| Mark Schneider | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | |
| Hometown | |
| Occupation | |
| Competition information | |
| Season | |
| Team | |
| Place |
13th |
| Episode eliminated | |
| [Source] | |
- "I was in the U.S. Air Force. I would describe myself as being full throttle."
- ―Mark Schneider[src]
Mark Schneider is a contestant of Top Shot Season Three and member of the Red Team.
Mark was eliminated during Week Four, after losing an Elimination Challenge against Michael Marelli.
Personal life[]
Mark is currently a Customer Service Professional residing in Tierra Verde, Florida. Before shooting, Mark had competed as a cyclist at a national level. He was formerly a member of the United States Air Force and is a member of the United States Practical Shooting Association. Mark has trained with military and professional shooters. In addition to firearms, Mark has had experience with the compound bow.[1]
Top Shot[]
Week One[]
Mark shooting against Alex Charvat.
Mark arrived for Top Shot along with the other fifteen contestants. Here, Colby Donaldson, the host of the competition, stated that the placement of each contestant would be determined by a Preliminary Challenge. In pairs, the contestants would shoot head-to-head using the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum at three targets. Whichever of the two could hit all of their targets first would be victorious and become a member of the Blue Team, while the loser joined the Red Team.
Mark with the Red Team uniform
After five pairs had competed, Colby called Mark and fellow outdoorsman, Alex Charvat, to shoot. Mark hit the first target before Alex, and both men simultaneously hit the second target. Alex was able to hit the final target just a split second before Mark, resulting in the latter's defeat and spot on the Red Team. After the remaining pairs had competed, Colby allowed the contestants to head to the house they would be staying in during the competition. The Red Team arrived here first, claiming all of the bottom bunks of the beds before the Blue Team had any choice, to their satisfaction.
Mark using the Larue.
The following day, the contestants arrived at the Shooting Range to compete in the first Team Challenge. Here, they noticed a number of platforms set up with targets in the distance. After the contestants had gotten situated, Colby announced that for the challenge, two contestants would be assigned to one of the four platforms for their team. Once on these, each would have to destroy a target using the Larue Tactical OBR before proceeding to the next station. He then stated that to get onto the platforms, the contestants would not be climbing the ladders built on, but a sixteen foot pole which had to be carried to each station. Before participating in the challenge, the teams decided on the shooting order, with the Red Team choosing Gary Quesenberry and Mark for the third station. Once they arrived at the platform, the Red Team was already behind. Mark got up the pole first, struggling like the others as he went, being followed by Gary. As soon as the latter made it onto the platform, Mark began firing, managing to destroy his target on the fifth shot. He then passed the weapon to Gary, who was able to hit his target on the fourth shot. After this, the Red Team had gained the lead, but was still closely followed by the Blue Team. At the final station, the last shooters for Red Team, Amanda Hardin and Chris Collins, made it onto the platform, with the last shooters for Blue Team not far behind. After a number of shots, Amanda was able to hit her target, but as a result of her multitude of shots, the Larue had to be reloaded. This gave the last shooter for the Blue Team enough time to destroy his target, resulting in Red Team's defeat.
When the Red Team returned to the house, they held a team meeting to decide which two people to send to the Elimination Challenge. Here, Amanda volunteered herself based on her performance in the challenge. Afterward, the Red Team arrived at the Nomination Range to vote two people into the Elimination Challenge by shooting the target bearing the name of the person each individual wanted to nominate. When it was Mark's turn to vote, he already had two votes while Amanda had three. Based on her performance in the challenge, Mark voted for Amanda, ensuring her spot in the Elimination Challenge. Amanda was then next to vote, shooting Mark's target, which also ensured his spot in the upcoming challenge. When the Red Team returned to the house, Mark started to question why he was sent to Elimination, and figured out that some voted for him because of a statement that he became panicky during the Team Challenge.
Mark using the Winchester 1873 in the Elimination Challenge.
The following morning, Amanda and Mark got up to attend a Practice Session to get prepared for the Elimination Challenge. Here, Colby stated that, while sitting on a bench, they would shoot at targets with the Winchester Model 1873. To help them with this was cowboy shooting specialist, Jim Finch. Here, Mark did well with shooting the rifle, but seemed to be going a little too fast to Jim. Later that day, Amanda and Mark, along with the rest of Red Team, arrived at the Shooting Range for the Elimination Challenge. Here, Colby stated that while riding a stagecoach, the two would shoot the Winchester 1873 at ten targets with a limit of ten rounds. Whoever was victorious would be safe and receive a $2000 gift card. Mark went first, and after passing the first target, managed to destroy it on his second shot. When the second target was revealed, Mark shot two rounds at it before he hit it. While he shot the second round at the second target, the third target was revealed, and Mark didn't even get a chance to shoot it. Mark then missed the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth targets. When the seventh target was revealed, he hit it in one shot. Mark didn't have time to attempt shooting the eighth target, and while shooting at the ninth, used up the last of his rounds. After Amanda had finished her run, Colby announced that Mark was victorious, having shot three targets in comparison to Amanda's one. The Red Team returned to the house later, without Amanda, where Mark nailed a red target bearing Amanda's name to the wall, in tribute to her.
Week Two[]
After a night of rest, the contestants arrived back at the Shooting Range to attend a Practice Session. Here, Colby stated that the contestants would need to get accustomed to using the AK-47 under guidance by Craig Sawyer. After each member of the Red Team had handled and shot the weapon, they added a physical element to the practice, by running in pairs to the two stations and competing amongst each other. After all of this, the Red Team walked away, confident they would win the upcoming challenge.
Mark shooting the AK-47.
The following day, the contestants returned to the Shooting Range to participate in the second Team Challenge. Here, four stations were set up with obstacles standing in the way. The first of these was a narrow pipe, which needed to be crawled through. Next, was a pit of water, which was followed by a crawl through mud and finally sand under barbed wire. Two contestants would be assigned to each station, with an exception of the final one, and would have to endure the obstacles standing in their way. Once at these, each contestant would destroy a target each with the AK-47, with an exception of the last one, where one individual had to destroy two, before the next pair could compete. Whichever team finished the course first would be victorious. Before participating in the challenge and deciding the shooting order, the Red Team had to decide who to sit out on the Blue Team, due to having one less member after Amanda's elimination. They ultimately decided on Jarrett Grimes. Both teams then decided the shooting order, with the Red Team choosing Drew Shprintz and Mark for the second station. Once Michael Marelli and Cliff Walsh were finished at the first station, Drew and Mark crawled through the pipe and then took the weapons from the two, heading to the second station. Once here, Drew began firing, and on his second shot, hit his target. Mark then commenced shooting at his target, hitting it on the first shot, giving the Red Team a slight lead. When Phil Morden and Gary Quesenberry arrived at the second station, Drew and Mark handed them their weapons as they began approaching the third station. At the final station, Chris Collins was able to destroy the final targets before Jake Zweig of Blue Team had a chance to begin firing, resulting in Red Team's victory.
After returning to the house, the Blue Team held a team meeting before heading to the Nomination Range. When they returned, it was revealed the Sara Ahrens and Dustin Ellermann had been sent to the second Elimination Challenge. News of Dustin being sent shocked the Red Team, due to having no flaws in the competition thus far. The following day, the Blue Team departed once again to witness the Elimination Challenge. They returned afterward with Dustin, who nailed a blue target bearing Sara's name to the wall.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mark Schneider. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 11:03, July 19, 2011, from http://www.history.com/shows/top-shot/bios/mark-schneider.
- ↑ Note: This is a user-made calculation.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Top Shot: Behind the Bullet
