Category Archives: SASS

SASS

Tatanka (Buffalo Gal)

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Tatanka, the Lakota tribe word meaning 'big beast'. For the American Northern Plains people, Tatanka meant life. The bison/buffalo, ruled the plains, clothed and fed many American Indian tribes and were revered by all, especially in sacred ceremonies.

 

Herds of buffalo existed from Alaska all the way down through the Gulf of Mexico.

 

During the 1800's they were hunted and killed mostly for the fur trade almost totally decimating the herds to extinction. By the 1860's it is said that less than 1000 buffalo were left and it was men such as Buffalo Bill, Pawnee Bill, Charles Goodnight and another 6 men (I had not heard of) that realised what lay ahead and purchased them for their own ranches.

 

At various points in time, cattle were introduced into herds of buffalo upsetting the DNA of true bison. Today there are some that have been bred from true stock with very little to no common cattle variety in them.

Today, over 400,000 buffalo roam freely in reserves and managed properties such as Yellowstone National Park, parts of Wyoming and Texas. Still a far cry from the once 30million plus!

So how come Buffalo Gal?

Now my Texas women friends pride themselves on all things Texan, and are very patriotic. The costumes I've been pushing to get finished lately from a few Texas ladies are in the B-Western styling keeping me very busy at the embroidery machine.

Lil McGill's latest is a recreation of a 1940's B-Western dress featuring flowers, scrolls and bison.

With a few pictures at hand of the original and paint chips of colours to match boots, I set out to pay homage to this spectacular gown. The buffalo proved a little difficult with not being able to find a design of a running buffalo closer matched to that of the original.

 

We don't want a football version of a running buffalo now do we! Lol! So the choice of a rather majestic looking bison standing in grass seemed appropriate.

After altering designs and reconfiguring flower sequences, I eventually had 17 different sections to this embroidery work, with 12 needing to be mirrored for left or right.

Some careful planning and lining up got it looking pretty darn close to the original.

 

The only thing I couldn't see in the pictures we had was something on the sleeve side. It looked like same colours so I could only surmise nothing new was added outside the theme. I eventually came up with the inclusion of bison tracks through the same floral detail.

 

With the buffalo complete around the bottom edge the dress is ready for the final larger one on the back. This had to be outsourced as my frames aren't big enough. Threads all numbered and bagged, 'Buffalo Gal' is headed for her final stage of embroidery. Only thing left to do from there is bling!!

 

Can't wait to see it worn, boots and all!

Photos to come later when it is blinged up!!!

Kat xo

😉 see, still alive, head down bum up, love y'all!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_bison

https://www.storyofthebison.com/faq.html

 

Rework Red

Posted on by kathousekelli70

“If you’re happy with the red, nod your head…if you’re happy with the red, nod your head…if you thought the cherry was best, then you really needed a rest…if you’re now lovin’ this red, nod your head!” 🤣🤣

Twit! When redoing work turns out for the absolute best. Not only was I not happy with the red, and clearly now I’m one happy seamstress, but after waiting and waiting for it to arrive back here I found I wasn’t happy with the colour of the zip and the machine hemming was atrocious too!

So new zip in, everything pulled apart and new piping done, everything back together, waistband back on, vest back together, hand stitching to hem, embroidery on right red done again, buttery soft deer skin leather cut (there goes a full day) and now the pièce de résistance – bling added to punched holes…ahhh onto the next.

You don’t get to see the whole lot until it’s wearer has it on! 😉

Kat xo

Trans Tasman – Duel Downunder

Posted on by kathousekelli70

‘The Special Breed’ that’s what us cowboys and cowgirls are. The Gamblers, Deslaredo had written a spectacular poem of this and so it became the theme for the Trans Tasman this year.

The Trans Tasman – Duel Downunder is a southern, across the ocean, challenge between Australia and New Zealand and alternates at a range on either continent every other year.

The Gamblers again hosted the Trans Tas and it wasn’t long before everyone arrived for the match held over 14-17th March.

It was great for Jack and I to catch up with many that we hadn’t seen for some time.

We had been busy in the weeks leading up to the match helping with match confirmations, prep and more!

What a great weekend we had! It started Thursday with the Pat Garrett match and Posse 4 – Bones, Carter Moss, Coyote Baz, Deadly, Doit Daily, El Rio, Fox, Meggs, Mad Dog Morgan, Painted Mohawk, Rick O’Shea, Two Gun Kate, Trigger Happy, Willy Avashot, Jack and myself.

That afternoon was spent doing speed events before we retired for Ex Sighted and I to get into the scoring and the rain set in.

Main match started on the Friday and we had a great lot of folks on Posse 5 with Alvira Sullivan Earp, Big Bad John, Bones, Boots and Spur, Chiquita, El Hombre, Etta Place and Doc Cummins, Coyote Baz, Meggs, El Rio, Curly Wolf, J P Remington, The Deadwood Gunslinger, Legend Lyn and Short Shot (both from NZ), Lucky Luke, Willy Avashot (with Narelle kindly doing the scoring all weekend) Jack and myself.

Six stages done, rain again that evening, scores done and it’s an early night. Well, early to retire home with Charlie Wagon and Pearl Starr coming to stay for the evening. Rain putting a dampener on the hawk and knife throw side matches.

Saturday and it’s just a few spits of rain taking us into the final 6 stages of the match.

I wasn’t clean by any means which put me very close with the other ladies BUT managed to hang on and clinch it by just 1.30sec’s! 6th overall, 1st lady and 1st in Lady Wrangler, with a few side matches thrown in.

Pat Garrett, Side Match, Main Match and overall buckle

Jack finished with just a couple in 5th overall and 1st place Elder Statesman. Good one man!

Pat Garrett and Main Match

A great weekend! Great gathering! Good fun that ended all too soon.

See you down the trail.

Kat xo

Whats Happening?!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Plenty apparently! We had a great club match with The Gamblers weekend before last. It was hot, sweaty but still fun unlike our Winter Range cowboy’s and cowgirl’s who were competing for the US National Championship this week. They endured thunderstorms, hail, rain and freezing temperatures from snow falls in surrounding hill areas.

Suffice to say that despite us really wanting to be there for it, perhaps it was just as well. We couldn’t be happier for all those who finished well and survived this year. Congratulations to you all, and to Holy Terror and Cody James for taking top mens and ladies overall!!

I’ve finally got into a ‘normal’ routine. Don’t laugh, y’all know I’m not normal. Back into exercise, sewing and finding a purpose. Have been assisting The Gamblers with a new website and the upcoming match. Jack’s been reloading and building our outdoor table in between coughing up a lung this week. I finished a corset and am set for some more!!

Our gear is almost here from Oklahoma, which means treasures await with my machines!!! Its in port and just waiting for it to get out of quarantine.

Cyclone Oma appears to have been and gone, leaving some awesome waves for surfers but destruction of the beaches. Winds were high but all in all, we got bugger all rain out of it and she seemed to pass on without a care.

View from the Mermaid Beach Surf Life Saving Club last Thursday.

 

Bottom pic is a panorama view of Surfers Paradise around to Coolangatta from the centre of Mermaid Beach.

Speaking of last Thursday, landed my self a little job outside the house! Yep, first shift tomorrow and raring to go.

Anyhooo, its time to write up the list of things to do tomorrow and head for some shut eye.

Hope you have had a great week too!

Kat xo

Do you have a cowboy in your room?

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Having nightmares or dreams? Been woken by a random cowboy standing by your bed?

My eldest sent me this just now. 😂😂

I love it when my kids send me random things pertaining to the old west and cowboy times.

Now let’s go find Rex and have yippee-ki-yay kind of day!

Kat xo

Shooting with The Gamblers

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Saturday passed with a down range kind of day! After a busy few weeks assessing and establishing we are almost there!

The weather was rather warm but nothing that a good ole icy pole can’t fix. Ooo brain freeze!

We had a great group of 17 turn out despite the heat.

Six stages with The Gamblers, saw Jack on top!! Woo hoo! Go man.

Things are starting to look good for The Duel Downunder!

Club Match Feb 2nd 2019

Hope you had a good one no matter where you are!

Kat xo

Territorial Marshals Christmas Shoot

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Baby it's cold outttttttsidddde! But hey!? We missed the great blizzard of 2018 that they were predicting which would have canceled the party. Haa haa, we got nothing, not even ice on roads that they downgraded it to.

So we headed out to the range where some brave souls came to play and shoot!

 

Plenty of selfies with some great folks today!

 

Cracker hung around in various locations.

 

Then we had a play with some different firearms which was a whole lot of fun before heading to the main club house for lunch.

The Club Championship buckle was presented to top shooter Roy's Creek Dan. In the next division, Men's – Gun A Doit, Ladies – Highland Scottie. For the Pistoleers it was a dead heat between Stoney Cahill and Hurricane Deck and the Sharpshooter Concho went to Gun A Doit after 3 previous draws of which the recipients were not present to win! Jack's and my Top Hand picks were Highland Scottie and Gun A Doit, your concho's are on their way. Congratulations to all!

 

Dirty Santa followed. It took a while for folks to start stealing gifts from others although Slim was picked on about 6 times but ended up with a great bottle of whiskey.

Jack and I have plenty of drinking to do next couple of days!! Nah, maybe we will already have supplies for June next year!

Anyway we had a sensational time and will miss everyone here. We look forward to seeing you somewhere soon!

Kat xo

 

What A Great Week!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Although kind of hectic, we had a good week of visiting.

Tuesday evening Wild Horse John and Saginaw Sue came down, spending Wednesday with us and leaving Thursday morning.

We headed out Wednesday morning to Stockyard City, perusing the wares of a few stores, picking up Jack's boots and what else do you at the stockyards but dine at Cattlemen's.

Cattlemen's has been around since 1926, being one of the only Cafes that stayed open after sundown. They served many working at the stockyards and the meat packing facilities. Christmas Eve 1945, saw Hank Frey (then owner of Cattlemen's) and Gene Wade have a game of craps. When Hank ran out of money he put up Cattlemen's against Gene's life savings if Gene could roll a 'Hard Six' – two 3's!

Of course he did and the 3 3 brand is prominent on the wall in the Hereford Dining room in recognition of Gene's good luck that night. This story of Cattlemen's (my bits are just a shortened version of their history) is featured on the menu.

What can I say, THE best steaks, great sides and fresh rolls. It is always filled with people and often a wait line to get in. Tables are waited on by staff in black and white, while linen napkins adorn the tables with silverware and glasses. Cattlemen's Double Deuce beer is exceptional, with its Weissbier flavour.

 

As we rolled out the door and headed for the car it was decided that we should take our Wyoming friends to the Land Run monument. They hadn't seen it on previous visits to OKC and I knew there was at least 1 new installation to this great monument.

 

I will have to look back at previous photos to see just how many are new but I'm guessing there is at least 2 or 3 that I felt we had not seen before.

 

Further culling, more sewing and frustration ensued the next couple of days with some successes and not but Saturday we are headed for Leonard, Texas to play with the Texas Ten Horns.

Six great stages, themed around The Christmas Story, where little Ralphie wants a Red Ryder lever action BB gun. Good fun, great lines from the movie and a couple chances to win a BB gun and free shoot at the Great Spaghetti Western next year. Well done Ten Horns and well played!

Mary-Lou July caught up with her cousin Bubba November and suffice to say they had a blast. If nothing else they amused their own posse and themselves. Haa haa haa. Jingle your own dang bells! 🙂

 

After the stages we went in to Lea's for the Christmas party and Dirty Santa, heaps of fun had by all. We have made many great friends down there and will miss them all – another day filled with great memories.

To our hosts for the evening, Hairtrigger Hayes and One Chance Fancy, thank you again for having us. We thoroughly enjoy your company.

Thanks again, to you and yours

Kat xo

 

Club Match with Territorial Marshals

Posted on by kathousekelli70

The wind's been sweeping down the plains all night and brought with it a huge cold front.

That didn't stop us from heading to the range though for the club match yesterday. It started out at a reasonable 42F/ 5.5C which turned colder as we progressed through 6 stages to a wind chill factor of 26F/-3C.

Glad we were shooting everything out of the saloon!! Don't get too close to the open windows and you were right but we had the heater running and all was good.

 

A whole stack of fun with 15 of us – Jack and I, Roy's Creek Dan, Highland Scottie, Hondo Tweed, Jodi Coyote, Gordy Hattrick, Buff Driver, Shootin Fox, Gun A Do It, West Okie Wayne, Della, Elwood James, Bronco Red and Gunkiller.

 

Plenty of heckling and some good shooting we had 4 clean matches – Roy's Creek Dan, Highland Scottie, Buff Driver and Gun A Do It. Congratulations RCD for taking top honor's.

Kat xo

 

Gunfight In Dixie XVI

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Wednesday we lit out in the wee hours of the morning (did you like that description Ruby?) and headed for the state of Tennessee again. This time to Lakeland just outside of Memphis.

The Memphis Gunslingers are again hosting the South East Regional and Gunfight In Dixie. This is a great range, great facades with 11 permanent cowboy bays.

As with most of the middle states at present it has been raining and we are in for another boggy, damp and very cold match. They have done their best to ensure most stages are covered and have flooring or matting for decent footing. It's just the guncart areas – the rest of the range – that is very muddy and boggy, with no amount of hay seeming to soak up the water. We certainly thank them for their efforts!!

 

Thursday, Doily Gang ladies clinic, T-Bone Dooley's men's shooting clinic, with all proceeds as usual going to the SASS Scholarship Foundation raised another $344, putting the current total raised from clinics held around $10,000. A great effort and all the instructors sure do enjoy giving back by passing on tips to others.

Wild Bunch, Warm Up and speed events were held throughout the rest of the day.

Friday's opening ceremony commenced with their usual and outstanding recognition of veterans over this Armistice weekend. We thank you all for your service and to those currently serving in United States and Australia especially.

 

Jack and I were with a great posse and glad to be a part of Posse 3 with some amazing people. Cooncan, Bertie Winchester, Randy Saint Eagle (Posse leader), Tomstone John, Papa Dave, Whiskey Hays (Deputy Posse leader), Blackfish Kid, Riverview Rattler, Chica, Ginderella, Jailbreak Jake, Doc Hurd, Ethan Callahan, Doc Who, English Tom and Steelshot Scott.

My shotgun having worked the previous weekends match, warm up and side matches, decided to play up across the first two stages resulting in 2 unpleasant times. Jack had a few fumbles but why wouldn't you when the weather is barely above 32F/0C!

 

It was cold, toes are frozen, no amount of hand warmers in gloves, boxer shorts and socks seemed to keep anyone warm. Jackets, ear muffs, scarves, were all a requirement across the weekend.

 

There is no accounting for fun though. So it doesn't matter what was happening we had a blast. Not the best result but great match, great folks, great fun.

The shootout was held after the final 5 stages on Saturday. They drew our pairings and Shamrock Sadie and I were paired up for first run. We had fun, Shamrock ran out of shotgun shells, I thought she was giving up and coming for a hug when she pinched a shell and finished out our run! Great sportsmanship, great friend and good fun!

 

Oklahoma Dee took out the men's shootout and so we went head to head. No backing off, he had a slight hitch with rifle and I left one plate up to be reengaged. Down to the wire we were both on pistols same time and with only one shotgun shell left myself, I carefully loaded and he just got me! Lol! Was a great run, a gentleman I respect greatly.

 

The banquet Saturday night for awards was well put together. Tumbleweed was the MC under the guide of Match Director, Hot Lead Lefty assisted by Josie Grace Underfire with all the plaques, buckles etc. A fabulous job done by all. Thanks for asking me to help with costume contest!

There were 26 clean matches out of approx 190 shooters. A white longhorn pin and a towel were given for that. Congratulations to all winners, Regional Champions and placers in category!

Elderstatesman category – 1st and Regional Champion Purly, 2nd Max Payne, 3rd Jackaroo, 4th Knot Hardly Dunn

Lady Wrangler category – 1st Kathouse Kelli

Congratulations to SE Regional Champions, Sidekick and Dodge City Dixie. The overall champions for the match, Slick McClade and Dodge City Dixie!! Well done!

It was great to catch up with so many more wonderful cowboys and cowgirls we have come to know over the years.

 

To put a dampener on the evening, some idiots decided to break into a couple of vehicles in the car park. Taking leather rigs, saddle bags, ripping out a dash for a radio. Just wrong!! Grrrrr!

Thanks to all the hardworking folks of the Memphis Gunslingers, their assistants etc. Another fabulous match, Jack and I thank you.

Kat xo