[Jeff Higgins]

Gotta go with RPKESQ on this one; the vast majority of exhibition shooters, and a good number of shooting competitions, have absolutely nothing to do with the skills and/or equipment required in the "real world". While the exhibition guys are certainly skillful and entertaining, and the competitions very difficult, both have long since lost their original intent of demonstrating any semblance of "real world" application. The "gamesmen" have pushed both the equipment and skills to a very narrowly defined set of parameters required to win under specific, controlled conditions. Fast draw, speed shooting, and finely tuned "race guns" have no application outside of these exhibitions and competitions. There isn't even any "trickle down" of technology anymore into things that can be used in the field, or in self defense, law enforcement, or combat. It's all become too specialized.