Good morning,
The IBS shot one format from 2004 through 2015 to be fully transparent. But yes, the IBS as of 2016 allows each years committee the freedom to put in place each years SOY program however they choose, despite the bylaws calling for uniform competition with comparable results. Which from 2016 through 2023 was in fact three completely different methods as you posted, which I understood to be "experimental" for one year at the time. Tasked with that job this year, I inquired as to what was and wasn't allowed(knowing something that resembled 600 was popular), and was told whatever we write up is what it is and nothing could be done by the e board to stop it weather they like it or not. The only challenge we faced was to, out of respect, attempt to preserve the integrity of the LRM list. Hopefully our calculations do in fact do that, but of course we need to see it play out, and if necessary make adjustments in the future.
I personally took opposition to the multiple formats back then(apparently a mistake to get involved), as to me, it diluted "the game". But now, as i grow older and fatter wiser, it seems to me that the only way to ever get everyone under one roof is to allow clubs to play whatever game they want. I'm just not sure that it should have or needs, a name, as at that point it is just "long range benchrest". So in that regard maybe you are on to something here, but i would still like to see one roof AND ONE GAME someday, if at all possible. As I stated in the beginning of this thread, we still haven't actually grown the sport at all, and have instead just rearranged the 200 or so shooters into different tribes, or so is my opinion.
I am a bit surprised, and disappointed, that you didn't keep 6 and 10 match aggs in the 1,000 yard program? As THAT IS the tradition of 1,000 yard and we have history back to the 60's to look back upon. Is the no points for records something that you figure will remain in place? Or is it more because you don't have any records established in the beginning years of freedom and will come later?
I like a lot of the rules you all came up with in the beginning, and look forward to a final draft to compare to what we do currently. Of course I still feel we could have done those things without splitting again, as I posted way back when.
Respectfully,
Tom