Papa Dave and I headed out Thursday morning to Copperhead Joe's Black Gold Shootout in Manchester Kentucky. While I forgot about crossing into Eastern time when deciding what time to leave we still got there in time for the Side Matches. We met up with Dodge City Dixie, Reno Mustang, Cumberland Drifter, Georgia Dew, CW Knight , Linda, Dirty Nerdy, Brada Tat Tat and a host of other Cowboys and Cowgirls.
Papa Dave, Drifter and the others headed for the warm up stages and I went on up to the Long Range Pistol events. This is the only place I have been that offers a Long Range Wrong Hand Pistol event. This has to be shot Duelist style and with your weak hand at a 50 yard target. They also had Long Range pistol shot on the same target with any unsupported style and 1911 Long Range pistol also shot on the same target any unsupported style. There were several folks shooting the different classes, you could try as many times as you wanted for the highest number of hits out of a 5 shot string, Then at 4 pm they had the shoot-off where you got one try to get as many hits as you could with 5 shots.
I got in line with a 1911 first and was able to hit 5 for 5 to make the shoot-off. Next I tried my Vaquero in the standard Long Range event and got on the trigger too hard on the third shot and fired before I was on target and ended up with 4 for 5 on that run. I got back in line, settled down and hit 5 for 5 on the 2nd try making that shoot-off. Next I lined up for the Wrong Hand event, I always shoot Duelist style for anything precision so I felt like I would be fairly comfortable with this as well and I was able to hit 5 of 5 making that shoot-off as well.
I then went over to the warm up stages and joined Drifter, Papa and the others until time for the shoot-offs. I ran through a couple of stages just to get the feel of the stages and then just relaxed a little waiting for 4 pm. When I went for the shoot-off I found out I was the only one to hit 5 for 5 in in Wrong Hand Pistol and 1911 Pistol, so the only shoot-off was in the Long Range Pistol and there were several folks in it. Several folks hit 4 out of 5 but I was the only one to hit 5 of 5 in the shoot-off.
After the Side Matches were over we had the start to the Hillbilly Olympics with a bucket brigade with buckets full of holes so everyone got pretty wet, then a string/ring game and a pot luck dinner.
Friday morning brought the start of the Main Match with Copperhead Joe welcoming everyone, after the Safety Meeting, Prayer and Pledge we headed to the stages to get started. I was on Posse 4 along with Posse Marshall, Big 6 Henderson, Ramblin' Royce, Loco Linda, Papa Dave, Trail Bandit, Shaddai Vaquero, Perfecto Vaquera, Vaquero Jake, Dodge City Dixie, Reno Mustang, Kid Ray, Sue Render, Captain Grouch, Hoss Blocker, Elm Savannah, CW Knight, Long Shot Seth and Prairie Cole( I hope I haven't forgotten anyone).
They had some good stages set up and Iron Maiden did a lot of nice artwork on them. After shooting our first 5 stages we had a hot dog and fried bologna lunch. Then we had 3 person teams going head to head on a Texas Star for the rifle, plate rack for the pistol and 4 knock downs for the shot gun. You could pick your own teams and each had to have at least one lady shooter on each team. I shot on a team with Jackelope Jasper and Anita Margarita and then on one with Perfecto Vaquera and Kid Ziggy, it was a lot of fun, unfortunately I cannot remember who was on the winning team.
After supper we the Side match awards and a Bluegrass band playing. All I remember about the Side Match Awards was CW Knight won his Category in Wild Bunch and I won the 3 Long Range Pistol events I shot in.
Saturday morning brought out the final 5 stages and they were as good as the first 5 however I didn't shoot them nearly as well. Several of us had more issues on the final 5. The weather forecast was not too good for the match but God blessed us with no rain during shooting times for the entire weekend.
Again lunch was provided and then they had Man on Man Shoot-Offs. Papa Dave and I decided to skip the Shoot-Off and cool off back at the bunk house.
Saturday night was Fish Fry night and it was just as good as it was in 2012 when I was there. The Main Match Awards followed and Wartrace fared very well I think.
Vaquero Jake 1st Cowboy, 2nd Overall
Cumberland Drifter 1st 49'r, 4th Overall
Shaddai Vaquero 1st Duelist, 9th Overall
Papa Dave 1st Grand Patron, 37th Overall
Ben T Iron 1st Classic Cowboy, 39th Overall
Randy Saint Eagle 1st Senior Duelist, 44th Overall
Dodge City Dixie 1st Ladies B-Western, 45th Overall
Perfecto Vaquera 2nd Ladies B-Western, 65th Overall
Reno Mustang 5th Senior Gunfighter, 70th Overall
CW Knight 6th Silver Senior, 73rd Overall
Brada Tat Tat 9th Gunfighter 85th Overall
Dirty Nerdy 3rd Lady Wrangler 113th Overall
Ari Tist 3rd Cowgirl 147th Overall
Blackwater was shooting Outlaw and they scored it separately but I haven't seen scores
Missouri Lefty was the Top Gun of the match followed by Vaquero Jake, Three Cut, Cumberland Drifter and Billy The Avenger rounded out the Top 5.
Ladies Top Gun was Sue Render followed by Dodge City Dixie, Honey B Graceful, Lefty's Lady and Perfecto Vaquero rounded out the Ladies Top 5.
There were 156 total shooters and if I recall correctly there were 44 Clean Shooters, a great percentage for a match.
Complete Scores
A couple of pictures
As always after the awards entertainment was provided by Blackwater and his Fabulous Band, Milkbone.
I have to thank Big 6 Henderson for being our Posse Marshall and thank Copperhead Joe, Miss Bo, Whiskey Creek Johnson, Iron Maiden, Rose and Boots and everyone involved in making this a great match.
The next match I'm planning is the US Open in Sparta Ill.
The next match at Wartrace will be Long Range this weekend 7/25 and the next Cowboy Match will be August 1st. For more info always check out our website.
Wartrace Regulators
Shoot Straight and may all your bangs end with a clang.
Fall/Halloween
10 years ago
