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Johnny,
As you requested, I would like to offer an explanation and possible justification for holding the "Make-Up" Qualifier at Table Rock Lake.
First, we had to cancel the Qualifier at Milford for safety reasons. No one expected that the Reservoir would be infested to that level and we could not put our members and staff into a health risk situation. The risk factor can be argued, but no one could give us a straight answer as to the threat level and I was not willing to put our members at risk to the unknown.
Everything was in place with the community of Junction City, who stepping up as a strong sponsor for the event. We asked to go back in 2012, but they are not interested at this time.
The cancelation put us into a time crunch situation. The Qualifier having been scheduled in mid September gave us no time to reschedule in 2011. The K.B.F.N. Tournament Committee immediately began discussing possible options for 2012. One standing factor was the Central Divisional that I knew was scheduled for early June, 2012.
I advised the Tournament Committee that I needed a minimum of two months to get everything in order to take a Team to the Central Divisional after a rescheduled Qualifier. As of now, I will have 30 working days. Several locations were discussed, but it was obvious that we needed to go to a quality body of water that would hold up to the fishing pressure of a qualifier and as far south as we could for the time of the year. And in addition, to a community that would step up and support our event.
I contacted the Kimberling Inn and they were willing to provide all the stipulations that I requested and previously mentioned in the announcement of this event, plus a few more that I didn't mention. Other locations were considered, but Table Rock offered the best accommodations for our members.
Second, I am only aware of one B.A.S.S. sanctioned event, since I have been in Office, that the K.B.F.N. has held at Table Rock and that was the 2011 Central Divisional that we hosted. The previous year was hosted by Missouri. I would like to offer an explanation in reference to why we went back to Table Rock for the Central Divisional in 2011 after Missouri hosted it there in 2010.
Prior to Jeff's term as Tournament Director, we frequently held tournaments at Grand Lake. When Jeff assumed the position of Tournament Director we continued to frequent Grand Lake because we had a plan. Knowing that we were hosting the Central Divisional in 2011, our plan was to familiarize our anglers with Grand Lake to the best of our ability in an attempt to put our anglers in a position of favor on that body of water. Beside the fact that Grand Lake seems to be a location of preference to many of our members.
I was under the impression that the community of Grove would be willing to host the Central Divisional after all the events that we had held there. However, when I attempted to begin negotiations with them (I won't mention the specific entities) they would not respond and in essence slammed the door on us.
By now it was already into the year of 2011 and time was limited. The previous year, when Missouri hosted the Central Divisional, the management of the Kimberling Inn offered me a comparable deal to what Missouri had negotiated. With time limited, and the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation needing confirmation of a date and location, I contacted the Kimberling Inn and we held the Central Divisional at Table Rock. In leaving last year, I was given and open invitation to return.
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In reference to the term "TR crush", some members believe there has been a Grand Lake crush and Wilson crush the last few years. I personally don't like holding our major events at the same locations year after year, but at times the business factors effect where we go.
Unfortunately, we are blessed with limited amounts of "quality" bodies of water in this great State of Kansas.
I hope my efforts to explain and justify our actions meet the needs of those who challenge our efforts.
As a side note, Jeff is currently in negotiations with a community in Kansas for the regular scheduled K.B.F.N. State Team Qualifier (2013 State Team).
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