Monday, September 17, 2012

Wartrace 9/25/12 Cowboy Match

31 Cowboys and Cowgirls came out for our last match before the Tennessee State Championship. The weather was a little cooler than what we have been having and it was a welcome break. Whiskey wrote his usual fast and interesting stages, all of which had movement , no "Stand and Deliver" today.

Our posse started at stage 1 the Gallows and shot straight thru. Stage 1 with rifle and pistols we shot an outside, outside, inside, center, center, inside, inside, outside, outside sweep. I was real pleased with my 25 second run until they told me I shot the second pistol in the same sequence as the first. Fast (for me) doesn't help much if you don't do it right.

Grafton's was fun but gave a few pards trouble. We shot pistols and rifle alternating between single taps and double taps on 2 targets, it sounds easy enough till you go to your second pistol. p1,p2,p2,p1,p2, change pistols p2,p1,p2,p2,p1. This was a great stage for Gunfighters.

My best stage was Wells Fargo, you started in center of window, shotgun staged on window shelf, pistols holstered, rifle staged outside right door on barrel. You started at the shotgun with 4 knockdowns, move to the barrel and shoot the rifle in a 2-6-2 sweep on three targets, then repeat with the pistols.

Papa Dave was the Top Gun followed by Duck River, Cherohala Chase, Randy Saint Eagle, Jered Maddox, Dusty Wilcox,Sheriff Frank Canton, Sergeant Shooter, Capt. Jo Walker and Branchwater Jack rounded out the Top 10.

Our posse was small so I didn't get many pictures but I did manage to get 8 Videos.

Match Videos

Complete Scores




Don't forget the Tennessee State Championship Oct 11-13

We are past 75% full so get your entries in soon, last year we had to start a waiting list.

Hope to see you at the Match.

Randy

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The US Open and SASS Indoor World Championship

Papa Dave and I headed out before sun-up Wednesday for the US Open in Sparta Illinois. The US Open is held at the World Shooting Complex and this place is impressive, if I remember correctly from last year it sits on about 1600 acres, has 1000 RV hook-ups, 3 miles of Trap fields, Skeet, Sporting Clays and a 12 stage Cowboy area.

We arrived about 15 minutes before the rain so we checked in for the Open and the Indoor Wax Bullet World Championship, then we headed back into Sparta (10 minutes from the range) to check into our Bunkhouse.

Papa Dave went to a class on CD Tom's match scoring program and since the rain had stopped I headed over to the Cowboy range for some Side Matches. I shot the usual speed (not  much speed  for me) matches and I tried to shoot rifle targets off a mechanical horse (the kind that used to be in front of the Drug Store), John Wayne made it look a lot easier than it was.

After the side matches we took a few minutes to walk and check out the stages (yes I know we are "Gamers") before heading across town to chow down on some fine ribs. We had dinner with Fast Eddie, Witch Doctor, Pig Iron Lane, Tuco Forsyth and Hikes Point Hawk.

Thursday  we shot the late shift so we had lots of time to check out vendors and watch a little of the Indoor World Championship. Our rotation started at 2pm and it was mid 90's and 100 % humidity. This was the one time I was glad we were only shooting 4 stages a day. We had a couple on our posse that were about ready to quit when a cloud came up made it bearable for a little while.

Slick McClade was our Posse Marshall and if I had a choice I'd choose to be on his Posse anytime. Wilbur Green Rexroat was his Deputy, we also had Abe Cross,  Darby, Frenchy Youkon, High Brass, Horrible Hogan, JD Bullet, John Greywolf, Little Mama, Lonesome AL, Oliver Loving, Papa Dave, Phillie Boy, Randy Saint Eagle, Rose Louise Reasoner, Shorty Norton and Yee Haw. We finished the first 4 stages, packed up and by the time we drove 1/4 mile to the Vendor Mall it was raining.

After the first day of shooting we had a Pot Luck Cook-out followed by Side-Match awards and  some door prizes. Then we had to make an important side trip on the way back to the bunkhouse, the  DQ for ice cream. The Holiday Inn Express in Sparta is not cheap but they put out a great spread for breakfast and it's 7 minutes from the range.

Friday we shot midday so we checked out the vendors and the trap range before time to shoot. We had better weather, it was still hot but compared to Thursday it was pleasant. The stages went well and we were finished before 2 so we had some ice cream made with an old John Deere "Hit and Miss" engine by the local Farm Bureau and you can't buy anything that good out of a store. After cooling off we headed to the main complex to shoot the wax bullet Indoor World Championship. It was a pretty slow go but it was a ball to watch and do.

We finished the indoor match just in time to head to the Shotgun Shoot Out. I think we had more fun at this than anything we've ever done at a match. You started with two shooters,  against opposite walls of a Trap field, shotguns staged on tables near the shooters. You had 8 stationary clay birds on stands at various distances on each side. Shooters started moving toward a table in the center breaking clays on the way. Your last 2  stationary birds had to be shot from the center table, then you pushed a button on the table and 2  birds were thrown. The first shooter to break all 8 stationary and 1 aerial bird won and moved on to the next round. We got the first  rounds in before another storm blew in and ran us off the range.

Saturday morning we had to roll out early as our first round went down range at 8am. Saturday was my worst day as I had a single miss on each of the first 3 stages, but Papa Dave shot really well and closed out strong. I shot the last stage well. All the stages were interesting and we had lots of movement so you didn't get bored. Saturday's weather was perfect. We were blessed to avoid all the bad weather while shooting.

After getting some lunch we teamed up with Shamrock Sadie and Knot Hardly Dunn and headed to the Shotgun Flurry. 4 shooters shoot at 30 birds thrown by 3 trap machines and they count the birds that hit the ground unbroken, our team let 7 get away and we were pretty proud of that, but the winning team only let 4 by them. Next we headed to the Shotgun Shoot Out Final, Papa Dave and I shot against each other, I think it's no surprise Papa Dave beat me and got into the final. Papa had some shells hang up and Dusty Darrell won.  Slick's Sharp Shooter and Shamrock Sadie made the ladies shoot off and I must be getting old, I can't remember who won.

Next we headed to the Indoor World Championship Shoot Off and it was a hoot, I took several videos of the final so you can see for yourself. After the shoot off  we headed to the Vendor Mall for the Chicken N Beer Bash and the Outlaw Entertainment Party, what a way to close out a busy day.

Sunday morning started with what must be the hardest working Cowboy in SASS, Mose Spencer, preaching for Cowboy Church. Not only does Mose know how to run a great match and party he had an excellent lesson. After church we were treated to the World Shooting Complex Breakfast Pig Out Buffet. Once we were too full to hardly move, we headed to the next room for the Awards Ceremony. By this time Mose could hardly talk, so Ringo "by Gawd" Fire handled most of the MC duties. It was a Dooley Gang inspired rapid  fire presentation. Sugah took photos of all the winners.

Top Gun of the match was Prestidigitator, followed by Shell Stuffer, Duke Skywalker, Cowboy Carty, Roys Creek Dan, 6th Overall was Missouri Lefty (a Buckaroo), then Copperhead Joe, Fast Eddie, Frisco Red and Ol Short Tom rounded out the Top 10.

Shamrock Sadie was the \Ladies Top Gun followed by Two Sons,Lefty Jo, Slick's Sharp Shooter and Sixgun Sallie rounded out the Ladies Top 5.

Papa Dave won the Range Boss Category at the Open and is also the new Indoor Range Boss World Champion and I finished 4th in the Duelist Category.

This was the most action packed match I've ever been to, if you haven't been, think about it for next year and check out Mose and Bella's website.

Mosenbella

Complete Scores

To take a look at some of the action check out my videos.

WartraceCowboy

Photos By Sugah 1

#2

#3

#4

#5





                                                                    



Don't forget the Tennessee State Championship October 11-13, it should be the best one ever.

Tennessee State Championship


Happy Trails until we meet again.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Wartrace September 1 Cowboy Match

47 Cowboys and Cowgirls ignored the rain warning and converged on Wartrace to get some more range time in before the Tennessee State Championship. We had several East Tennessee and Alabama shooters all wanting to make it known they were coming to shoot and shoot well they did.

We also had a new member just moved here fom Kentucky and he let his presence be known as well, Welcome Cumberland Drifter.

Whiskey Hayes wrote some great stages as always. At The Jail you started sitting at the table outside the cell with pistols and shotgun on the table and your hands on your knees. At the beep you shot two 1-3-1 sweeps  with the pistols (while still seated) , moved inside the cell and shot two 1-3-1 sweeps with the rifle then moved back outside to the table and engaged 4 shotgun targets.

The KO Corral was the only "Stand and Deliver" stage but you had plenty to keep you busy. Gun order was shooters choice (can't end with rifle) and everything was shot from water trough. With the shotgun you had 2 clay tossers and 2 clay birds, pistols you put 5 shots each on 2 targets but couldn't do a 5 round dump. The rifle is where it got more interesting, you put 4 rounds each on 2 large rifle targets, 1 round on a Buffalo up on the berm and 1 round down the barrel of a cannon target.

At the Livery  you staged 1 pistol on each barrel, the shotgun and rifle on the table. You started at 1 pistol with a Nevada Sweep on 3 targets, moved to the rifle and tripple tapped 3 rifle targets, moved to the next pistol for another Nevada Sweep then back to the shotgun for 4 knock downs.

At the Wagon you started with a saddlebag in 1 hand holding the wagon wheel with the other. Rifle staged on 1 table and shotgun staged on the other. You carried the saddlebag to the rifle, single tapped 5 rifle targets twice, carried the saddlebag to the barrel shot the same sequence with the pistols then carried the saddlebag to the other table and engage 4 shotgun targets.

I saved the Depot till last however our posse shot it first. You started at the rifle, staged on a table either inside or outside the Depot with a basket holding your shotshells held in both hands, with shotgun staged on the other table. At the beep you placed the basket on the table, shot your rifle, carried the basket of shells to the shotgun table shot 4 shotgun kd's and finished with the pistols. As I said this was my first stage and also my last stage, I fell when I tried to stop at the shotgun and ended up with both pistols on the floor behind me. Some days you win, somedays you lose.






Marshall WD was the Top Gun of the day proving he intends to be a force to be reckoned with at the State match, followed by new member Cumberland Drifter, Sean Clancy O'Conall, Papa Dave, CW Knight, Outcast, Ben T Iron (the top 6 were in 6 different categories), Cherohala Chase, Lickskillet Charlie and Frank Buckshot rounded out the Top 10.

I always like to congratulate the pards who shot a "Clean" match, Brad Manco, Gnarly, Sean Clancy O'Conall and Tennessee Roadrunner.



Complete Scores

Videos

The Tennessee State Championship is over half full so don't wait too long to send in your entries.

There will  only be one more match at Wartrace before the State Championship, Sept. 15 Cowboy Match, Wild Bunch will Not be offered at this match.

For more info always check out our

Website

Happy Trails and may all your shots "ring" steel.