That’s not new, been having it for years.
We've been running the TOC on Table Rock for 8 years now. Kelly started his tourney last year with Charger.
Oh, so these two families do not get along?
Just two opportunities for Champion gang to get together.
Kelly chose to do his own thing.
One includes Bass Cats and the other includes Charger-made Champions. I have a real heart-ache that they have been separated. I hope they come together...
I feel I can say with certainty that will never happen. Mr. Pierce was gracious enough to adopt us orphan owners and has been greatly generous in bringing boats to demo, donating prizes to a great cause (Fish Tales), etc. With that being said, I don't think you will see 2 competitors in the bass boat market join forces to put on a tournament. Just my 2 cents.Originally Posted by Lea
The TOC that was started 8 years ago is more than fishing for a new boat. It is about socializing, meeting new friends, donating money to a good cause, oh and fishing, etc. Everyone that has fished it comments on how wonderful of a weekend it is!
2001 ChampioN 206 Yamaha 225
And they have a Milligig which no one else has...
Bruce Phillips
1995 190 DC champion ......1995 200 xri merc
There is also one on Toledo Bend in March every year.
Kelly was smart in offering a prize boat. If I were going to make the long haul to LOZ to fish a Champion tournament, I would certainly pick the one that I had a chance to win a draw boat.
Pierce was just probably trying to get you champ guys in cats, nothing elseI feel I can say with certainty that will never happen. Mr. Pierce was gracious enough to adopt us orphan owners and has been greatly generous in bringing boats to demo, donating prizes to a great cause (Fish Tales), etc. With that being said, I don't think you will see 2 competitors in the bass boat market join forces to put on a tournament. Just my 2 cents.
The TOC that was started 8 years ago is more than fishing for a new boat. It is about socializing, meeting new friends, donating money to a good cause, oh and fishing, etc. Everyone that has fished it comments on how wonderful of a weekend it is!
When we started the TOC 8 years ago Champion had dissolved into bankruptcy along with Triton, Stratos, and Ranger and they moved the plant from Tennessee back to Mountain Home and the Champion name was scraped and they were producing the 210, and 202 badged as Stratos. Jeff Avers and I drove down to the plant and met with the top Ranger Brass about sponsoring the TOC. They wanted nothing to do with it and wanted the Champion name to go away. We were doing a benefit tournament for the American Cancer Society and it was very hard to get anyone to sponsor us, seems everyone we talked to said Champion was no longer being made and didn't seem worth the while. I reached out to Rick Pierce about bringing some boats down and giving some demo rides and he jumped at the chance and donated a lot of items for our silent auction. He continued this every year with no sales pitch ever. In 2014 he bought a Champion 203 and began working on a Champion/Bass Cat Hybrid that Matt Mosher and I as well as several other Champ guys have tested. It's in the final stage of R & D at BassCat. Other then Legend reaching out to us a few years back no other boat manufacturer has ever reached out to us for any help or sponsorship.Pierce was just probably trying to get you champ guys in cats, nothing else
Well said Mr. Blakemore!I will add that Rick has never pressured anyone into buying his product and seems to really enjoy himself each year at this event. Also, If you ever met J.P Sell and followed his story about helping young handicapped youth fish, you would fish this tournament for twice the entry fee! There is more to this tournament than fishing for a boat!
2001 ChampioN 206 Yamaha 225
Check out this website.
http://fish4tales.com/
2001 ChampioN 206 Yamaha 225
I've had this conversation before and this is very far from the truth. You would have to come to the tournament and meet the man and know the entire history of how things progressed. However, he has sold some boats as a result of his generosity. Did he want to sell some boats? Well, it's kind of the business he's been in for 40 years. But I can promise you the boats that have been sold due to the involvement of the TOC was because he offered long time Champion loyalists a home and a place to turn to when no one else was offering that. He's never once made any type of sales pitch to anyone but just been an asset to this tournament, the charity, and Champion faithful. Oh, and BCB builds one heck of a boat to boot. I hope Rick thinks of me as a friend as that's how I think of him. Not the president of a boat company that just wants my money.Pierce was just probably trying to get you champ guys in cats, nothing else
And you should also meet the guy over the boat show at the TOC. I hear he's one cool cat.
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2016 BassCat Cougar FTD
2016 Mercury Pro XS 250
TOC is a great time for all, Our first one was last year. Met some geat people and had a blast. I recomend it to any Champ people who can make it..........
1990 Champion 176 SC... 1990 MERC 115
I love the smell of coffee and 2 stroke exhaust at sunrise.......
Tom, Jeff, JP, and Matt have been instrumental in starting and keeping this fantastic tournament running for the past 8 years. It's been a wonderful event and has raised money for very worthwhile charities. Rich Pierce, as said, has never made a sales pitch.....just donated items for the drawings to raise money for the charities when no other boat manufacturers would step up. I have met some great people at the TOC and I look forward to it every year. The purpose of Kelly's tournament is completely different....to advertise and sell the new Charger boats....nothing wrong with that but it is a completely different type of tournament. Unfortunately there are some posted comments here demonstrating a lack of knowledge of all the facts about the TOC which is indeed disappointing.
BassinBarrister
2001 ChampioN 206 Elite
225 Yamaha VMax EFI
25P Trophy Plus Prop
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