bowperson, I have NOTHING to dowith the rule making, so this is just my opinion on all this:

>Am I missing it somewhere?
I haven't looked at the rules latesly, but the payout info I don't believe is there for any class .Maybe it should be.

>What is this class intended for, other then entry level. Please >enlighten me.
I believe HC was originally put in for both beginners, and hunters, folks who don't want to try adn compete with the 3D specific bows, long stabilizers, 5gr/lb arrows etc. It was for an introductory class on one hand, but also a class for people who want to shoot 3D, but want to do it with a hunting setup which typically is not compatible with a top 3D setup.

>HC/FHC is fine to be dedicated towards the entry level status. This >is not the issue.
>What are you protecting the HC/FHC from?

The first year HC was a class, the amount of shooters who dropped down from MBO, MBR, SPM and I beleive even Pro was HUGE. The payout for this class at the worlds was larger than any division with the exception of PMR. I know people who dropped from SPM to HC for the sole purpose of winning the money. People who shoot 395+ don't "normally" fit the description of what this class was intended for, sure, some folks, with hunter setups can do it, but they are rare. What are they being protected from? Simple, remember the second part of the HC, to allow folks in as a beginner level which is less competitive. This gets blown away by the people who drop and shoot high 390's.

>BowPro stated that HC is still infested with shooters that probably >should be shooting either MBO or MBR. What would make MBO and MBR >any different?
The only place MBO can drop from is pro/semi-pro. The top MBO shooters are shooting the same equipment at roughly the same distances and shoot the same scores, there is no advantage to dropping into MBO EXCEPT the lower entry fee. MBR is basically the same, it is the top class for pin shooters.

>And again, I ask what are the Trophy classes for? Don't say for >those who don't qualify; I know that much; but obviously most of >them are beginners. That's where I started out.

Another aspect of the trophy shoots, at least in my mind, is families. My family goes to the worlds, my wife shoots the money round, myself and the boys would have shot the trophy round this year, but it too got to big and we wouldn't have been able to shoot together. Sure, its for the beginner/non-qualifiers. But it is also for the family people who want to go to experience the worlds, but want to shoot with their family (IBO, please make this happen, shoot with a group you show up with)

As far as why they don't send out letters, remember the IBO membership is much more than 3D so sending to all members is logistically not much sense. Second, all members get a magazine that has all the IBO news in it, third, return on mailed questionaires is notoriously low, fourth, they have done the questionaires at the national/world level shoots in the past and they get little to no response.

Just my opinion.

--Bob