to compete for all these years with Team Springfield," says Leatham. I'm thankful for the opportunity to keep representing this great company and to help their next generation of shooters as well. I plan to keep doing this for a long, long time."
During his inaugural season as an eligible Senior, Leatham scored victories at the following major events: USPSA Area-2, USPSA Single Stack and Revolver Nationals, USPSA Production and Carry Optics Nationals, U.S. IPSC Nationals, USPSA L10 and Limited Nationals, and the Western States Revolver and Single Stack Championships.
One of the things I love most about competitive shooting is that it's a lifelong activity.
Not one to be limited by senior wins, Leatham also took home overall championship honors for six championship events throughout the year, adding to his total of top finishes over a 37-year competitive shooting career. Last year, Leatham claimed overall titles in the following events: Western States Revolver Championship, Western States Single Stack Championship, U.S. IPSC Classic Nationals, USPSA Revolver Nationals, USPSA Classic Nationals Aggregate, and USPSA Area-2 Carry Optics.
"One of the things I love most about competitive shooting is that it's a lifelong activity," noted Rob Leatham. "I've been shooting competitively since the late 1970s, and I'll be doing it as long as I can foresee. It's a sport of discipline and concentration, so age doesn't matter nearly so much as it does in other sports."
During the 2016 season, Leatham competed with a number of Springfield Armory pistols including a 1911 SS Custom Shop .40, XD(M) 5.25" 9mm, XD(M) 4.5" 9mm OSP, 1911 Custom Shop .45 ACP Bullseye Model, and 1911 Custom Shop Hi-Cap .40 Limited gun.
Competitive Shooting: A Sport for All Ages
Proving the point that shooting is a sport for all ages, Leatham has been mentoring the team's two youngest sponsored shooters, Jalise and Justine Williams, ages 14 and 13, respectively. Under the direction of their coach Glen Wong and Team Captain Leatham, the pair is well on their way, although they've got many years of competition ahead to match Leatham's lifetime of achievements.
Leatham remains the first and only six-division USPSA Overall National Champion, and has accumulated 28 USPSA/IPSC National Championships and eight IPSC World Championships. Counting his most recent season, he's added six USPSA National Senior titles to that total, and his first U.S. IPSC Classic Nationals trophies for both overall and senior. He has also earned all four (since it's inception in 2013) USPSA Classic Nationals Aggregate Awards for high combined scores from the back-to-back USPSA Single Stack and Revolver National Championships.
Leatham has excelled in other competitive disciplines as well, having won eight Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. And, in the ultimate test of handgun shooting skill, Leatham has won 10 NRA Bianchi Cup Action Pistol Championships.
"I've been honored to compete for all these years with Team Springfield," says Leatham. I'm thankful for the opportunity to keep representing this great company and to help their next generation of shooters as well. I plan to keep doing this for a long, long time."
