May 9, 2024 • 32 mins
Theo Ribbs is enjoying an outstanding year in sporting clays and FITASC. He sheds light on the challenges and advantages of being a left-handed shooter in a predominantly right-handed sport. Exploring his rigorous practice regimen, we find out how he perfects things he needs to work on. Inquiring about his divergence from his father's path, we gain insights into his motivations and aspirations. Additionally, Theo shares his goals and talks about the tournaments he plans to compete in this year.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:49):
Today I have on a heavy hitter.
So far this year he's placed inthe top at multiple shoots and
even secured a few wins as well.
His dedication to being one ofthe best has helped his practice
routine and it is showing.
Here he is once again TheoRibbs.
Theo, welcome to the show again.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, thank you for having me on again, man.
Yeah, I'm looking forward togetting into a few things with
you.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, it's been a while since we talked.
What's been going on?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Not too much, man, just been shooting quite a bit
the last two or three years.
Yeah, like since we last talked, I definitely picked up the
amount of shooting in terms ofcompeting and practicing and uh,
yeah, it's all been good man,all been super positive.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
So you know, I think I've seen you, I've seen your
name, uh, a lot more, it seemslike, in the past couple years.
I'm not just imagining that youare shooting more yeah, no,
definitely not imagining it like.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Since 2022, I've been , uh, definitely shooting a lot
more major tournaments and uh,yeah, it's all been all been
good, especially, I'd say, thelast year and a half has
definitely been really, reallygood, yeah, and you've been
shooting.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
How long you've been?
I know you've been shootingsince you we've talked about
this before, but what?
Since you was early how?
Speaker 3 (02:30):
yeah, young like 14, 15 years old, started competing
at 14 um, so shit.
I'm 32 now, so like 18 yearsyeah so what's
Speaker 2 (02:41):
made you?
What's made this?
Uh, this fire kick in all of asudden, like in the past few
years, with you.
What's, what's the goal?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, I mean, my goal has always been to, you know,
win national championship, worldchampionship, us open.
So I've always had, you know,high goals, um, but obviously
you get to those goals.
You cannot, you can't, justlike, do four or five major
events a year, because everyoneelse you're competing against is
(03:13):
shooting way more than that.
So you can't shoot less thanyour competition and beat them
on a regular basis.
I mean, maybe you could, butit's really hard.
Um, right, you got guys likebrandon and and zach and gabin
and anthony, and you know, allthese guys are shooting a lot
and they're already really good,so you don't want to put
(03:34):
yourself on, uh, on a like a,not a level playing field, right
?
So, yeah, that's just been mygoal.
I'm like, okay, let me competeas much as these guys.
And and then also, uh, Istarted working with anthony as
well.
That that's definitely helped alot of my shootings become
(03:54):
super consistent.
Uh, I've been, you know, rightat the top uh, nearly every
tournament I've shot this year.
Um, so, yeah, man, just, andthen just grinding man, I've,
you know, really started topractice a lot more.
I always, you know, was prettygood about practicing, but this
year, um, I've been reallyhitting it hard, trying to go
(04:16):
four or five days a week and, uh, I think obviously that helps
your consistency as well andyou're and I'm just like, a lot
more comfortable, like you know,when you're shooting a lot and
you're shooting pretty well,you're super confident, you're
comfortable with what you'redoing and it just, you know, it
starts to snowball and then, andthen the belief comes and
(04:39):
everything else you know comeswith that.
So, yeah, it's been good and Ithink you know, brandon, you
know success the last coupleyears, I think, is pushing
everybody.
You know I'm talking to a lotmore guys and everyone's, you
know, trying to step up.
You know not just theirpractice regimen, but you know
every, everything right.
(05:00):
You know I talk to the guys.
Everyone's like oh yeah, wedon't need sugar when we shoot,
we don't do this, we don't dothat.
Like everyone's like, oh yeah,we don't need sugar when we
shoot, we don't do this, wedon't do that.
Everyone's taking it to areally serious level, which is,
I mean, the scores that arebeing shot now are just crazy,
which is good.
Man, I enjoy competing againsta guy like Brandon Some people
(05:21):
he's got kind of that either youlove him or you hate him type
of thing.
But you know I like him, Ithink he's good for our sport, I
think he just raises the barbecause he's so talented and you
know you don't want to be leftbehind.
If you're a competitor, youknow you don't want to be left
behind, and so it's just helpedme become a better competitor.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Yeah me become a better competitor.
So yeah, you talked about your.
Let's talk about two things.
You talked about going to seeyou, you go to see Anthony still
.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Uh, I didn't this this winter, but the past two.
Um, I went up there and, um,yeah, it's definitely helped,
man, and I just told him I'mlike you know, this winter I'm
like, bro, it's a little bit toocold for me, dog.
Like 30 degrees, 20 degrees,it's like 20 miles an hour wind
(06:12):
and we're out there like four orfive hours.
So I'm going to try and dosomething, and you know when he
gets a spot open, but I justlike going up working with him.
He's obviously has crazyknowledge about the game and you
know, even this year I did ashoot off with him and after the
shoot off he's like hey, justwork on x, y and z.
(06:33):
Next tournament I go shoot 99and win the fee test.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
So you know?
What did he tell you to work on?
What I want to know?
What he told you um.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
So you know for me like I tend to get my weight a
little bit on the front footsometimes, and so me and him
have been working on justkeeping my weight balanced and
keeping my, my, my weightbetween my feet.
And uh, so just like, hey, man,just move your feet up, move
(07:02):
your feet a little closertogether.
They're a little bit too wide,he thought.
So he's like moving togetherit'll get your back a little
straighter to keep you moreupright and not so much weight
on your front foot.
And so I did that Boom Nexttournament.
I shot, yeah, and then I madesome changes as as well.
(07:25):
I changed a little bit umthings on my gun, shaved the
stock down a little bit.
But yeah, man, I mean, you'rejust always trying to find just
little things here and there andalways trying to listen to
people that you know have a lotof experience and a lot of
success in the sport.
And uh, yeah, he's definitelybeen somebody like the last two,
three years that has, I'd sayhe's helped me the most, um, out
(07:48):
of anybody.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, um including my game.
Now, your practice you'retalking about.
You're practicing a lot.
What, what?
What are you doing to practice,uh, and to get better while
you're practicing?
Speaker 3 (08:03):
um, so there's a couple things, um, you know,
just understanding, like, say,from tournament to tournament,
like assess it, assessing your,your game, like, okay, is there
any shots that I'm weak on?
And really kind of just like,like going through in your mind
each station or parkour orwhatever that you shot from the
(08:24):
previous tournament andunderstand, okay, was there any
particular bird did I struggleon?
If not, okay, well, let's justgo out and practice.
If there is, then let's really,you know, try and set that bird
as the best as we can and thenwork on that.
And then also, you know, a lotof people like I used to shoot
(08:45):
really open chokes.
I've kind of started to go awayfrom that.
I shoot a little tighter now and, especially in practice, I'm
shooting I-mods and I just forme, I feel like it really helps
me understand exactly where thatgun's shooting.
Just, you know, because, as youknow, man, like when you're
shooting that tight, there's nomargin for error, right.
(09:06):
So I think that's helped me.
You know, just be a little moreprecise.
And you know, becauseeverything's got to be perfect,
the whole point's got to be goodto move, got to be real smooth
on the trigger that doesn'taffect the end of the barrel.
You know it just helps youbecome, I think for me, has
helped me, you know, fine tunesome things and so those, those
(09:29):
have been the main things thatI've worked, I work on in
practice and you know, since Ichanged that to start the start
of the year, you know it'sdefinitely not been a negative.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
So so are you still?
Are you shooting that tightwhen you go to shoot a
tournament or not?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
I'm not quite.
Um, I typically shoot lightmods.
Um, there's been a few times,though, that I've shot imod in
competition.
Uh, this year, a couple standsin arizona that uh, that I shot
imod on and yeah, so I wascomfortable because I that's all
I've been practicing with and Iran, ran the stand.
(10:05):
So I was like, okay, you know,but you know I I'm not a big,
but you don't need to crazytight 24 7.
You know, I know some guys likeit and that, and that's fine.
But you know, for me, you knowthose beretta barrels, man, they
are they pattern really well,and so I think you can get away
with a little bit more openchoke with that barrel than you
(10:29):
can most others.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Yeah, and you're probably tired of Zach and
everybody else saying you shoottoo open of a choke, because I
know he's got to be one of them.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, yeah, no, he definitely does.
He blows his mind.
I'm like hey man, we need tomic those chokes.
You need to bring the hey manlike.
He's like we need to mic thosechokes.
You need to bring the chokes tomy house and we need a mic of
them man.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
I have never met a guy who is so into it as he is
I'm talking about?
Start to finish everything hetalks about has to do with
shooting everything 100, 100, soit's so.
So tell me about your year.
I mean, I've seen your name upat the top just like you said
earlier.
What have you won and what haveyou finished?
(11:11):
Top five in.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
So let's start in.
Arizona was our first regional.
I finished third in the mainevent there and I think me and
Zach shot off for M1 in FITAS.
He got me in the shoot off.
And then what was that?
The Southeast Regional I shotwell there Won the FITAS HOA.
(11:41):
So I was a little bit in themain.
I think I was top 10 in themain or something, maybe 8th or
something.
Yeah, it wasn't terrible.
And then Texas State was 3rd instate and then 5th overall.
Me and Joe Fennese shot off for3rd and 5th.
And then just this last weekendat the Grand Prix I was third
(12:07):
and in the grand prix.
So yeah, man, it's just beenreally consistent, shooting
pretty much every tournamentI've gone to, which is nice, man
, you know.
Obviously as competitors wewant to win every tournament.
But if you don't win, you atleast want to be consistently on
the podium and I feel like I'vebeen doing that, which is good.
It gives you a lot ofconfidence and you're not riding
(12:29):
this roller coaster of emotionsfrom oh, I had a bad
performance, I had a goodperformance.
You just want to kind of staytowards that top end.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, I just thought about something.
Are you the only left-handedshooter?
That's normally at the top ofthe game?
I think you are.
In our country yeah, my sonshoots left-handed and you don't
see a whole lot of that.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
No, I'm trying to think of anyone outside of
myself, man, I don't know of anythat are up there.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I mean there's plenty that shoot, but I'm talking
about that can win.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yeah, I think you're right.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Is it difficult coaching?
I know you're a coach, so is itdifficult?
Difficult coaching a shooterthat's a right-handed shooter no
, not really.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I mean, obviously there's certain pairs, um, that
are a little bit uh tougher fora left-hander or for
right-hander.
Yeah right, but I mean, youdon't really coach it all that
differently.
You know you, because you shooton the other side of the gun,
you also understand the negativeand positives.
So you automatically walk intothe stand knowing, okay, this is
(13:46):
a good stand for a right-handeror this is not a good stand for
a right-hander, just becauseyou have that different
perspective being on the otherside of the gun.
But no, I don't coach anydifferent from left to right.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
You're still coaching , though, right?
Speaker 3 (14:02):
yeah, not not as as much as I was at one point.
Yeah, just because I'm tryingto to um crane quite a bit.
But when I have time, like whenI have off week, yeah, I'll try
and teach quite a bit.
Uh, or teach a little bit.
But yeah, yeah, I'm still stillteaching.
But yeah, like I said, I'm, I'mpracticing quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Yeah, Well, hey, that's what it takes.
It looks like you know.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Well, yeah, man, it definitely does.
I know Brandon shooting a lot.
I know there's a few guys thatare really putting in the time
with the gun and, um, you know,that's what you, if you don't
get left behind, which Iobviously don't you know you got
to step it up.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah, do you not ever get bored?
I'm talking about practice,okay, when?
You're out there shooting thesame stuff, or you're out there
by yourself.
Does it not ever get boring toyou Like, oh, I'm done, I'm done
, I'm done with this.
Today?
Speaker 3 (14:56):
I mean this yeah, I mean with us today, I mean this
yeah, I mean, I think we, we allget to kind of a point where it
definitely starts to get boring, you know, and then you'll
start, you know, oh yeah, let meshoot this pair from the hip or
let me do this right, but youtry, I try and stay pretty
focused up to like the 250 to300 bird mark, yeah, for each of
(15:20):
my practices.
After that then I'm like if Icould shoot, you know, a good
250, 300 birds, and I'm cool.
Then then if, uh, if I want tomess around and I feel like,
yeah, it's okay, but yeah, youknow, you definitely especially,
you're like three days in a row, three, three, four days in a
row practicing.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yeah, you're done.
Yeah, can I please stop now?
Yeah, I don't care if I evenhit any, hit any of these yeah,
it's.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
But exactly, and especially if you're like not
really missing or strugglingwith anything, yeah, then you're
like kind of like man, I don'treally even need to be out here.
But you know, I I always lookat it as like good karma.
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yeah, yeah, last time we talked about your family's
history with Winchester and yourdad's history in racing, which
is pretty cool.
Yeah, yeah it is.
You took a.
You know most kids follow intheir dad's footsteps.
Okay, you didn't do that.
Why didn't you kind of go downthe same path he did in racing?
(16:20):
Or why are you in shooting now?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Um, well, like for my dad, it's kind of funny.
So my grandpa was racing and mydad ended up taking his hobby,
right, so that was.
And then I did the same kind ofthing when my dad shooting was
his hobby, so I picked upshooting.
Um, the same kind of thing whenmy dad shooting was his hobby,
so I picked up shooting.
(16:44):
Um, why I didn't race?
I don't know.
He didn't really push me intoit too hard.
You know, I don't think you,number one, want to spend quite
that much amount of money yeahyou know, because it's funny,
like you go to these shoots andpeople complain about how
expensive shooting is and I'mlike, yeah, well, it's nothing
compared to racing.
You know what I mean.
So that may be that, but thenalso, you know, my dad
(17:06):
definitely had his set ofchallenges in racing, right,
being the first.
I think when you're agroundbreaking figure in any
sport or doing anything, you'realways going to be met with more
challenges than than most, andso he didn't want me to deal
(17:26):
with those things.
And so he's like hey, you havea lot more control with how
things go in shooting than youdo a race car.
You're not the not the onebuilding the car, you're not the
one working on the car, you'rejust getting in there and
driving it.
So there's a lot of things thatare out of your control, where,
with a shotgun, we controlnearly everything, right, right.
So he's like hey, man, when youwin, you know, or if you lose,
(17:51):
it's on you been racing.
If you lose, sometimes you havelike a thought you know, did
something go wrong?
Did I get screwed?
Whatever the case is, right,yeah and uh.
So he didn't want me to dealwith that.
He's like hey, man, you know,you do that, you know and and I
love shooting and I'm sure Iwould.
I I enjoy racing now as aspectator and things like that,
(18:14):
and I'm sure I'd enjoy doing it,but I'm glad I chose shooting
to be honest yeah, Did you.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Do you and your dad ever go to any races?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Yeah, I used to do a lot of the formula one races
with him, Indy car races, 500.
Um, not as much anymore, justbecause I'm so busy now um
shooting, Um.
But yeah, I mean he's stillgoing to a lot of races.
He's actually going to Indytoday because they're having the
(18:43):
Indy Grand Prix up there thisweekend and so he's got a black
kid that is coming up in theIndy Light Series that he's
going to go see.
That has a lot of potential.
So he's trying to kind ofmentor him.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Yeah, you don't see a lot of that either, and that's
good that that's happening andit's like that.
You know that that's happening,you know, and it's like that in
shooting as well.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
And and you're seeing different races and shooting
and you don't.
You haven't normally seen thatand that's.
You know.
That's pretty cool to see that.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
No, it is.
It's crazy, like like theJamaican shooting, right I mean,
and right I mean, and you godown to florida, man them,
florida shoots.
There's a lot of jamaicanshooters now, man.
So, yeah, I mean, there's a lotlike, like you said, there's a
lot more different races gettinginvolved, uh, in the sport,
which is good.
It only, you know, helps thesport yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
As long as we don't have to foot, race will be good.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
Everybody, everybody yeah, we ain't gonna be
successful in that.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
So, uh, team usa.
You were on team usa a longtime ago yep, yep and uh, and
that's the only time you'vereally been on it, right?
Speaker 3 (19:52):
yeah, so as a junior I was on it a bunch and then
back in 2015 I was on the teambut I I didn't accept the
opening on sporting.
But yeah, it's been a while forme.
You know, this year I'm havinga good year, so kind of knock on
wood that I keep it rolling andyeah, we'll see what happens in
(20:12):
the future man, why did you notaccept it?
Kind of some politics happenedwhen I was a kid.
I don't really want to get toomuch into it, I don't want to uh
, yeah, I don't want to like sayany negative things about
anybody, um, but yeah, just somepolitics, okay.
I didn't know if it was someother reason or you just no, no,
okay, well, at least you madeit, yeah, yeah, at least I had
(20:36):
the capability so now.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
So now you're a national championship.
Team USA US Open win.
All that's in your sights now.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Yeah, yeah, I think I can do that for sure.
And you know I want todefinitely win a world, national
US Open.
I've been close at the WorldFITAS the last few years, so you
know we'll see.
Man, I'm just going to keepdoing what I'm doing, working
hard and hanging and talkingwith the right guys and you know
(21:14):
I have enough skill to do it sowe can do it.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
It's a big, you know, it's a big deal to hang around
the right people.
Oh, 100 man you know, when itcomes to sponsorships, when it
comes to shooting, when it comesto success in anything really
in life, you are who you hangaround you know, yeah, 100 and I
(21:37):
and I'm pretty particular aboutthat I don't hang out with a
ton, ton of people.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
You know I'll do dinners and stuff with Zach and
those guys here and there, butfor the most part I keep a
pretty small circle and, likeyou said, you've got to hang out
with the right guys Anthony,Zach, Brandon, You've got to be
around guys that are towards thetop because they understand
what goes along with that.
Obviously they're there for areason.
(22:03):
All those guys have a lot oflongevity in the game at being
at the top of it, so clearlythey're doing something right
and you're hoping that it'll ruboff on you.
Just listening and learning.
You know what I mean?
Do you just listening?
Speaker 2 (22:20):
and learning, and you know what I mean.
So that's yeah.
Do you find yourself shootingbetter if you shoot with them
also?
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah, I think so.
For me, I definitely feel likemy, I raised my game when I
shoot with a good shootersbecause you know they're pushing
you Obviously.
You know you don't want to getleft behind or you don't want to
.
You know, let some guy whoopyou like that you're shooting
against.
You know we're all competitivepeople, so you don't, you know,
(22:47):
you just want to.
You know if you're like, youcan hang with them, you know,
for a week and you can, you know, stay right with them in every
event.
Then you know that you're, youknow you're doing good, you know
.
So I think it helps 100% toshoot with good shooters.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
You know, we all know that, man.
If you don't, there's a reasonwhy guys have squads that they
tend to shoot with most of thetime.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Yeah, you know, the only time you get out of that.
I was thinking about the whatthey now call the pro squad yeah
.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
And you still shoot with good guys guys, but you're
not shooting with the same guys.
So same guys, yeah, and thatthat's definitely a little bit
different.
Some people look at itdifferently, like, oh, we're
shooting a shoot off every standtype of thing, but I'm like,
yeah, but I mean, what's thedifference if you're shooting
with good guys?
You know, period, you knowanyway, it's the same type of
dynamic, so it's no, nodifferent really yeah, the world
championships are coming up.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Oh yeah, I know you're ready for that.
What?
What are you?
Have you done anythingdifferent to prepare, have you?
I mean what have I know you'relooking forward to going, but
what?
Is anything.
Have you done anything anydifferent?
Speaker 3 (24:02):
No, not really.
I'm.
Actually when we got the phone,I'm gonna go do some practicing
Um, and then, uh, friday I'mgoing to go down to Houston and
shoot with Dominic Grossi for uhfor two days and just train
train with him and Megan.
Um, yeah, I did.
I just try and train with goodshooters before big shoots.
Um, you know you can help pusheach other and you know, see, if
(24:27):
I'm struggling on something,maybe Dominic can see something
if he's.
You know, vice versa, I canhelp him.
But no, I'm not really changinganything.
I think when you're on a, youknow a good run.
You know, I don't think youneed to change anything too much
.
You're obviously doingsomething well.
So I just keep it pretty muchthe same, just train, maybe
(24:51):
shoot a little bit more.
But also, you don't want towear yourself out either.
I think there's a fine linewith too much shooting and not
enough.
I think you've got to find thatkind of right groove so you're
not worn out by the time you getto when you're supposed to do
your best shooting right?
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Oh yeah, Are you still shooting the 1250s?
Are you shooting?
Speaker 3 (25:19):
1250s still.
And then obviously 1290s andFITAS.
But yeah, I still love ounceand eighths man.
Are you shooting 1250s, okaystill.
And then obviously 1290s andfeet tasks.
But yeah, I still still loveounce and eighth man I.
I really have a hard timegetting away from it, especially
when I heard george andanthony's uh conversation and
you know anthony asked him.
He's like obviously, you guyscan only shoot 28 gram over in
england.
(25:39):
And he's like do you takeadvantage of being able to shoot
32 gram here in the states?
And george is like, yep, I'mgonna shoot.
When I have the opportunity toannounce an eighth, I'm gonna
shoot it.
So I'm like, all right, well,this guy does it.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
So you can't argue with him.
I promise, yeah, exactly, youcan't argue with him.
Yeah, you can't tell him he'sdoing something wrong.
No, exactly, yeah, I noticedthat.
The southeast.
I even said something to you.
I said, theo, you got newglasses on.
Like I have never seen youchange the style shooting
(26:12):
glasses.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Yeah, no, it was the first time that I have shot in a
different frame of glasses.
Man, I can't even remember.
Like it's got to be at leastlike 12 years.
It's been forever, forever.
Yeah, no, well, they starteddiscontinuing the panther frame
and and the lenses for it.
So I'm like, well, I gotta goto uh the outlaw and I saw these
(26:37):
frames that zach had and Iliked them, you know.
For, you know, zach, ta man,he's got some, he's got some
swag, I'll give him that and uh.
So I was like, yeah, I'll get,I'll get some of those.
And yeah, I actually like him,man, I uh caught him for the
first time in, uh, arizona, yeah, and uh, and look back, man,
great, great, uh, good framelenses.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
So I know that's a big deal to to change something
like that.
So, and I'm sure the lenses youhad, they I mean they're so far
beyond in technology now yeah,you know.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
No, they, they, uh it's good and I, they actually
fit my, my, my head better thanthe other ones actually, so it's
uh actually worked out reallygood.
What's the plans for the year?
I mean, where are?
Speaker 2 (27:19):
you going what?
I know you're going to theworld.
You know you go to all the bigones.
I'm sure it actually worked outreally good.
What's the plans for the year?
I mean, where are you going?
I know you're going to theworld.
You go to all the big ones.
I'm sure you got anything goingon.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Yeah, yeah, getting married or anything?
No, no marriage plans, man, I'mnot in a relationship with
anybody at the moment, which,for me, is good.
I'm able to really focus on mygame, which is nice, is good,
like I'm able to really focus onmy game, which is nice.
(27:47):
Um, for me, man, like it seemslike when I'm single, I shoot
better.
I think I just like able tolike hyper focus on the things I
need to, which is important.
And yeah, like you said, I'mgonna do a lot of, a lot of
shooting, all every big shootthat they have.
Uh, I'll be at.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Yeah, yeah, when you have someone else to think about
, especially when you're marriedit's hard to, unless they like
to shoot with you.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Yeah yeah, See, Zach is in a prime position right.
Him and Des are both in theshooting, and so it works really
good, theo.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
sponsors are always a big part of a successful
shooter, and you may be the onlyperson that shoots with some
crazy sponsors yes or at leastI'm not saying they're crazy.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
I'm talking about the names like the names go over
some of these because it makesme laugh um, so in the last like
two years I've been, there'stwo sponsors I get asked about
the most jim weed, obviouslybecause it has weed in the name,
and then chief keith air and abunch people know chief keith
the rapper, and so everyone's,like you know, trying to put two
(28:57):
and two together.
Is that the rapper?
And I'm like no.
So jim weed is actually a cbdenergy drink, um, and my dad
knows, through racing, knows uh,one of the part owners of the
company, um, and so he's uhdecided to get involved with me
and and help, and help my career, which has been unbelievable.
(29:22):
So yeah, it's actually a reallygood energy drink.
The other owner actually usedto own muscle milk protein drink
.
So, yeah, man, I need to get acase and bring them to the
shoots and see what you guysthink.
And no, there's no, like hot,you're not going to get stoned
(29:43):
or anything, it's just energydrink.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
So do you have them?
Do you have their namestogether on your vest?
Speaker 3 (29:51):
yeah, yeah, yeah, they're really close together.
Yeah, actually, yeah, it'sfunny.
And then chief kefier he was,uh, his last name is kefie and
he just, uh, what he was like a,he's like an uncle of mine.
He's not actually blood relatedbut, um, my grandparents
adopted him and he's like prettymuch, was raised with my family
(30:14):
in a way.
So, uh, well, yeah, he, hewanted to get involved with me
and pay for all my airfare.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Nice.
So that's what he does.
That's a big help.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Yeah, I made a play on his name and so, yeah, it's
been good man.
It's nice to have, like yousaid, good sponsors.
It's super important.
A lot of my sponsors are not inthe industry, which I think is
important because you know wethere's so many sponsors that
(30:47):
everyone has right of the samesame sponsors, and so you gotta
try and look outside the box andand find sponsors in a
different way.
You know, because there's in inour industry, these current
sponsors can only help so manypeople.
If you want to keep going inthe sport, you've got to figure
(31:09):
out ways to do that.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
What in the sport sponsors do you have?
Speaker 3 (31:16):
I've got Winchester Ammunition Promatic USA Cole
Gunsmithing.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
They've been with you for a while, all three of those
.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
Yes, yep, yep.
They've all been with me for awhile, and all great people, so
I really obviously appreciateeveryone's support.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
Yeah, all right, man.
Well, that's all I got.
You got anything else?
Speaker 3 (31:39):
No man, all good bro.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Yeah, wish you the best of luck.
I'm going to be at the U S open, so I'll see you there.
I won't be at the world, sosome people got to work, you
know.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yeah, yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
But, uh, good luck to you and I'll be keeping up with
you.
And uh, see you at the U S open.
All right, man.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
Later bro.
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Speaker 2 (00:49):
Today I have on a heavy hitter.
So far this year he's placed inthe top at multiple shoots and
even secured a few wins as well.
His dedication to being one ofthe best has helped his practice
routine and it is showing.
Here he is once again TheoRibbs.
Theo, welcome to the show again.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, thank you for having me on again, man.
Yeah, I'm looking forward togetting into a few things with
you.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, it's been a while since we talked.
What's been going on?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Not too much, man, just been shooting quite a bit
the last two or three years.
Yeah, like since we last talked, I definitely picked up the
amount of shooting in terms ofcompeting and practicing and uh,
yeah, it's all been good man,all been super positive.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
So you know, I think I've seen you, I've seen your
name, uh, a lot more, it seemslike, in the past couple years.
I'm not just imagining that youare shooting more yeah, no,
definitely not imagining it like.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Since 2022, I've been , uh, definitely shooting a lot
more major tournaments and uh,yeah, it's all been all been
good, especially, I'd say, thelast year and a half has
definitely been really, reallygood, yeah, and you've been
shooting.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
How long you've been?
I know you've been shootingsince you we've talked about
this before, but what?
Since you was early how?
Speaker 3 (02:30):
yeah, young like 14, 15 years old, started competing
at 14 um, so shit.
I'm 32 now, so like 18 yearsyeah so what's
Speaker 2 (02:41):
made you?
What's made this?
Uh, this fire kick in all of asudden, like in the past few
years, with you.
What's, what's the goal?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, I mean, my goal has always been to, you know,
win national championship, worldchampionship, us open.
So I've always had, you know,high goals, um, but obviously
you get to those goals.
You cannot, you can't, justlike, do four or five major
events a year, because everyoneelse you're competing against is
(03:13):
shooting way more than that.
So you can't shoot less thanyour competition and beat them
on a regular basis.
I mean, maybe you could, butit's really hard.
Um, right, you got guys likebrandon and and zach and gabin
and anthony, and you know, allthese guys are shooting a lot
and they're already really good,so you don't want to put
(03:34):
yourself on, uh, on a like a,not a level playing field, right
?
So, yeah, that's just been mygoal.
I'm like, okay, let me competeas much as these guys.
And and then also, uh, Istarted working with anthony as
well.
That that's definitely helped alot of my shootings become
(03:54):
super consistent.
Uh, I've been, you know, rightat the top uh, nearly every
tournament I've shot this year.
Um, so, yeah, man, just, andthen just grinding man, I've,
you know, really started topractice a lot more.
I always, you know, was prettygood about practicing, but this
year, um, I've been reallyhitting it hard, trying to go
(04:16):
four or five days a week and, uh, I think obviously that helps
your consistency as well andyou're and I'm just like, a lot
more comfortable, like you know,when you're shooting a lot and
you're shooting pretty well,you're super confident, you're
comfortable with what you'redoing and it just, you know, it
starts to snowball and then, andthen the belief comes and
(04:39):
everything else you know comeswith that.
So, yeah, it's been good and Ithink you know, brandon, you
know success the last coupleyears, I think, is pushing
everybody.
You know I'm talking to a lotmore guys and everyone's, you
know, trying to step up.
You know not just theirpractice regimen, but you know
every, everything right.
(05:00):
You know I talk to the guys.
Everyone's like oh yeah, wedon't need sugar when we shoot,
we don't do this, we don't dothat.
Like everyone's like, oh yeah,we don't need sugar when we
shoot, we don't do this, wedon't do that.
Everyone's taking it to areally serious level, which is,
I mean, the scores that arebeing shot now are just crazy,
which is good.
Man, I enjoy competing againsta guy like Brandon Some people
(05:21):
he's got kind of that either youlove him or you hate him type
of thing.
But you know I like him, Ithink he's good for our sport, I
think he just raises the barbecause he's so talented and you
know you don't want to be leftbehind.
If you're a competitor, youknow you don't want to be left
behind, and so it's just helpedme become a better competitor.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Yeah me become a better competitor.
So yeah, you talked about your.
Let's talk about two things.
You talked about going to seeyou, you go to see Anthony still
.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Uh, I didn't this this winter, but the past two.
Um, I went up there and, um,yeah, it's definitely helped,
man, and I just told him I'mlike you know, this winter I'm
like, bro, it's a little bit toocold for me, dog.
Like 30 degrees, 20 degrees,it's like 20 miles an hour wind
(06:12):
and we're out there like four orfive hours.
So I'm going to try and dosomething, and you know when he
gets a spot open, but I justlike going up working with him.
He's obviously has crazyknowledge about the game and you
know, even this year I did ashoot off with him and after the
shoot off he's like hey, justwork on x, y and z.
(06:33):
Next tournament I go shoot 99and win the fee test.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
So you know?
What did he tell you to work on?
What I want to know?
What he told you um.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
So you know for me like I tend to get my weight a
little bit on the front footsometimes, and so me and him
have been working on justkeeping my weight balanced and
keeping my, my, my weightbetween my feet.
And uh, so just like, hey, man,just move your feet up, move
(07:02):
your feet a little closertogether.
They're a little bit too wide,he thought.
So he's like moving togetherit'll get your back a little
straighter to keep you moreupright and not so much weight
on your front foot.
And so I did that Boom Nexttournament.
I shot, yeah, and then I madesome changes as as well.
(07:25):
I changed a little bit umthings on my gun, shaved the
stock down a little bit.
But yeah, man, I mean, you'rejust always trying to find just
little things here and there andalways trying to listen to
people that you know have a lotof experience and a lot of
success in the sport.
And uh, yeah, he's definitelybeen somebody like the last two,
three years that has, I'd sayhe's helped me the most, um, out
(07:48):
of anybody.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, um including my game.
Now, your practice you'retalking about.
You're practicing a lot.
What, what?
What are you doing to practice,uh, and to get better while
you're practicing?
Speaker 3 (08:03):
um, so there's a couple things, um, you know,
just understanding, like, say,from tournament to tournament,
like assess it, assessing your,your game, like, okay, is there
any shots that I'm weak on?
And really kind of just like,like going through in your mind
each station or parkour orwhatever that you shot from the
(08:24):
previous tournament andunderstand, okay, was there any
particular bird did I struggleon?
If not, okay, well, let's justgo out and practice.
If there is, then let's really,you know, try and set that bird
as the best as we can and thenwork on that.
And then also, you know, a lotof people like I used to shoot
(08:45):
really open chokes.
I've kind of started to go awayfrom that.
I shoot a little tighter now and, especially in practice, I'm
shooting I-mods and I just forme, I feel like it really helps
me understand exactly where thatgun's shooting.
Just, you know, because, as youknow, man, like when you're
shooting that tight, there's nomargin for error, right.
(09:06):
So I think that's helped me.
You know, just be a little moreprecise.
And you know, becauseeverything's got to be perfect,
the whole point's got to be goodto move, got to be real smooth
on the trigger that doesn'taffect the end of the barrel.
You know it just helps youbecome, I think for me, has
helped me, you know, fine tunesome things and so those, those
(09:29):
have been the main things thatI've worked, I work on in
practice and you know, since Ichanged that to start the start
of the year, you know it'sdefinitely not been a negative.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
So so are you still?
Are you shooting that tightwhen you go to shoot a
tournament or not?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
I'm not quite.
Um, I typically shoot lightmods.
Um, there's been a few times,though, that I've shot imod in
competition.
Uh, this year, a couple standsin arizona that uh, that I shot
imod on and yeah, so I wascomfortable because I that's all
I've been practicing with and Iran, ran the stand.
(10:05):
So I was like, okay, you know,but you know I I'm not a big,
but you don't need to crazytight 24 7.
You know, I know some guys likeit and that, and that's fine.
But you know, for me, you knowthose beretta barrels, man, they
are they pattern really well,and so I think you can get away
with a little bit more openchoke with that barrel than you
(10:29):
can most others.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Yeah, and you're probably tired of Zach and
everybody else saying you shoottoo open of a choke, because I
know he's got to be one of them.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, yeah, no, he definitely does.
He blows his mind.
I'm like hey man, we need tomic those chokes.
You need to bring the hey manlike.
He's like we need to mic thosechokes.
You need to bring the chokes tomy house and we need a mic of
them man.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
I have never met a guy who is so into it as he is
I'm talking about?
Start to finish everything hetalks about has to do with
shooting everything 100, 100, soit's so.
So tell me about your year.
I mean, I've seen your name upat the top just like you said
earlier.
What have you won and what haveyou finished?
(11:11):
Top five in.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
So let's start in.
Arizona was our first regional.
I finished third in the mainevent there and I think me and
Zach shot off for M1 in FITAS.
He got me in the shoot off.
And then what was that?
The Southeast Regional I shotwell there Won the FITAS HOA.
(11:41):
So I was a little bit in themain.
I think I was top 10 in themain or something, maybe 8th or
something.
Yeah, it wasn't terrible.
And then Texas State was 3rd instate and then 5th overall.
Me and Joe Fennese shot off for3rd and 5th.
And then just this last weekendat the Grand Prix I was third
(12:07):
and in the grand prix.
So yeah, man, it's just beenreally consistent, shooting
pretty much every tournamentI've gone to, which is nice, man
, you know.
Obviously as competitors wewant to win every tournament.
But if you don't win, you atleast want to be consistently on
the podium and I feel like I'vebeen doing that, which is good.
It gives you a lot ofconfidence and you're not riding
(12:29):
this roller coaster of emotionsfrom oh, I had a bad
performance, I had a goodperformance.
You just want to kind of staytowards that top end.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, I just thought about something.
Are you the only left-handedshooter?
That's normally at the top ofthe game?
I think you are.
In our country yeah, my sonshoots left-handed and you don't
see a whole lot of that.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
No, I'm trying to think of anyone outside of
myself, man, I don't know of anythat are up there.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I mean there's plenty that shoot, but I'm talking
about that can win.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yeah, I think you're right.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Is it difficult coaching?
I know you're a coach, so is itdifficult?
Difficult coaching a shooterthat's a right-handed shooter no
, not really.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I mean, obviously there's certain pairs, um, that
are a little bit uh tougher fora left-hander or for
right-hander.
Yeah right, but I mean, youdon't really coach it all that
differently.
You know you, because you shooton the other side of the gun,
you also understand the negativeand positives.
So you automatically walk intothe stand knowing, okay, this is
(13:46):
a good stand for a right-handeror this is not a good stand for
a right-hander, just becauseyou have that different
perspective being on the otherside of the gun.
But no, I don't coach anydifferent from left to right.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
You're still coaching , though, right?
Speaker 3 (14:02):
yeah, not not as as much as I was at one point.
Yeah, just because I'm tryingto to um crane quite a bit.
But when I have time, like whenI have off week, yeah, I'll try
and teach quite a bit.
Uh, or teach a little bit.
But yeah, yeah, I'm still stillteaching.
But yeah, like I said, I'm, I'mpracticing quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Yeah, Well, hey, that's what it takes.
It looks like you know.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Well, yeah, man, it definitely does.
I know Brandon shooting a lot.
I know there's a few guys thatare really putting in the time
with the gun and, um, you know,that's what you, if you don't
get left behind, which Iobviously don't you know you got
to step it up.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah, do you not ever get bored?
I'm talking about practice,okay, when?
You're out there shooting thesame stuff, or you're out there
by yourself.
Does it not ever get boring toyou Like, oh, I'm done, I'm done
, I'm done with this.
Today?
Speaker 3 (14:56):
I mean this yeah, I mean with us today, I mean this
yeah, I mean, I think we, we allget to kind of a point where it
definitely starts to get boring, you know, and then you'll
start, you know, oh yeah, let meshoot this pair from the hip or
let me do this right, but youtry, I try and stay pretty
focused up to like the 250 to300 bird mark, yeah, for each of
(15:20):
my practices.
After that then I'm like if Icould shoot, you know, a good
250, 300 birds, and I'm cool.
Then then if, uh, if I want tomess around and I feel like,
yeah, it's okay, but yeah, youknow, you definitely especially,
you're like three days in a row, three, three, four days in a
row practicing.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yeah, you're done.
Yeah, can I please stop now?
Yeah, I don't care if I evenhit any, hit any of these yeah,
it's.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
But exactly, and especially if you're like not
really missing or strugglingwith anything, yeah, then you're
like kind of like man, I don'treally even need to be out here.
But you know, I I always lookat it as like good karma.
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yeah, yeah, last time we talked about your family's
history with Winchester and yourdad's history in racing, which
is pretty cool.
Yeah, yeah it is.
You took a.
You know most kids follow intheir dad's footsteps.
Okay, you didn't do that.
Why didn't you kind of go downthe same path he did in racing?
(16:20):
Or why are you in shooting now?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Um, well, like for my dad, it's kind of funny.
So my grandpa was racing and mydad ended up taking his hobby,
right, so that was.
And then I did the same kind ofthing when my dad shooting was
his hobby, so I picked upshooting.
Um, the same kind of thing whenmy dad shooting was his hobby,
so I picked up shooting.
(16:44):
Um, why I didn't race?
I don't know.
He didn't really push me intoit too hard.
You know, I don't think you,number one, want to spend quite
that much amount of money yeahyou know, because it's funny,
like you go to these shoots andpeople complain about how
expensive shooting is and I'mlike, yeah, well, it's nothing
compared to racing.
You know what I mean.
So that may be that, but thenalso, you know, my dad
(17:06):
definitely had his set ofchallenges in racing, right,
being the first.
I think when you're agroundbreaking figure in any
sport or doing anything, you'realways going to be met with more
challenges than than most, andso he didn't want me to deal
(17:26):
with those things.
And so he's like hey, you havea lot more control with how
things go in shooting than youdo a race car.
You're not the not the onebuilding the car, you're not the
one working on the car, you'rejust getting in there and
driving it.
So there's a lot of things thatare out of your control, where,
with a shotgun, we controlnearly everything, right, right.
So he's like hey, man, when youwin, you know, or if you lose,
(17:51):
it's on you been racing.
If you lose, sometimes you havelike a thought you know, did
something go wrong?
Did I get screwed?
Whatever the case is, right,yeah and uh.
So he didn't want me to dealwith that.
He's like hey, man, you know,you do that, you know and and I
love shooting and I'm sure Iwould.
I I enjoy racing now as aspectator and things like that,
(18:14):
and I'm sure I'd enjoy doing it,but I'm glad I chose shooting
to be honest yeah, Did you.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Do you and your dad ever go to any races?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Yeah, I used to do a lot of the formula one races
with him, Indy car races, 500.
Um, not as much anymore, justbecause I'm so busy now um
shooting, Um.
But yeah, I mean he's stillgoing to a lot of races.
He's actually going to Indytoday because they're having the
(18:43):
Indy Grand Prix up there thisweekend and so he's got a black
kid that is coming up in theIndy Light Series that he's
going to go see.
That has a lot of potential.
So he's trying to kind ofmentor him.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Yeah, you don't see a lot of that either, and that's
good that that's happening andit's like that.
You know that that's happening,you know, and it's like that in
shooting as well.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
And and you're seeing different races and shooting
and you don't.
You haven't normally seen thatand that's.
You know.
That's pretty cool to see that.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
No, it is.
It's crazy, like like theJamaican shooting, right I mean,
and right I mean, and you godown to florida, man them,
florida shoots.
There's a lot of jamaicanshooters now, man.
So, yeah, I mean, there's a lotlike, like you said, there's a
lot more different races gettinginvolved, uh, in the sport,
which is good.
It only, you know, helps thesport yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
As long as we don't have to foot, race will be good.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
Everybody, everybody yeah, we ain't gonna be
successful in that.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
So, uh, team usa.
You were on team usa a longtime ago yep, yep and uh, and
that's the only time you'vereally been on it, right?
Speaker 3 (19:52):
yeah, so as a junior I was on it a bunch and then
back in 2015 I was on the teambut I I didn't accept the
opening on sporting.
But yeah, it's been a while forme.
You know, this year I'm havinga good year, so kind of knock on
wood that I keep it rolling andyeah, we'll see what happens in
(20:12):
the future man, why did you notaccept it?
Kind of some politics happenedwhen I was a kid.
I don't really want to get toomuch into it, I don't want to uh
, yeah, I don't want to like sayany negative things about
anybody, um, but yeah, just somepolitics, okay.
I didn't know if it was someother reason or you just no, no,
okay, well, at least you madeit, yeah, yeah, at least I had
(20:36):
the capability so now.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
So now you're a national championship.
Team USA US Open win.
All that's in your sights now.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Yeah, yeah, I think I can do that for sure.
And you know I want todefinitely win a world, national
US Open.
I've been close at the WorldFITAS the last few years, so you
know we'll see.
Man, I'm just going to keepdoing what I'm doing, working
hard and hanging and talkingwith the right guys and you know
(21:14):
I have enough skill to do it sowe can do it.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
It's a big, you know, it's a big deal to hang around
the right people.
Oh, 100 man you know, when itcomes to sponsorships, when it
comes to shooting, when it comesto success in anything really
in life, you are who you hangaround you know, yeah, 100 and I
(21:37):
and I'm pretty particular aboutthat I don't hang out with a
ton, ton of people.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
You know I'll do dinners and stuff with Zach and
those guys here and there, butfor the most part I keep a
pretty small circle and, likeyou said, you've got to hang out
with the right guys Anthony,Zach, Brandon, You've got to be
around guys that are towards thetop because they understand
what goes along with that.
Obviously they're there for areason.
(22:03):
All those guys have a lot oflongevity in the game at being
at the top of it, so clearlythey're doing something right
and you're hoping that it'll ruboff on you.
Just listening and learning.
You know what I mean?
Do you just listening?
Speaker 2 (22:20):
and learning, and you know what I mean.
So that's yeah.
Do you find yourself shootingbetter if you shoot with them
also?
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah, I think so.
For me, I definitely feel likemy, I raised my game when I
shoot with a good shootersbecause you know they're pushing
you Obviously.
You know you don't want to getleft behind or you don't want to
.
You know, let some guy whoopyou like that you're shooting
against.
You know we're all competitivepeople, so you don't, you know,
(22:47):
you just want to.
You know if you're like, youcan hang with them, you know,
for a week and you can, you know, stay right with them in every
event.
Then you know that you're, youknow you're doing good, you know
.
So I think it helps 100% toshoot with good shooters.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
You know, we all know that, man.
If you don't, there's a reasonwhy guys have squads that they
tend to shoot with most of thetime.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Yeah, you know, the only time you get out of that.
I was thinking about the whatthey now call the pro squad yeah
.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
And you still shoot with good guys guys, but you're
not shooting with the same guys.
So same guys, yeah, and thatthat's definitely a little bit
different.
Some people look at itdifferently, like, oh, we're
shooting a shoot off every standtype of thing, but I'm like,
yeah, but I mean, what's thedifference if you're shooting
with good guys?
You know, period, you knowanyway, it's the same type of
dynamic, so it's no, nodifferent really yeah, the world
championships are coming up.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Oh yeah, I know you're ready for that.
What?
What are you?
Have you done anythingdifferent to prepare, have you?
I mean what have I know you'relooking forward to going, but
what?
Is anything.
Have you done anything anydifferent?
Speaker 3 (24:02):
No, not really.
I'm.
Actually when we got the phone,I'm gonna go do some practicing
Um, and then, uh, friday I'mgoing to go down to Houston and
shoot with Dominic Grossi for uhfor two days and just train
train with him and Megan.
Um, yeah, I did.
I just try and train with goodshooters before big shoots.
Um, you know you can help pusheach other and you know, see, if
(24:27):
I'm struggling on something,maybe Dominic can see something
if he's.
You know, vice versa, I canhelp him.
But no, I'm not really changinganything.
I think when you're on a, youknow a good run.
You know, I don't think youneed to change anything too much
.
You're obviously doingsomething well.
So I just keep it pretty muchthe same, just train, maybe
(24:51):
shoot a little bit more.
But also, you don't want towear yourself out either.
I think there's a fine linewith too much shooting and not
enough.
I think you've got to find thatkind of right groove so you're
not worn out by the time you getto when you're supposed to do
your best shooting right?
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Oh yeah, Are you still shooting the 1250s?
Are you shooting?
Speaker 3 (25:19):
1250s still.
And then obviously 1290s andFITAS.
But yeah, I still love ounceand eighths man.
Are you shooting 1250s, okaystill.
And then obviously 1290s andfeet tasks.
But yeah, I still still loveounce and eighth man I.
I really have a hard timegetting away from it, especially
when I heard george andanthony's uh conversation and
you know anthony asked him.
He's like obviously, you guyscan only shoot 28 gram over in
england.
(25:39):
And he's like do you takeadvantage of being able to shoot
32 gram here in the states?
And george is like, yep, I'mgonna shoot.
When I have the opportunity toannounce an eighth, I'm gonna
shoot it.
So I'm like, all right, well,this guy does it.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
So you can't argue with him.
I promise, yeah, exactly, youcan't argue with him.
Yeah, you can't tell him he'sdoing something wrong.
No, exactly, yeah, I noticedthat.
The southeast.
I even said something to you.
I said, theo, you got newglasses on.
Like I have never seen youchange the style shooting
(26:12):
glasses.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Yeah, no, it was the first time that I have shot in a
different frame of glasses.
Man, I can't even remember.
Like it's got to be at leastlike 12 years.
It's been forever, forever.
Yeah, no, well, they starteddiscontinuing the panther frame
and and the lenses for it.
So I'm like, well, I gotta goto uh the outlaw and I saw these
(26:37):
frames that zach had and Iliked them, you know.
For, you know, zach, ta man,he's got some, he's got some
swag, I'll give him that and uh.
So I was like, yeah, I'll get,I'll get some of those.
And yeah, I actually like him,man, I uh caught him for the
first time in, uh, arizona, yeah, and uh, and look back, man,
great, great, uh, good framelenses.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
So I know that's a big deal to to change something
like that.
So, and I'm sure the lenses youhad, they I mean they're so far
beyond in technology now yeah,you know.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
No, they, they, uh it's good and I, they actually
fit my, my, my head better thanthe other ones actually, so it's
uh actually worked out reallygood.
What's the plans for the year?
I mean, where are?
Speaker 2 (27:19):
you going what?
I know you're going to theworld.
You know you go to all the bigones.
I'm sure it actually worked outreally good.
What's the plans for the year?
I mean, where are you going?
I know you're going to theworld.
You go to all the big ones.
I'm sure you got anything goingon.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Yeah, yeah, getting married or anything?
No, no marriage plans, man, I'mnot in a relationship with
anybody at the moment, which,for me, is good.
I'm able to really focus on mygame, which is nice, is good,
like I'm able to really focus onmy game, which is nice.
(27:47):
Um, for me, man, like it seemslike when I'm single, I shoot
better.
I think I just like able tolike hyper focus on the things I
need to, which is important.
And yeah, like you said, I'mgonna do a lot of, a lot of
shooting, all every big shootthat they have.
Uh, I'll be at.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Yeah, yeah, when you have someone else to think about
, especially when you're marriedit's hard to, unless they like
to shoot with you.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Yeah yeah, See, Zach is in a prime position right.
Him and Des are both in theshooting, and so it works really
good, theo.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
sponsors are always a big part of a successful
shooter, and you may be the onlyperson that shoots with some
crazy sponsors yes or at leastI'm not saying they're crazy.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
I'm talking about the names like the names go over
some of these because it makesme laugh um, so in the last like
two years I've been, there'stwo sponsors I get asked about
the most jim weed, obviouslybecause it has weed in the name,
and then chief keith air and abunch people know chief keith
the rapper, and so everyone's,like you know, trying to put two
(28:57):
and two together.
Is that the rapper?
And I'm like no.
So jim weed is actually a cbdenergy drink, um, and my dad
knows, through racing, knows uh,one of the part owners of the
company, um, and so he's uhdecided to get involved with me
and and help, and help my career, which has been unbelievable.
(29:22):
So yeah, it's actually a reallygood energy drink.
The other owner actually usedto own muscle milk protein drink
.
So, yeah, man, I need to get acase and bring them to the
shoots and see what you guysthink.
And no, there's no, like hot,you're not going to get stoned
(29:43):
or anything, it's just energydrink.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
So do you have them?
Do you have their namestogether on your vest?
Speaker 3 (29:51):
yeah, yeah, yeah, they're really close together.
Yeah, actually, yeah, it'sfunny.
And then chief kefier he was,uh, his last name is kefie and
he just, uh, what he was like a,he's like an uncle of mine.
He's not actually blood relatedbut, um, my grandparents
adopted him and he's like prettymuch, was raised with my family
(30:14):
in a way.
So, uh, well, yeah, he, hewanted to get involved with me
and pay for all my airfare.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Nice.
So that's what he does.
That's a big help.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Yeah, I made a play on his name and so, yeah, it's
been good man.
It's nice to have, like yousaid, good sponsors.
It's super important.
A lot of my sponsors are not inthe industry, which I think is
important because you know wethere's so many sponsors that
(30:47):
everyone has right of the samesame sponsors, and so you gotta
try and look outside the box andand find sponsors in a
different way.
You know, because there's in inour industry, these current
sponsors can only help so manypeople.
If you want to keep going inthe sport, you've got to figure
(31:09):
out ways to do that.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
What in the sport sponsors do you have?
Speaker 3 (31:16):
I've got Winchester Ammunition Promatic USA Cole
Gunsmithing.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
They've been with you for a while, all three of those
.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
Yes, yep, yep.
They've all been with me for awhile, and all great people, so
I really obviously appreciateeveryone's support.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
Yeah, all right, man.
Well, that's all I got.
You got anything else?
Speaker 3 (31:39):
No man, all good bro.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Yeah, wish you the best of luck.
I'm going to be at the U S open, so I'll see you there.
I won't be at the world, sosome people got to work, you
know.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yeah, yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
But, uh, good luck to you and I'll be keeping up with
you.
And uh, see you at the U S open.
All right, man.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
Later bro.
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