Monday, April 29, 2013

2013 Midwest Classic

Papa Dave and I loaded the wagon, hitched up the team and headed north to the Midwest Classic at The World Shooting Complex in Sparta IL., the first leg of  The Triple Crown of Cowboy Action Shooting. On the range we met up with Alchemist Belle, Branchwater Jack, Donald Duke, Cumberland Drifter, Dodge City Dixie, Reno Mustang, CW Knight, Blackwater Desperado and many of our old friends and made new friends while there as well.

We made it by high noon, in time for the side matches. In addition to the normal array of speed matches, they had a .22 Gallery with categories for 1911 pistols, revolvers and cowboy rifles and an Extreme Shotgun stage with 22 knockdowns including a Texas Star. It was a blast to shoot but it took me an hour to catch my breath afterwards. I had so much fun I had to do it again before the side matches ended. Your first score was recorded on side matches and if you felt like you could beat that score you could declare it before you shot and if it beat your original score it would be recorded. You could practice as much as you wanted but only declare once. I had never seen side matches done this way but I liked it.

Papa Dave, CW Knight, Alchemist Belle and Branchwater Jack also shot the Wild Bunch Match. After all shooting was finished on Thursday we had a fish fry on the patio of the range restaurant for $6, all you could eat, what a deal.

Friday morning following a brief Safety Meeting we started the first 5 stages of the Main Match. Mose Spencer had some really good stages with a good amount of choice on how you shot them.The morning started a little cool and later got a little damp, but not bad. After the Friday stages were finished we were treated to lunch on the range and then Team Matches. 3 person teams were picked on the range and shot 3 stages that included speed, long distance accuracy, team work and fun.

Friday night we were treated to a lasagna dinner before we moved to the Vendor Mall for Side Match Awards. Papa Dave won the .22 Gallery 1911 award and I won the .22 Gallery Revolver award. I was taking pictures so didn't get the award winners written down, but I took Sweet Sister Kit and Lead Ringers pictures several times each. I met Cowboy Carty  for the first time, who won Speed Rifle with a time of 2.64 shooting one of his Marlins. Missouri Lefty had to go to school on Thursday and got to the range 10 minutes before the side matches closed. He was talked into grabbing his rifle and loading up. He only made 1 try and won Buckaroo Speed Rifle with a time of 2.75. I'm sorry I left out many winners but as I said I didn't get it written down.

Saturday morning brought more threatening weather and the final 5 stages. We shot most of the day in a light rain but fortunately it never got too bad. Things were going pretty well till our last stage when Dodge City Dixie went down on a wet floor while shooting the Church stage. She hurt her knee and foot but never lost control of her guns. I hope it wasn't anything serious. Due to the weather, after the last stages were finished, Mose had the lunch on the range moved to the restaurant. After lunch we had time to head back to the bunk house and rest up for the banquet.

The banquet theme was a Cattle Baron's Ball and many Cowboys and Cowgirls were dressed to the nines.
We were treated to a Prime Rib dinner and Mose said we should thank MJ for that. There were lots of door prizes and raffles but I didn't manage to win any of them. After dinner we had the Best Dressed Awards and then the Main Match Awards were handed out.

Missouri Lefty was the Top Gun of the match, followed by Prestidigitator, Lead Ringer, Cowboy Carty, Blackfish Kid, Frisco Red, Duke Skywalker, Copperhead Joe, Faygo Kid and Don Jorge rounded out the Top 10.

Dew R Dye was the Top Lady followed by Sweet Sister Kit, Lefty's Lady, Miss Hitem and Miss Behavin'.

Wartrace was represented well,

 Cumberland Drifter was 1st 49r.
Papa Dave, 1st Range Boss.
CW Knight, 6th Silver Senior.
Randy Saint Eagle, 1st Senior Duelist.
Reno Mustang, 6th 49r.
Branchwater Jack, 2nd Frontier Cartridge Duelist.
Dodge City Dixie, 2nd B-Western Ladies.
Alchemist Belle, 3rd Cowgirl.
Blackwater Desperado, 3rd Frontiersman.

Complete Scores Here.

I wasn't able to take any match pictures but here is a link to the awards photos.

Main and Side Match Awards

I just have to again congratulate Missouri Lefty for being the Overall Champion and shooting the match "Clean", quite an accomplishment for a Buckaroo and I know his Mom, Missouri Sweetie, and Dad, Missouri Traveller, are very proud of him.

After the awards were over T-Bone Dooley cranked up the Karaoke and it wasn't long before Blackwater Desperado was belting out some tunes and if you've ever heard Blackwater and his band Milkbone, you know he can sing.

Mose and Bella always put on a fantastic match and if you left hungry it was your own fault, every meal except breakfast was covered. Thanks also to the Kaskaskia Cowboys and all the others who helped make this a Great Match.

Don't forget the second leg of the Triple Crown is coming up in less than a month. Shootout at Hard Times, The SASS Ohio State Championship May 24-26 in Piqua Ohio. And the final leg, Ambush at Caverns Cove, The SASS Alabama State Championship October 4-6 in Woodville Alabama.

The next match at Wartrace will be the May 4th Cowboy Match, Safety Meeting at 9:30 for more info always check out our website.


Hope to see you at match down the road,

 Happy Trails, until we meet again.





Sunday, April 21, 2013

Wartrace Regulators April 20th Cowboy/ Wild Bunch Match

25 Cowboys, Cowgirls and Wild Bunch Shooters rode into Wartrace for the mid-month shoot. We had 1 new to Wartrace shooter, welcome Payden Tolbert.  It was a pretty nice day but the wind was cool. I had to work in the morning so I missed the introductions, but got there before the first stage was finished.

The cowboy shooters shot the same stages as the first of the month and Papa Dave modified the stages for Wild Bunch. Several of us had a little trouble getting started , I had a pistol miss and jacked out a rifle round on the first stage, Buck Dodgers took 4 shots on 1 shotgun target, on stage 2 Cumberland Drifter took 6 misses due to a jammed up rifle. I think most settled down after a couple of stages. Cumberland Drifter was the fastest on 3 stages and Buck Dodgers won the other 2 and Papa Dave was second fastest on most of the stages.

Buck Dodgers was the Top Gun for the Cowboys, followed by Papa Dave, Ben T Iron, Cumberland Drifter, Randy Saint Eagle, Reno Mustang, Brada Tat Tat, Imis Twohofon, Tombstone John and Branchwater Jack rounded out the top 10.

Congratulations also to Ben T Iron, Buck Dodgers, Imis Twohofon, Paden Tolbert, Papa Dave and Reno Mustang for shooting "clean" matches. A special congrats to Payden Tolbert who told me this was his first ever "clean" match.

Complete scores when available.

C W Knight was the Wild Bunch Top Gun, followed by Frank Buckshot, Dirtwood Dobber, Papa Oso, and Tennessee Roadrunner.

Wild Bunch scores when available.

I didn't get any pictures but I saw a couple of videos Dirty Nerdy posted on YouTube.

Dirty Nerdy Videos

Buck Dodgers brought his youngest daughter, Thunder Rose, she spent all day picking up brass and also took a few videos. Here is Buck's YouTube sight .  Hopefully she'll be shooting with us by next year.

The next matches at Wartrace will be the April 27th Long Range Match and the May 4th Cowboy Match.
For more info always check out our website.

Wartrace Regulators

If you're looking for some good annual matches in the next few weeks check out the Midwest Classic April 25th thru 27th.

Midwest Classic

Also the Georgia State Championship May 2nd thru 5th.

Georgia State Championship

Happy Trails until we meet again.



Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Wartrace Regulators and North Alabama Regulators April Cowboy Matches

We finally got a break on April 6th and had a fantastic day for a Cowboy Match, and 48 cowgirls and cowboys rode in to join the fun. We had several new to Wartrace shooters including Scrub Oak Willie and his wife Garnet Gal, Mezcal Jack, Big Jim Vaquero, Da Lightning and Diamond Gal( at least the first time in a while). We had 2 new aliases, Dirty Nerdy (the cowgirl formerly known as Dora Dufran) and Brada Tat Tat ( the cowboy formerly known as Brad Manco).

As always Whiskey Hayes wrote some fast and fun stages with no "P" traps.

Buck Dodgers was the Top Gun of the day followed by Sean Clancy O'Conall, Papa Dave, Randy Saint Eagle, Wes Outlaw, Ben T Iron, Tombstone John, C W Knight, Scrub Oak Willie and Frank Buckshot,  rounded out the Top 10.

Garnet Gal was the Top Lady Shooter.

Congratulations also to 10 shooters who shot "Clean" matches; Ben T Iron, Brada Tat Tat, Branchwater Jack, Cody Kid, Dirtwood Dobber, Frank Buckshot, Ida Shot'em, Imis Twohofon, Papa Oso and Sean Clancy O'Conall.

Thanks also to Jersey Brat for helping with the scoring.

Sheriff Frank Canton, Fort Knox, Tombstone John and Buck Dodgers were trying to get some practice in before they head to Oklahoma for Land Run this week. If I left out anyone else heading west, I apologize.

Sheriff Frank had a rifle lay down on the last stage and Charlie Bowdre was gracious enough to loan him one for Land Run. After lunch at Bell Buckle Cafe we followed Charlie home to pick up the rifle.

 Link To Videos

Complete Scores

Frank and I decided it was such a nice weekend we would go to Alabama on Sunday and shoot with the North Alabama Regulators. Sunday was another beautiful spring day and NAR is a great range.

I think Tuff Stuff wrote the stages and they were fun and fast and no "P" traps although we had to think a little on some of them. North Alabama is in the process of covering and adding fans to all of their loading and unloading areas, that will be really appreciated about July and August.

We were on Buck D Law and Sugah's posse along with Waco Jim, Lefty Young Gun, Toolman (Tim Allen, talk about a fitting alias) and I can't remember all the others except Graver Bill. If you've never shot with Graver Bill you need to and look at his guns, he does some awesome work.

After shooting we went down to the pavilion and had lunch while the scores were compiled.
Sidekick was the Top Gun of the day followed by Barkeep Casey, Buck D Law, Marshall TKD, Waco Jim, Six String, Graver Bill, Ben T Iron, Lone Wolf Swain and Tuff Stuff rounded out the Top 10.

Sugah was the Top Cowgirl.

If you're looking for a place to shoot on the first Sunday of the month you can't go wrong with North Alabama Regulators. For more info and Scores check out their website.

North Alabama

Sheriff Frank Canton, First Place Silver Senior

It took Frank 3 rifles to make it through the weekend.

The next match at Wartrace will be the March 20th Cowboy/ Wild Bunch Match. For more info always check out our website.

Wartrace Regulators

Happy Trails until we meet again.