Hey Jen, I have the mis-fortune to have witnessed the PITA vs ATA mentality for 34 years, just a couple more than you...;-). Where I got started, there were equal numbers of ATA and PITA shoots at the same clubs within a 100 miles radius. Even then there were those that wouldn't shoot PITA and had nothing good to say about the association and those that wouldn't shoot ATA birds with the same complaints.
I think this all began in the mid-30s when some fellers felt the west simply wasn't being listened to in the ATA structure and started the PITA in the Wyoming/Montana/and further west and it's had it's own ups and downs over the years. When I got started, I could see no reason to favor one over the other and became a life member of both associations to increase my potential enjoyment.
Through the 80s, I shot in far Northern CA where only PITA birds were thrown and even later moved to Western OR finding the same situation. I plugged often for cross registration or having more ATA presence in recent years so as not to have to travel to the far east part of the state or several states away to post some ATA scores. Still, however, there are those that go into terminal heart arrhythmia just discussing shooting birds from an association other than their favorite. It's basically been my experience that those that are really into the sport generally WOULD shoot more ATA here if it was offered while some die hards will never. I join you in encouraging clubs to shoot birds from both associations and especially want to cheer Madras in bidding on next year's state shoot.....breakemall....Bob Dodd