Category Archives: SASS

SASS

Winter Range Wrap Up

Posted on by kathousekelli70

The week began with Sunday being somewhat wet and miserable still with folks hoping it would dry out ready for Winter Range to start last Monday.

Heading out to the range later that day to register and pick up packs, it as sunny but cool and the waddies were desperately trying to create drains around vendor tents and pump water off ranges.

 

Monday and Tuesday were for Wild Bunch. Ten stages were done, along with some long range side match and speed. Our posse for Wild Bunch was Half-A-Hand Henri, Long Swede, Dixie Bell, Constable Nelson, Rooster Cockburn, Medicine Creek Johnny, Big Foot Billy, Deadwood Fred, Wolf Gang, Haole, Paniola Annie, Kid Rich, Shirttail Bess, Mad Dog Mark, Mar-Lynn, Matchlock, Ottercreek Bushwacker, Yellowstone Vic, Flyin' Shootist, Brushy Creek Bill, and Major Pain.

 

Tuesday afternoon was spent helping out with the Doily Gang Clinic, giving some coaching to ladies wanting to improve their transitions. I Posse'd with Dixie Bell and Whirlwind Wendy and we had 10 beautiful ladies to teach. I spoke to a few of them throughout the week and seems all are happy to have taken away something from the clinic and are excited about their matches.

Wednesday, it's warm up, side matches (which we didn't do this year), shopping, eating, catching up with more cowboys and the opening ceremonies. The fly over of 11 war birds lead by Lt. Col Scratch in his Nang Chang was spectacular and I bet those Cowboys that were chosen to go for a ride were absolutely loving it!

 

Thursday, Friday and Saturday were main match days. Four stages each and at the end of the 12, Jack and I were pretty satisfied with how we had shot our matches and would eagerly wait to hear the results. We had a great Posse, Posse 30! Alvira Sullivan Earp and Virgil Earp (our Aussie friends), Bois D'Arc and Tacky Jackie (Oklahoma friends), Chugwater One Shot, Coal Train, High Country, Honest Henry, J.B. Corn (and his lovely wife Aurora who kept all our scores for us), Just Marshall, Kerman Kid, Lazlo Scarr, Little Joe Dalton, Marshal Law, Pill Peddler, Sgt. StroDog, Standpat Steve, Valrico Kid and of course Jack and myself.

 

Friday night was Saloon night and this year they had craps tables, black jack, Texas hold 'em and the infamous Doc Holliday (we saw him when visiting Tombstone a few times) with his Faro table and regaling people with his stories. You handed your chips in, when you were ready to leave, in exchange for prize tickets of which I was lucky enough to win a voucher with Wild West Mercantile!

 

Saturday is of course the day of relief I guess, the match is done and everyone now gets to enjoy the Banquet and side match awards. Costume contest is on and I had the pleasure of being a judge this year. I stepped aside from my judging duties for Pea Patch to step in when a couple of ladies presented in costumes I had made for them. Costume Judges this year were myself, Goodness Grace, Cowtown Scout, Skinny and Capt.

 

The shoot off participants for Wild Bunch and cowboy were announced. Making it into the sweet sixteen with 3 other Lady Wranglers meant it was going to be a close match for us all.

 

This brings us to yesterday, I had one run in the shootout with fellow Lady Wrangler and my main competition Echo Meadows. She shot well and made it through to the next round after I left 3 plates up.

For the Ladies the shootout was won by Molly Magoo and for the Men's, Slick McClade.

So onto the awards and first up the SASS Wild Bunch presented the Wooly Award to the Winter Range Board for their 2016 match.

For Wild Bunch, the overall winners were Captain Sam Evans for Men and Texas Tiger for the Ladies. Jackaroo placed 9th for Wild Bunch Senior Modern and I finished 3rd in Ladies Traditional.

This year's Cowboy match had 111 people from 749 shoot a clean match! That's no misses, no procedurals etc! Outstanding effort and was achieved by three of the Aussie's – Frank James, Renegade Ty and Rooster Cockburn.

Out of the 10 Australians participating, 8 of them (sorry if you did too Renegade Ty but I didn't catch that one) placed in their categories. Constable Nelson, 8th Place in Forty Niners. Frank James, 9th Place in Senior. Alvira Sullivan Earp, 5th Place in Ladies Silver Senior. KC Woody, 7th Place in Senior Gunfighter.

Jackaroo finished 7th Place in Silver Senior and 60th overall! He shot a great match and wasn't too far off me.

I'm ecstatic, I achieved my goal for this match finishing 1st Place Lady Wrangler, 2nd Lady overall and placed 57th overall.


AND the 2017 Winter Range US National Champions overall with a huge congratulations goes to SASS Kicker for the Ladies and Deuce Stevens for the Men.

Here's congratulations to all the competitors who placed at Winter Range and we will see you again somewhere down the road for the next one.

Kat xo

 

All Done and Dusted

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Just a quick one before I get changed up from shooting into Victorian loveliness.

It's been a great week of sunshine and clear skies, we couldn't have asked for more!

 

Around 760 shooters will now be eagerly awaiting the outcome tomorrow. It's been another awesome Winter Range and it will be what it will be. Good luck to all the shooters and hope you have achieved what you came here to do.

To all the new and first time participants I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed your time at Winter Range and for those who haven't been yet – never be afraid to go to a big match!!

Tonight will be side match awards, shindig, costume contest and announcement of Top 16 Mens and Ladies!

Cheers!

Kat xo

 

Road Trip Commenced!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Yes folks it's that time of year again where some 760 shooters will mosie on in to the Ben Avery Shooting Facility for the US Nationals of Cowboy Action Shooting.

 

We are just outside of Santa Rosa, New Mexico having stopped earlier in Amarillo, Texas for lunch, still heading for Phoenix, Arizona. Now at 5000ft even the water bottles are feeling it! Lol!


Tonight we are in Old Town Albuquerque. After gathering supplies for the tonight and a bit for next week, we will head down into Arizona tomorrow.

Ran into Misty, Roxy and Amber in Edgewood Walmart. Walked straight past looking for something when they said hello, not once but twice before I realised! 🙂 how embarrassment!

We have 8 Aussie's shooting Winter Range this year and plenty of cowboys and cowgirls to catch up with!

Exciting times ahead! Stay tuned!

Cheers big ears!

Kat xo

 

The Gamblers 2016

Posted on by kathousekelli70

'It's the most wonderful time of the year…….' Come on, couldn't help but throw in a Christmas tune there! Haa Haa Haa

Last weekend was The Gamblers, Christmas Club Championships. It was 'the season to be jolly' with two stages set up on the one range, 26 Cowboys and Cowgirls put their rigs on ready for some action.

 

They set to 'rocking around the Christmas tree' alternating the posse between a stage with movement and a stage shot all from one position.

 

Many of us were 'dreaming of a white Christmas' as the temperature crept up to 39C/102F. However, as cowboys and cowgirls do, we keep having fun whatever the conditions!

 

Of course, the usual banter and laughter is ever present, along with some steely glares. (The latter has to do with safety's on unfamiliar shotguns, she says rolling her eyes, sigh)

 

Getting into the final couple of stages and its 'do you hear what I hear?' Thunder and lightning is starting to roll in and with metal baffles overhead it's time to hurry this posse up and get done before the storm comes through.

'Joy to the world' ….the day is done…..let all….pack up….your gear (were you singing that to the tune? 🙂 Haa Haa)

'O come all Ye faithful' inside for the rest of the festivities. We all gathered for the after party with the Budweiser flowing and the chatter getting more animated. A spectacular feast as always prepared by Mrs Claus and her elves (aka Trixie, Prairie Joy and OK Carrol), full of ham, chicken, egg, potato, watermelon salad, prawn and mango salad followed by scrumptious tarts, cheesecake and pavlova! Well done ladies, well done!

 

Oops! Nearly forgot the decorating assistants Marlboro Man and Lucky Strike Lass for the set up of tables, tinsel and Bonbons!

 

Entertainment for the evening was performed by Rex Rhinestone and his fiddle with accompaniment on the spoons by Marlboro Man. Most excellent!

 

Onto Awards and thanks must go to Chuck and Pearl Starr for preparing them. Our leader, Dug Deeper, made announcements and did the honour of presenting awards. Congratulations to everyone!!

 

Ricochet (Jackaroo) came 2nd in Silver Senior, 1st Place congratulations to Johnny Behan and 3rd Place to Mad Mick.

 

In Lady Wrangler category congratulations to 2nd Place, Ex Sighted, 3rd Place, Tequila Sunrise.

 

Overall winners for The Gamblers, were Mad Dog Tannen and Tequila Sunrise.

 

For the 'Outlaws' (non club members), overall winners were Painted Mohawk and Amazing Grace (Kathouse Kelli)!

 

Thank you to all The Gamblers for a great time as usual!

Feliz Navidad!

Kat xo

 

Red Dirt Rampage 2016

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Red Dirt Rampage, SASS SW Regionals 2016, was held this past weekend with the most sensational weather we could have hoped for at this time of year.

Congratulations to the Match Directors, Flat Top Okie and Missouri Mae, and all of the Territorial Marshal's for their help, in putting on another exceptional match.

Thursday started out as foggy but cleared to gorgeous blue skies. I sent Mary Lou July out to do warm up and get the cowgirls and cowboy's revved up for the weekend.

 

I think all she did was confuse and scare a lot of them! Haa Haa Haa! All in all, a ton of good fun.

 

Main match days Friday and Saturday, it had its ups and downs for me but Jack had a great weekend, cleaned the match and some great times! Was nice for him to have a win for a change!

Virgil and Allie shot with us on our Posse. Pretty sure they had a great time on and off the range.

Posse 19 consisted of myself as Posse Marshal, Jackaroo, Wild Horse John as Deputy Posse Marshal, Virgil Earp, Alvira Sullivan Earp, Calico Calie, Denton Dancer, Wildcat Cliff, Capt. Lee, Trent, Cowtown Scout, Buffdriver, Nana Quilter, Witchita Southpaw, West Okie Wayne, and Silver Sam. We had visits by Wild Horse Johns wife, Saginaw Sue who is great at keeping us checked at the unloading table, and Erica, Wildcat Cliff's daughter. Hopefully we've convinced her to take up cowboy shooting!

 

It was great to visit with so many good folks again as usual, we didn't stay for the shootout and brisket dinner on the Friday evening but heard everyone enjoyed it.

As usual the Saturday evening banquet was held at the National Cowboy & Hall of Fame Museum. The gathering presented a number of opportunities for some great costuming and many went home with some trophy photos from that.

NOTE: costuming is a huge part of our sport.

There are so many real life cowboys, cowgirls, western genre movie stars of the past and more recent western tv shows to base costumes on. Be creative, have a great story, it truly is a pleasure to see and hear people's interpretation, inspiration and love for what they do.

It is always hard to round people up to enter the competitions and I hope more people participate in future. I hope you have been inspired by some of those who entered this year. Myself, Cowtown Scout and Wild Horse John were impressed. I must thank them for assisting me this year as I still learnt more from them in what to ask the contestants, thank you.

 

Guns were given away, other prize draws occurred and it was down to the awards part of the evening. There were 52 clean match awards handed out and Jackaroo was one of them this time!!

Allie won Lady Silver Senior!

 

Jackaroo as I mentioned, had a clean match and won Silver Senior category and finished 15th overall, an extremely good finish! Yay man.

 

I won ladies fastest rifle, fastest pistol and won Lady Wrangler category, overall finish doesn't rate a mention (let's just say I'm a little disappointed in my performance). A huge congratulations to all the other Lady Wrangler shooters!

 

Overall winners and this years South West Regional Champions must be congratulated!! C.S.Brady and Missouri Mae!

 

Congrats to all who won, placed, and just came to have fun and catch up.

Kat xo

 

 

Wartrace, Tennessee

Posted on by kathousekelli70

What a neat range! Permanent facades for every stage, built on private property where it is purely for Cowboy Action Shooting.

The Regulators Reckoning, Tennessee State Match was held this past weekend and the weather was, if not, back to normal and a little on the hot side of the gauge.

We arrived into Tullahoma on the Wednesday afternoon and did a recon out to the range.

 

Thursday was some side matches and then we participated in a 4 stage Wild Bunch match. Hot, with tired legs and aching feet we didn't stay for the man on man event and headed back to the motel.

 

Friday we began with 5 stages of main match finishing just after 1pm. After lunch they had a team event. Names were draw from a hat to decide the make up of the three person teams. A clever concept! Jack and I were both lucky. It was Jackaroo, Prestidigitator, Marshall Rico. I was with Blackfish Kid and Ocoee Red.

It was an all knockdown timed stage, one would do pistol, one the rifle, one finish on the shotgun.

Anyway when it all boiled down to it, the team I was with won in 20.21sec!! I will add, if Jacks team hadn't had a slight fumble with the shotgun they would have beaten us!

After that it was all fun, making up your own teams and having fun trying to outdo each other as team on team events!

Dinner was at the range that night with side match awards held and with Whiskey Hayes working for Jack Daniels there was plenty of 'extra prizes' to go around!

 

Saturday was back into the final 5 stages with a turn in the weather (having become overcast and 25 degrees less than the previous 2 days!), the sun eventually appeared about the last 2 stages.

I'd like to thank our awesome Posse, Posse 3 a great bunch of people. Jackaroo and myself with C. W. Knight (our Posse leader), Fort Knox, Cody Kid, Boxom Boo, Tucker T Fudpucker, Buford Tanner, Marshal Rico, Sassy Teton Lady, Deadwood Woody, Wabash Valley Slim, Big Country, Christian Mortician and Smokin' Dave.

That evening was the banquet and awards, a good turn out of people with some fabulous costumes. I didn't even recognise Titus A. Gnatsass in his steampunk costume and mask! Pictured below with Dirty Nerdy.

 

A different twist on awards I thought, all the Tennessee State Champions were called up for their category and received their buckles first. Then all the categories were awarded according to placing.

Jack won 2nd place in Silver Senior – 1st place Knob Creek Drover, 3rd place and Tennessee State Champ Ocoee Red, 4th place Pig Iron Lane, 5th place C. W. Knight. Congratulations gents!

 

I was 2nd place in Lady Wrangler – 1st place and Tennessee State Champ Dew R Dye, 3rd place Cotton Tail and 4th place VIX-N With Vaqueros. Congratulations lovely ladies and a pleasure to duel again with Dew, 2.6sec's between us, 9 rank points!

 

This years overall winners were Lead Ringer and Slick's Sharpshooter. The overall Tennessee State Winners were Cumberland Drifter and Dew R Dye! Congratulations!

We had a great time, thanks to all the Wartrace Regulators for all your hard work!

Kat xo

P.S. Finished it off today with the Wild Bunch Range Officer course. Passed!

 

Mason Dixon Stampede 2016

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Arriving into Thurmont last week, did the tourist trips to Gettysburg, Thursday was the start of the match with Wild Bunch and Speed Events.

It had turned to light misty rain, compared to the previous weeks, enough to be annoying but nothing real drastic.

The three stage Wild Bunch match saw some very interesting little targets (6″X6″) being used which made for an exciting day. Good fun!

 

We had a couple of run throughs on the speed events, rifle, pistol and shotgun. Rifle I got down to 3.83sec's and was extremely pleased as the week before the best I could do was 4.56. Jack ripped out an awesome 3.30secs! We had a crack at the shotgun and pistol events as well before packing up for the day.

 

Friday, main match, Day 1, same drizzly rain. We had an awesome Posse! Posse 6 – Annabelle Bransford, Rowdy Bill, Tom Payne, James Samuel Pike, Yukon Mike, Silas Highland, Travis Spencer, Spinning Sally, Cold Brook Kid, Belle Evans, Marshal Jacobey John, Dirty Dingus Diggs, Geronimo Jim, Wild Bill Diamond, Ziggedy Zag, Jackaroo and myself.

 

They were awesome and it was like listening to or being in a movie with all the New York and Jersey accents. (I think and hope I got that right)

They are as entertaining as always! Tom regaled us with the National Anthem played on his harmonica before we kicked off for the day.

We shot Stages 6-10 on Day 1, clean for me and a couple misses for Jack.

 

Day 2 and we complete Stages 1-5. Jack had a much better day than the previous and I'm clean again!

 

Saturday night was the banquet in the big tent and the “Reel” West restaurant. The stages were based on different cowboy movies. Wild Bunch and Side Match Awards were handed out with Top 16 and Sweet Sixteen being announced.

After dinner in the club house, was the gambling night, raising funds for the SASS Scholarship. Try your hand at Chuck-A-Luck, Faro, and Roulette or you could just buy tickets for the raffle.

 

Sunday morning you could try your hand at an informal man on man stage and a 3 team event before the awards commenced.

Jack came second in Silver Senior. Congratulations to all Silver Senior's. 1st Place Dirt Rider, Jackaroo, and unfortunately the rest I do not have names and the scores aren't up yet, my apologies.

 

Congratulations to fellow Lady Wrangler 2nd place Calamity Jill.

 

Overall Divisional Champions for 2016 went to Sunshine Marcie and James Samuel Pike!

 

Top Overall Cowboy and Cowgirl – James Samuel Pike and Kathouse Kelli! Yee Haa! (I finished 8th overall from 154 shooters, very pleased indeed)

 

The Top 16 and Sweet Sixteen received a really neat Lone Star badge and then it was on to the shootout. Winners for the shootout were Sunshine Marcie and Indiana Loose Cannon.

 

A big thank you to Chuckaroo and his team, in particular Dog Meat Dadd who ran proceedings while Chuckaroo was not well again. All the ladies who assisted and many other hands of the Thurmont Rangers who put this match together, thank you!

Kat xo

 

25th Anniversary, Appalachian Showdown

Posted on by kathousekelli70

The CASS Inc. held their Appalachian Showdown Silver Jubilee (SASS West Virginia State Championships) this past weekend at Singing Hills Ranch, Largent, West Virginia.

Photos are from their display they had to celebrate their 25 years, they had a great lot of memorabilia.

Just outside Berkeley Springs, is this beautiful tree covered property with 8 shooting bays. Traversing the range is a workout in itself, but it's very well laid out with decks built in to set your gun carts on.

Friday the shoot kicked off with Wild Bunch in the morning. Four fun stages with about 17 Wild Bunch shooters taking on the challenge. In the afternoon we had a couple of runs at the side matches – Speed Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Derringer, Pocket Pistol and a one stage run.

 

Into main match day on Saturday, again the weather is just perfect for shooting, cool in the morning and warm during the day. Not a particularly good day for Jack but I was surprisingly clean! The targets seem somewhat smaller than we have been used to but mostly I think they are just out there a little further, I guess that means I must have been using my front sights better?!?

 

That night the banquet was on in Berkeley Springs at the American Legion. Great food! Side match awards were handed out and a great bluegrass band got some of the ladies up dancing and later the Class of '61 came through from next door in a Congo line!

 

Sunday was much cooler and took until after lunch to warm up some! Jack was clean for the day and I remained clean with a couple of hang ups. A neat little shootout with a Texas star, knockdowns and clays rounded out the match.

Awards were held with Jack finishing 2nd in Senior and 1st Place in Lady Wrangler for me.

 

Cody Walker was 1st Mens overall, West Virginia State Champion 1st overall went to Twin (who I might add, did it with one foot in a boot, he is one focused cowboy!) and a huge congratulations to Sunshine Marcie for being West Virginia State Champion and 1st Lady overall AND she got me in the shootout! Well played Cowgirl! There were only 3 rank points and 2.42secs between us. Also congratulations must go to Cody Maverick for winning Mens shootout. (My apologies, I didn't get any pics of the winners this time)

To Lady Benson and Texas Tom, for their amazing hospitality and property for the help they received from Black Orchid and Bobwire Brenice, Match Director – Punch and all the CASS Rangers, thanks for having us!

Kat xo

 

Into Maryland

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We left the tree filled state of West Virginia and entered into Maryland.

A little more open ground between trees here. We made a stop at the welcome centre picking up brochures and more info on Civil War Trails and St Mary's City, the first capital in 1634!!

A quick pit stop and I'm met by a little squirrel, she looked as surprised as I did! I told her there were no nuts in the Ladies restroom! Haa Haa Haa ahh Haa ..l.ahem…..

Our continued beautiful weather has followed us from Oklahoma. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

 

Checked into the Motel in Hancock, MD and took a drive 12 miles South to the range so we know how far and where it is. Through winding twisting road, through sleepy little hollows, trees, creeks we made it out to Singing Hills Ranch in Berkeley Springs, WV.

It will be an interesting little match!

 

Wild Bunch and side matches tomorrow. Wherever you are and if you're shooting this weekend, keep your powder dry, may all your bangs go clang and giddy Up! (To steal a few of my favourite cowboy's sign offs!)

Kat xo

 

Texas-Oklahoma

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Playing catch up!

Last weekend was fabulous, spending time with Texas ladies, shopping for fabric in Houston.

After being sworn in to the 'Royal Order of the Safety Pin' we headed out to the first stop – High Fashion Fabrics.

 

We lunched at Saint Dane's Bar and Grill after, then headed on to some more stores!

 

Got most of what was on the list! Win!

We spent two great days shooting with the Thunder River Renegades with some Mexican food and drinks thrown in for good measure.


Don't you just love TJD's new pinup shirt?!


Sunday afternoon it was back on the road to Oklahoma.

It's been head down, bum up this week and today we had the Territorial Marshals club match. Yippee! shot good today and so did Jack, we finished 5th and 7th respectively out of 55 shooters.

It's on again tomorrow instead of Wild Bunch, as we head for Sand Springs next week and the Oklahoma State Championships.

Cheers

Kat xo