Top Shot (season 1)

Top Shot (season 1)
Country of origin  United States
No. of episodes 10
Release
Original network History
Original release June 6 (2010-06-06) – August 15, 2010 (2010-08-15)
Season chronology

The first season of the History Channel television series Top Shot commenced airing on June 6, 2010, and concluded on August 15, 2010. The season contained ten episodes, and was filmed over a period of 33 days in the spring in Santa Clarita, California. The winner of the season was British marksman Iain Harrison.

Iain Harrison later appeared as a coach in Seasons 2, 3, and 4; J.J. Racaza appeared as a coach in Season 2; Kelly Bachand appeared as a coach in Season 4; and Blake Miguez appeared as a coach in Season 2.

Chris Cerino, Peter Palma, Kelly Bachand, Adam Benson, and Blake Miguez returned for Top Shot: All-Stars. Miguez finished in 15th, Bachand finished in 9th, Benson finished in 7th, and Palma finished in 6th, while Cerino was the season's runner-up. According to Colby Donaldson's Twitter, J.J Racaza became a father during filming and was unable to come out for the show.

Contestants

Contestant Occupation / background Original Team Merged Team Eliminated
Mike Seeklander
38, Owasso, OK		 U.S. Shooting Academy, former Marine, Federal Air Marshal and firearms instructor Red Team 20 16th Place
Frank Campana
47, Yonkers, NY		 Retired police officer, FBI-certified sniper and instructor Red Team 20 15th Place
Bill Carns
40, Pahrump, NV		 Radio Gun Show Host, qualified 5-Weapons Range Master Red Team 20 14th Place
James "Jim" Sinclair
48, Dover, NH		 Printer, Gunsmith, Truck Driver, Historical firearms collector, competition shooter with various awards Blue Team 20 13th Place
Caleb Giddings
27, Fishers, IN		 Insurance sales, former Coast Guard, competition shooter with various awards, blogger Blue Team 20 12th Place
Andre Robinson
28, Pittsburgh, PA		 Soldier, U.S. Army, former Marine, earned "Rifle Expert" status in four competitions Red Team 20 11th Place
Brad Engmann
26, San Francisco, CA		 Project Manager, USPSA Grand Master Red Team 20 10th Place
Tara Poremba
36, Chicago, IL		 Police officer, state champ in several states in conventional pistol, and a former National Champion, competition shooter with various awards. Blue Team 20 9th Place
Denny Chapman
41, Ocala, FL		 Cowboy Mounted Shooting competitor, horse trainer, Wild West entertainer, former benchrest rifle and USPSA/IPSC three-gun competitor Red Team 20 8th Place
Blake Miguez
28, New Iberia, LA		 Corporate lawyer, semi-professional shooter, USPSA Grand Master, Louisiana state champion Blue Team Green Team 7th Place
Adam Benson
44, Baltimore, MD		 Construction project manager, former Marine, USPSA Master Blue Team 6th Place
Kelly Bachand
22, Kent, WA		 Student, competition shooter, USA National Rifle Team Red Team 5th Place
Peter Palma
29, Norristown, PA		 Plumber, Marine Scout Sniper Red Team 4th Place
Simon "J.J." Racaza
29, New Milford, NJ		 Department of Homeland Security Agent, double grandmaster in the USPSA/IPSC Blue Team 3rd Place
Chris Cerino
40, Wadsworth, OH		 Law enforcement trainer, 42nd place in the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association Blue Team 2nd place
Iain Harrison
42, Sherwood, OR		 Construction manager, former British Army platoon commander, gunsmith, competition shooter with various awards Blue Team Winner

Contestant progress

#ContestantsEpisodes
12345678910
1 Iain WINWINWINNOMSAFEWINWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINTOP SHOT
2 Chris WINWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINWINSAFESAFEBTM2SAFESECOND PLACE
3 J.J. WINWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINWINOUT
4 Peter SAFESAFESAFEWINWINSAFESAFENOMWINSAFEOUT
5 Kelly NOMSAFESAFEWINWINNOMNOMSAFEBTM2OUT
6 Adam WINWINWINSAFENOMWINWINWINWINOUT
7 Blake WINWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINWINOUT
8 Denny SAFESAFESAFEWINWINSAFESAFEOUT
9 Tara WINWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINQUIT
10 Brad SAFENOMNOMWINWINSAFEOUT
11 Andre SAFESAFESAFEWINWINOUT
12 Caleb WINWINWINSAFEOUT
13 Jim WINWINWINOUT
14 Bill SAFESAFEOUT
15 Frank SAFEOUT
16 Mike OUT
     The player's team (episodes 1–8) won the challenge.
     The player(s) won individually in the challenge.
     The player's team lost the challenge, but the player was not nominated for elimination (episodes 1–8); or the player did not finish a challenge at the top or bottom of the group (episodes 9–10).
     The player was nominated for elimination, but won an elimination challenge (episodes 1–8); or the player finished a challenge at the bottom of the group, but won a tiebreaker (episodes 9–10).
     The player lost an elimination challenge and was eliminated. (In episodes 9 and 10, every challenge ended in one or more automatic eliminations.)
     The player voluntarily withdrew from the competition.
     The player won the $100,000 grand prize and the title of Top Shot.
     The player came in second.

Episodes

Episode 1: "The Long Shot"

Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team
June 6, 2010 19th/20th Century Rifles
M1903 Springfield
SVT-40
Mosin–Nagant 91/30
M14		 Obstacle course/relay race with four shooting stations, one rifle per station and targets at 50/100 yards using iron sights. Each team splits into four pairs, with each player shooting one target and spotting the other. None Blue Team
Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player
Scoped Remington 700 sniper rifle Shooting targets at 200/400/600 yards Mike, Kelly Mike

The trainer for both challenges was Craig Sawyer, Navy SEALs instructor and former sniper.

Episode 2: "Zipline of Fire"

Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team
June 13, 2010 Beretta 92F 9×19mm pistol Shooting through seven tubes of decreasing diameter (4 inches to 1.5 inches), one player per tube, one shot per turn. Distance not stated, but described (for the smallest tube) as the equivalent of hitting a US quarter from 25 feet. Blake Blue Team
Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player
Beretta 92F 9×19mm pistol Shooting targets while riding down a zip-line; maximum 15 shots per player Frank, Brad Frank

The trainer for the team challenge was Ben Stoeger, practical shooting expert. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Matt Burkett, practical shooting expert.

^1 There was a second-place tie between Brad and Bill. It was broken by Peter's vote.
^2 Frank and Brad finished in a tie after the first run, but Frank lost on a tiebreaker run.

Episode 3: "Archer Enemies"

Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team
June 20, 2010 Fiberglass version of an English longbow rated at 40 lbs. Shooting at a 30-foot target from 100 yards, 30 seconds per player. Closest arrow to the center of the bullseye wins the challenge. Adam, Chris Blue Team
Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player
Modern hunting crossbow with scope Shoot apples on stands at 10/20/30/40 yards. A recreation of the William Tell legend. Brad, Bill Bill

The trainer for the team challenge was Chris Palmer, longbow and traditional archery expert. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Bill Troubridge, crossbow expert.

Episode 4: "Friend or Foe?"

Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team
June 27, 2010 AR-15 rifle Shooting at a grid of red and blue targets, one player at a time. Each player sees the grid for 30 seconds before it is covered up, then has 20 seconds to fire up to 7 shots and hit only the other team's targets. Blake, J.J., Iain Red Team
Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player
South African TZ99 pistol Fire up to 4 shots at swinging targets in 15 seconds, trying to hit the red "foes" and avoid the blue "friends." Iain, Jim Jim

The trainer for both challenges was Craig Sawyer, Navy SEALs instructor and former sniper.

Episode 5: "The Good, the Rat and the Ugly"

Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team
July 11, 2010 Kentucky rifle Shooting targets at 25/50/75/100/125 yards, one target per player, head-to-head at each distance. Closer shot to the center of the bullseye wins that distance for the team. Adam, Chris Red Team
Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player
Winchester Model 1873 rifle Sever a rope with weights suspended from it, loading 3 rounds at a time. Based on Old West accounts of a superior marksman's ability to cut a hangman's noose by shooting through it. Caleb, Adam Caleb

The trainer for both challenges was Garry James, historical rifle expert.

Episode 6: "Wild, Wild West"

Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team
July 18, 2010 Colt Peacemaker revolver Fire at 50 targets set up in a shooting gallery styled after an Old West storefront, 10 rounds per player per turn. Shorter time to hit all targets wins the challenge. Blake Blue Team
Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player
Colt Peacemaker revolver From 25 feet, players take alternating shots at a deck of 52 playing cards arranged on a wheel, trying to make the highest possible poker hand. Maximum 7 shots per player; neither one may use any cards shot by the other. Kelly, Andre Andre

The trainer for both challenges was Spencer Hoglund, historical weapons expert and four-time national champion speed shooter.

^3 There was a second-place tie between Denny and Andre. It was broken by Brad's vote.
^4 Both players tied in the first round by making a royal flush. For the tiebreaker, each was allowed only 5 shots and could not use any cards shot in the first round. After 4 shots, Kelly hit three fives, making it impossible for Andre to win as he only had a pair of fours at that point.

Episode 7: "Trick Shot Showdown"

Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team
July 25, 2010 Winchester Model 1873 rifle
Smith & Wesson M&P Revolver
Schofield Revolver		 Recreations of famous trick shots:
1. Fire the Winchester over the shoulder to hit a soda bottle, sighting the target with a hand mirror.
2. Using the M&P, hit the head of a nail driven partway into a board from 25 feet.
3. Throw a soda can into the air and hit it with a shot from the Schofield.
4. Same as 3, but using a smaller soda can.
One player per trick shot, three attempts each.		 Adam, J.J. Blue Team
Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player
Beretta Xtrema 2 shotgun Throw clay pigeon targets into the air and shoot them, starting with one at a time and working up to five. In each round, the shotgun is loaded with one shell for every target being thrown. Kelly, Brad Brad

The trainer for the team challenge was Jon "Trick Shot" Wilson. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Scott Robertson, eight-time sporting clay shooting champion.

Episode 8: "The Razor's Edge"

Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team
August 1, 2010 Throwing knife based on design of the Bowie knife Throw at 6 targets from 11 feet, while balancing over a mud pit on a beam whose width decreases from one target to the next. Maximum of two throws per player per turn; each target must be hit before the next can be attempted. Shorter time to hit all targets wins the challenge. Blake, Chris, Tara Blue Team
Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player
Modern slingshot From 20 feet, fire up to 20 shots at a grid of 8/10/12-inch square targets in 60 seconds, trying to hit only the targets of the assigned color. Denny, Peter Denny

The trainer for the team challenge was Todd Abrams, member of the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame. The trainer for the elimination challenge was John "Chief AJ" Huffer, slingshot world record holder.

Tara received news of her father's rapidly declining health (due to lung cancer) and withdrew from the competition after the team challenge. A note at the end of Episode 10 stated that he has since died.

Episode 9: "The Shortest Fuse"

At the start of this episode, Donaldson announced that the teams were being dissolved, and that all players would compete head-to-head to determine who would be eliminated in each challenge. The seven remaining players were given green shirts to wear for the rest of the competition.

Premiere date Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Winning player(s) Eliminated player(s)
August 8, 2010 Beretta 92F 9×19mm pistol From 25 feet, shoot and break a burning fuse on an explosive charge; maximum 10 rounds per player. Failure to break the fuse (or shortest length of unburned fuse, if all break it) leads to elimination. Peter, Adam Blake
TZ99 pistol
Heckler and Koch HK93 rifle
Mosin–Nagant 91/30 rifle
SVT-40 rifle		 Run uphill and stop at four shooting stations, with one weapon and one target at each (50 feet for the TZ99, then 100/125/150 yards for the rifles). Players must load and clear the weapons themselves. The two slowest times to hit all four targets are eliminated. J.J. Adam, Kelly

The trainer for the second elimination challenge was Craig Sawyer, Navy SEALs instructor and former sniper.

^5 In the first round, Iain, Blake, Kelly, J.J, and Chris failed to break the fuse. A tiebreaker was played under the same rules, with only Kelly and Blake failing this time. For the second tiebreaker, each player had 10 seconds to fire one shot at a target; the one who hit closer to the center of the bullseye stayed in the game.

Episode 10: "Season Finale"

No practice sessions were held in this episode. The five individual players eliminated prior to the final challenge returned to watch it.

Premiere date Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Winning player(s) Eliminated player(s)
August 15, 2010 Beretta 92F 9×19mm pistol Two players at a time shoot at 12 double-sided targets from 35 feet, trying to flip as many of them to the assigned color as possible in 60 seconds (maximum 40 rounds per player). The two losers play against each other, with the loser of this round being eliminated. J.J., Iain, Chris Peter
Rifles: Mosin–Nagant 91/30, SVT-40, HK93
Handguns: TZ99 pistol, Schofield Revolver, Smith & Wesson M&P Revolver		 Each player chooses one weapon, target, distance, and shooting stance. All three players try each shot; the one who makes the fewest shots is eliminated. No weapon or target may be chosen more than once. Targets available include shot glasses, bottles, beer mugs, glass panes, and jars. Iain, Chris J.J.
Throwing knife
English longbow replica
Colt Peacemaker revolver
Winchester Model 1873 rifle
Beretta 92F 9×19mm pistol
AR-15 rifle
M14 rifle		 Players run a course with seven shooting stations:
1. Throw a knife to hit a target at 11 feet.
2. Using the longbow, hit a target at 50 yards.
3. Shoot five bottles at 25 feet with the Colt.
4. Sever a rope at 35 feet with the Winchester.
5. Fire the Beretta through a 1.5-inch-diameter (38 mm) tube at 25 feet.
6. Use the AR-15 to hit six targets in a grid at 100 yards.
7. Hit targets at 100 and 300 yards with the M14.
First player to complete all stations wins.		 Iain Chris

^6 J.J. and Iain were the first-round winners, and Chris won the playoff between himself and Peter.

Epilogue

The episode concluded with an epilogue revealing the recent activities and achievements of all 16 players, in order of their elimination.

Nomination range

Original Teams Merged Team
#
Episode12345678910
Nominated Kelly
3/8 Votes		Brad
3/7 Votes		Brad
2/6 Votes		Iain
5/8 Votes		Adam
3/7 Votes		Kelly
3/5 Votes		Kelly
2/4 Votes		NonePeter
1/3 Votes		NoneNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
Eliminated Mike
3/8 Votes		Frank
3/7 Votes		Bill
2/6 Votes		Jim
2/8 Votes		Caleb
3/7 Votes		Andre
2/6 Votes		Brad
2/4 Votes		Tara
No Votes		Denny
2/3 Votes		BlakeAdamKellyPeterJ.J.Chris
ContestantsVotes
1 Iain NoneCalebNoneNoneNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
2 Chris IainCalebNoneNoneNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
3 J.J. JimAdamNoneNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
4 Peter MikeBrad BradAndreBradDennyNoneNoneNoneNone
5 Kelly BradBillBillDennyBradDennyNoneNoneNone
6 Adam IainNoneNoneNoneNone
7 Blake IainAdamNoneNone
8 Denny BradFrankBillKellyKellyPeter
9 Tara IainCalebNone
10 Brad KellyFrankAndreKellyKelly
11 Andre MikeBillBradKelly
12 Caleb JimAdam
13 Jim Iain
14 Bill KellyFrankKelly
15 Frank MikeBrad
16 Mike Kelly

References

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