1976 Columbia Conference
In Cooper's words:
"The Columbia Conference was held at Columbia, Missouri at the instigation of Dick Thomas and Franklin Brown... a meeting of enthusiasts throughout both the United States and the world, attempting to devise some sort of international organization. With no authority but our own enthusiasm, we set up the International Practical Shooting Confederation, with representation in fourteen nations."
(American Handgunner, March/April 1978)
The meeting was held during the week of May 24th, 1976. The week also included an advanced training course by Cooper and several matches hosted by the Midwest Practical Pistol League. There were 45 delegates in all; many of them from the U.S.
Rick Miller wrote:
"Our first step, electing a president, proved to be rather easy. Someone nominated Jeff Cooper, and he was unanimously voted into office." He also notes, " We decided to leave the word pistol out of the title because at some point in the future we may wish to promote practical rifle shooting." Miller wrote that some of the subjects they tried to resolve were "the standardization of a practical target, an acceptable method of power factoring, and the definition of practical holsters."
(Guns & Ammo, Oct. 1976).
A lot of lead has gone downrange since Cooper and his friends started slapping leather back in 1956. The Confederation now has 58 member countries and is truly an international sports organization which has revolutionized handgun competition.
There are more than some 50,000 individual members of IPSC, the majority of whom are active competitors. It is certainly a tribute to these members, and to our organizing and officiating bodies, that our safety record is above reproach and the sport of practical shooting is allowed to flourish even in those countries where the civilian use of firearms is otherwise highly restricted.
For the history buffs, following is the original proclamation signed by those present at the Columbia Conference in 1976.
We, the organizers of the sport of practical shooting throughout the free world, in order to protect the sport we practice, regulate its conduct, and further the safe and efficient use of firearms, do ordain and establish the following directives for the International Practical Shooting Confederation.
