Competition Shooting!

I was totally unaware of the coming hoard of zombie bowling pins.

I have been enlightened now. It seems that true believers hone defensive skills against this coming menace by conducting tactical training known as "Bowling pin matches". Now that I know that this training may save my life, I have entered one. If you wish to join me information is here.

Seriously, anyone have any practical advice for someone doing competition shooting for the first time? What caliber to use? Where to hit the thing? I understand it must fall off of the table, not simply knocked down.

When I heard that it must clear the table, my first thought was this for the toolkit (Click to enbiggen):

 Other than that, any recommended loads? Wal-Mart round ball stuff, hollow points, custom loads? I have the dies and Hornady XTP 185 grain hollow points and Montana gold SWC bullets, plenty of brass and Winchester primers. Oh and Tite Group powder.

Any help? As someone else today said: "this is a pulsating ball of suck and fail". I do not want to meet that definition!