A three-day shooting competition is coming to Arnold next month, drawing competitors from across the Mid-Atlantic while raising money for the families of Anne Arundel County first responders. The 2026 Maryland State Galactic Pistol Championship & Tribute to First Responders is scheduled to take place in September in Annapolis, combining a ten-stage action-shooting contest with a fundraising mission tied to the anniversary of September 11, 2001.
The championship is set to be held at the Anne Arundel Fish & Game Conservation Association, according to Eye On Annapolis, with the event set for September 10, 2026. The private club, located at 1730 St. Margarets Road in Arnold, features action pistol bays alongside a 24-position covered bullseye pistol range, high-power rifle ranges, trap fields and an archery range, according to Boise Gun Club. While the facility is a members-only operation for most of the year, it opens select sanctioned matches and educational programs to the public.
The competition honors first responders and people who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, per the same report. Match Director Richard A. Simmons said the event is an opportunity to remember September 11 heroes, honor first responders and support their families. Simmons brings a personal connection to that mission: he served with the Anne Arundel County Police Department from 1995 to 2000 before becoming an assistant public defender and later opening a private criminal defense practice, according to the Law Offices of Richard A. Simmons.
What Galactic Pistol Shooting Involves
Competitors will face ten stages of competition designed to test accuracy, speed, and decision-making, the outlet reports. The relatively new discipline, known as the Galactic Pistol Alliance, was created as a streamlined, time-plus competitive format that eliminates the complex equipment restrictions and mandatory concealment garments common in other practical shooting sports, according to PractAlert. Under GPA rules, stage scoring is calculated on a time-plus penalty system in half-second increments, with stage round counts capped at 24 rounds and no restrictions on magazine capacity, the outlet notes.
The format reportedly originated at the Bridgeville Rifle & Pistol Club in Delaware before spreading to gun clubs across Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas, according to the Salisbury Gun Club. Match organizers emphasize safe firearms handling and sportsmanship throughout the competition, and competitors are expected to come from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region for the Annapolis-area event.
Honoring First Responders and a Lifetime of Service
Alongside the shooting stages, the championship will present a Lifetime Service Award recognizing an individual for lifetime dedication to God, family, country, and community. Past recipients of that award have included a nuclear submarine commanding officer, a Navy SEAL, a Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot, a United States Marine Corps colonel, and other public servants recognized for leadership and service, per Eye On Annapolis.
Proceeds from the championship will benefit the 100 Club of Anne Arundel County, which supports families of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel. Founded in April 2000 as a 501(c)(3) civilian non-profit, the organization provides emergency financial aid and higher education scholarships to families of first responders injured or killed in the line of duty, according to The 100 Club of Anne Arundel County. The club maintains a protocol to deliver assistance checks to surviving families within 24 hours of a line-of-duty fatality, helping cover immediate living expenses while state and federal survivor benefits are processed.
A National Tradition With Local Roots
The 100 Club model traces back to Detroit in 1952, when a local businessman persuaded 100 associates to pool funds for the family of a slain police officer — a template that has since expanded to more than 120 independent chapters nationwide. Anne Arundel County's chapter was brought to life by founder Louis “Al” Brandt after he recovered from a severe illness in 1998, and the club now annually presents the Louis “Al” Brandt Unsung Hero Award to recognize public safety officers who perform exemplary acts of service while on duty.
The 100 Club provides financial assistance and long-term support to families of first responders seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, extending well beyond the immediate emergency response. National and regional companies are supporting the September championship through sponsorships and donated prizes, and members of the public may attend, volunteer or support the event through sponsorships and charitable contributions.
A Broader Role for the Host Range
Beyond hosting matches like the September championship, the Anne Arundel Fish & Game Conservation Association plays a wider civic role in the county. The club offers Maryland DNR hunter safety courses, the Junior Rifle Project, Project Appleseed clinics and a dedicated Women's Group, according to N.I.M.R.O.D.S. Public access to the private facility is largely tied to these organized matches and safety programs rather than open, everyday use.
