Today BassFan announced that its 2006 Top Gun Championship and Skeeter BassFan Army Weekend Warrior Championship, slated for September in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area, will now be held in May 2007. The championships had to be delayed because of extremely low water levels due to a severe drought in the area.
"We're obviously disappointed that we had to move the events," said BassFan COO Scot Laney, "and we apologize to the anglers and fans who had planned on being there. But these are the cards Mother Nature has dealt us. We're looking forward to a wet spring and showing off these unique tournaments in Texas in May."
He added: "It's been a tough decision process, and we very much appreciate the understanding and flexibility of the Texas Stampede and Skeeter Boats, our partners in these events, in allowing us to postpone them."
Launched last year, Top Gun features the top-ranked professional bass fishermen in the world according to the BassFan World Rankings, and Weekend Warrior features the top-performing weekend bass fishermen from North America's best local and regional trails. Both championships join the Stampede Season lineup of charitable events, which includes: the Interstate Batteries Texas Stampede rodeo and concert weekend; La Riata Gala and Texas Hold'Em Poker Tournament; Children's Medical Center Christmas Stampede; and Stampede Cattle Drive.
Joel Williams, executive director of the Stampede, said, "Water levels are dangerously low in our local lakes. Since our primary objective is to raise money for Children's Medical Center, if postponing the event until May will allow for a better event, we support that decision."
Jeff Stone, senior VP and GM of Skeeter Boats, stated: "We fully support the decision and feel that next spring will deliver a much more favorable environment on local lakes. We look forward to great events for both pros and weekend warriors in each of these championships."
Added Al Smith, BassFan's VP of membership programs, "While I am disappointed we are delaying the events, from my standpoint this is actually a little fortuitous. The BassFan Army, which is now the nation's largest grassroots tournament bass fishing membership program, will be bigger and better than ever in 2007, and next year's Skeeter Weekend Warrior Championship will be an important part of that."
Texas Stampede is a 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to raise substantial funds for Children's Medical Center, one of the top 25 pediatric hospitals in the nation as recognized by U.S.News & World Report, by organizing and conducting a variety of unique family events that are part of Stampede Season each fall in Dallas. Since its inception in 2001, the organization has contributed more than $2.5 million for pediatric programs associated with Children's Medical Center. For more information on Texas Stampede, visit www.texasstampede.org.
