Everyone needs that one friend – the friend who will always be there; the friend with whom you’ve shared both the good times and bad; the friend who helps and pushes you to be better; the friend who picks up with you like you never left off … even if it’s been a while. For me, that friend is Brian Enos.
What can I say about Big Daddy? Most old-timers in this sport know our history somewhat, about us going out to practice in the desert and attending matches together, but what you don’t know is how much he carried me in those early years. He helped me in so many ways. At times I would be working odd shifts and leave work early on the mornings we were going to practice. I would be late because I had to load ammo and he would have to wait for me. Many times, he just gave me the rounds to get us going. This was in the days of single-line presses that were very slow to load the large amounts of ammo we were consuming. Brian, more than anyone, was my motivation and I could never have trained as hard without him. I greatly miss shooting with Brian and hope someday, when our lives slow down, we can shoot together again, like the good old days. Except this time, I will bring ammo.
Brian wrote this for me in the early 2000s, when we published my very first web site. For me, he will always be an irreplaceable part of my life and successes.
“I distinctly remember watching Rob shoot for the first time in the early ’80s. His style, body-control, and skill were like nothing I had witnessed. But most impressive — as the years and decades passed, and the competition was either plateauing or dropping out altogether — Rob just kept getting better and better. Twenty-three years later, he’s at the absolute top of his game.
Almost immediately upon meeting, an unconditional friendship developed that remains just as strong, if not stronger, today. [Kentucky Fried Movie]. He’s truly a man of great magnitude! [/KFM] At this point in my life, I feel especially appreciative of our mutual relationship, as one is fortunate to ever encounter such a friend.
Rob was instrumental in my early development in that just being around him and watching him shoot and compete was inspirational. His powers of concentration are unsurpassed.
Without doubt, Rob Leatham is (and has been for twenty plus years) the finest and most accomplished shot on the planet.” Brian Enos, circa 2004