M T W…

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – meet the west!

It’s all cowboys, cowgirls, boots, hats, corsets, chaps and so much more! It’s flashy B-Western shirts, rigs that shine with bling, guns sporting colourful grips for that signature look!

Welcome to End of Trail, the World Championships of Cowboy action shooting.

Everyone has their persona, their style and sporting the same cowboy/cowgirl smile and anticipation of shooting and meeting people both new and known.

Monday

A casual start to the match, headed to the range to check out vendors already open and meet up with a few people.

Still trying to get rid of head cold and getting the right stuff for it.

Bit of shopping around.

Tuesday

L.O.C.A.S – Ladies of Cowboy Action Shooting had a mini match this year at End of Trail. 70 odd ladies turned up to shoot 3 stages and a great time was had by all.

Top 3 Ladies – Midwest Hale 1st, Gunslinger Grace 2nd and myself 3rd.

Top 3 Belles – (under 17’s) Sweet K Oss 1st, Freckles Sure Shot 2nd, Calamity Gray 3rd.

The Aussie ladies of LOCAS (missing Lucky Strike Lass) L: Pearl Starr, Kat, Wild Ruby Rose, Sassy Belle, Sister Sarah Carnegie, Ringers Ruby and Clancy

Wild Bunch has been running for 2 days and the Sweet Sixteen was held this afternoon.

Two Australians made the Top 16 for shootoff – congrats to Broken Spur (and it’s his first EOT!!) for the men’s and Sister Sarah Carnegie for the ladies.

Wild Bunch Awards were Tuesday evening and 6 out of 6 Australian’s that competed placed and won buckles!! With none other than Sister Sarah Carnegie being the first Australian lady to win a World Championship in Wild Bunch in the Ladies Classic Modern category! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Mean Mongrel Matt 3rd Traditional, Broken Spur 2nd Modern and 6th overall from 164 shooters, Sister Sarah Carnegie 1st World Champion Ladies Classic Modern, Constable Nelson 2nd Senior Modern, Front: Ringer 5th Senior Modern, Ringers Ruby 4th Ladies Modern

Wednesday

Is warm up day – it’s all about cowboy action shooting from here on in. Well some shopping with the vendors on the side.

Our day started early with a safety briefing before the 8am wave, the sun was coming up and the very almost nothing slight chill to the desert air was about to disappear.

That moment at sunrise before vendors row will be filled with cowboys and cowgirls!

We shot 4 warm up stages in some very reasonable times.

We set out then for speed events – a quick couple runs at shotgun, rifle and pistol before helping out Shooting Fox from Oklahoma on the Speed 1911 side match – had to have crack at seeing if I could still shoot traditional. Couldn’t help myself.

Then it was on for another 4 stages of warm up to round out the afternoon.

Tonight was opening ceremonies, this years End of Trail hosts 45 of the 52 US states, 11 countries being Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Slovakia, United Kingdom and USA.

Flags from participating Nations.

This year is also the largest junior, buckaroo and buckarette contingent ie: the kids – 32!!

The Class of 2026 saw 30 new Regulators honored.

AND the US National Championship will go back to the Arizona Rough Riders in 2028 and the World Championships will move to Oklahoma and the Territorial Marshals!! A beautiful central location for both sides of the country, outstanding facilities and the best banquet held at the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame! We can only hope it can hold more people because it is one spectacular cowboy be all and end all.

Phew! It’s late, may all your bangs go clang for main match this week if your competing and stay tuned for updates if your not!

Kat x

Territorial Marshals Christmas Shoot

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

 

Club Match with Territorial Marshals

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

 

Coming Ready or Not!

Winter hit last week a little early with snow all day on the Monday! Was a pretty sight and okay because I didn't need to be going outside!

 

Wednesday was practice day and snow was still hanging around albeit a lot had turned to ice by now. Five of us braved it…..doing it tough……inside the saloon with the heater on! Haa haa haa!

 

The rest of the week was filled with sewing corsets, britches and painting as a few projects get finished up.

We had Hawkshaw Fred and Annie D Vine come visit Saturday and Sunday which was great. Dinner, pavlova, Rebecca Creek and breakfast out with the final pavlova for lunch before they left! Looks like we are heading to Texas for Thanksgiving.

 

It's sunny but cool and I see some more Christmas lights going up! Yay!

Back to finishing painting!

Kat xo

 

Wild Bunch and Cowboy

This weekend was spent in gorgeous sunshine, blue skies and critter sightings as we headed to the range both days.

Seeing an actual armadillo – instead of roadkill – was a highlight. The small stag yesterday bounding. Along the roadside and seeing his shocked 'oh crap!' Look on his face when he almost darted out in front of us was kinda funny. The hawks sitting on fences and in flight are just gorgeous.

Yesterday was Wild Bunch day and we had a blast! Jack shot Wild Bunch but I shot cowboy as I didn't know know how my hand would take it with the .45 and stitches and best not to mess that up.

With Hondo Tweed, Elwood James, John Elder, Jodi Coyote, Gordy Hattrick, San Jacinto Joe, DJ, Slade, Jack and I, we ran through 4 stages.

Hondo, not wanting to see us leave OKC as a base, had made up lines referring to Jack and I. It was fun and humbling and we thank you for your kind words yesterday. We will miss everyone much.

 

The Mine – he had remembered when Posse'd with us one time and Jack was having a few issues that I had said “Suck it up princess!” and so that was the start line for that stage. I gave Gordy style points for saying it almost wih an Aussie accent but then when he 'princesse'd' his rifle vertically into the rack, I had to recall the style point. Lol! Good fun.

We moved on to the Mercantile and in recognition of my artwork there (Jacks handy timber work also) the line became “Welcome to Kathouse Kelli's place”

Into the Saloon and Hondo likes an adult beverage as much as we do and so the line became “A toast to Jack and Kat” (I heard you use that one again today too Hondo ;))

 

The final stage at The Depot and not wanting to say goodbye..and really what cowboy ever does…the line became “Happy Trails to you” ….until…we meet…again.

 

A great day followed with Cowboy Chicken and said adult beverages with the odd Ziegen Bock. Thanks guys for an excellent day! We thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Today was Cowboy match with 23 turning up that weren't at other shoots. Two posses ran the 6 stages. Jack had a pretty uneventful day and shot his first clean club match all year. Good work man. A blonde moment had me leave one shotgun target up but extremely happy with pistol and rifle. Hand is working fine and not pulling on the stitches.

 

Thanks Stoney Cahill, Hurricane Deck, Badly Bent, Trent, Prairie Drifter, Elwood James, Stonewall, Travellin' Travis, Gun A Do It, Hondo Tweed. We had a blast! Another sensational day with great cowboys and cowgirls finished with Mexican at Habanero's.

Thank you Territorial Marshal's.

Kat xo

Hee hee hee, new sayings I learned today – anymore inbred and he'd be a sandwich! – and – his family tree is like a wreath! Lol! Redneck lives matter, just sayin' 🙂

 

What’s In A Week

That really depends on how much you can fit in now doesn't it?!

It's been full on as we prepare for selling and shipping but you can always find time for dining with friends, sewing, playing pool, shooting and much more.

Last Friday we were at Bricktown Brewery with Missouri Mae, Flat Top and Roy's Creek Dan, picking up gear, lunching and trying the local brews. Neon Sunshine, a Witbeir style beer from Stonecloud Brewing and Anthem Arjuna, a Belgian style wheat ale from Anthem Brewing Company – both Oklahoma brewed, proud and strong.

Absolutely love the atmosphere of this place and the decor – good ideas for our brew place later on! 😉

 

Saturday morning rolls around and Jack is trying to fix the kitchen tap, I come up with a brilliant idea to help get the thing apart (it's calcified from the water and isn't budging). Taking one exercise band – yes with eyes rolling, was not the smartest idea after the fact but you can see where this is going – wrap around said tap and pull as Jack taps with the hammer. Now at this point a tiny voice in my head is saying 'ease off with the strength sunshine' but before the conscious mind kicks in, off comes the tap, whacks me in the hand and so we have a hole requiring a couple of stitches. Enough said.

 

Sewing takes place, culling and a couple house showings in between we arrive at Wednesday.

Jack and I head to the range for some practice, things are pretty interesting with a hand taped up but we had a good morning.

 

Another house showing that evening so we head up to the pool hall, it's quite, the beer is cheap, the pizza good and 7 games later I'm up 4-3. A good night and back for a tot of moonshine and talk to my Rori boy.

 

Finish the sewing but can't show you this one yet. A drive by the dog at the vet's – he gets dressed up in all sorts of gear depending on the holiday or season and this time he is a spider! Fall is rolling in with the gorgeous changing of the leaves.

 

That's how we roll in a full week. Should have been at Branson this weekend but the weather here is glorious and I'm hearing it hasn't been that kind for the shooters there! All the best to those who attended.

Hope you're having a great weekend wherever you may be!

Kat xo

P.S. We did get the tap fixed! Lol!

 

Wednesday Work Shirkers

It’s Wednesday in Oklahoma and that means range time.

We had a good group with RCD, Flat Top, Missouri Mae, Roadrunner, Lady Roadrunner, Gunkiller, Della, Smoky Mike, Broncho Red, Rockslide, Cal Cogburn, Cooncan, Bertie Winchester, Wildcat Cliff from Colorado and his daughter and son in law, Jack and myself.

Six stages busted out with plenty of laughs, guidance and shooting.

Great shooting with them again!

Kat xo

Rain Rain Go Away

Supposed to be setting the range, so we can play!

Oops! Storm came through and still going. Should have known better than to leave the umbrellas up and the cushions out!

Jack was to head to the range after an appointment and help set up for the Oklahoma State Wild Bunch match, so he won’t be heading out there yet.

My guess is Arcadia is copping a lot of it as well. Red dirt will now be red mud!

Oh and throw in some tiny hail. Yes I said tiny because this is nothing compared to the baseball size they get here during some storms!

Have a good one!

Kat xo

The Flying Fortress

To aviation enthusiasts around the world, some of the WWI and WWII planes are the jewel of the crown when it comes to modern warfare. They were the forefathers in air defence and you can't mistake their distinctive sound, gleaming metal and intriguing nose cone art that made them what they are.

This weekend in Oklahoma, such beauty of the skies is visiting the Wiley Post Airport. The B-17 bomber known as “The Flying Fortress” was produced by Boeing in Seattle, Washington. During the years 1935-1945 some 12,000 were produced, with 4,735 being lost during combat.

This morning whilst shooting with the Territorial Marshals, we were just about to start stage 5 in the Saloon when I heard the sound of her go overhead and I ran out to see where she was. I yelled to Jack and we watched her almost hanging in mid air like a model as she cruised across the skies.

After we had unpacked and got changed, we headed for Wiley Post to see the 'Madras Maiden' in all her glory. She was produced in 1944 but didn't make it to combat with the 381st Bomber Group in England. She was bought and sold at various times and eventually purchased by the Erickson Collection in 2013 in Madras, Oregon.

From the Liberty Foundation website – '….restored to her combat configuration and painted in the colors of the 381st Bomb Group,mane sporting the Madras Maiden nose art, N3701G flies today to honor our veterans, educate current and future generations as to the high price of freedom and to preserve our aviation heritage.'

She is flown today by pilot, Connie Bowlin who not only flies this beauty but has also flown the famed Memphis Belle on many tours.

We have heard that the original Memphis Belle is soon to be installed in the National Museum of The United States Air Force in Ohio that Jack and I had visited back in 2016.

 

As we waited in line with anyone from 4 year olds to a B-29 veteran, we boarded the B-17 for a look and wondered at their cramped conditions in the bomber. An engineering and flight marvel that we were so pleased to see.

 

Sensational! Hoping to see her in the skies again tomorrow during Wild Bunch and capture it on video.

Kat xo

 

Land Run 2018

When we first visited Oklahoma for Land Run back in 2012, we found it to be one of the best matches we had ever been to. We met many amazing, funny and wonderful people, knowing from the start that it was something special.

This year Land Run had its 25th Anniversary combined with the SASS SW Regional (previously Red Dirt Rampage) with one enormous effort by many of the Territorial Marshal's. It is the third largest cowboy match in the US behind End of Trail (World Championships) and Winter Range (USA National Championship).

 

With 408 shooters from 22 states put into two shooting waves, 10 stages were quickly completed across 2 days.

Thursday was side match day with everything from Wild Bunch, Warm-Up, Long Range, Cowboy Clays, speed pistol/rifle/shotgun/derringer/pocket pistol/duelist/gunfighter and .22 rifle/pistol. It was a feast for play, practice and testing of guns with your first run counting for time. Congratulations to all side match winners!!!

Friday was the start of Main Match and we were met with cool clear skies and sunshine. Eventually we could leave the coat off and enjoy some warmth and less wind.

 

We were with Posse 18 headed up by Posse Marshal, Cooncan. Jack was a Deputy, as was John Bear and the rest made up of myself, Bertie Winchester, Hicock Holly, Dodge City Dixie, Reno Mustang, Renegade Roper, Sixgun Schwaby, Coyote Cole, Loose Cannon, Grady County Kid, Road Runner, Fannie Kicker, Titus A. Gnatsass, Doc Hurd, Silver, Kent and Fort Worth Dallas.

 

Five stages – 8 The Church, 9 Stagecoach, 10 The Range, back to 6 Fort Courage, 7 OKc Corral. Fun, quick and varying.

 

Friday evening ended with an 'all in' shootout. I chose not to enter this year but set to cheer on the fellow lady shooters, opting to spot with Jack and Hurricane Deck for each shooter on the north end. Four ladies and 29 men participated with the winners being 'Ima Quickshot' and 'Matt Black'.

This was followed up with a dinner in the pavilion catered by John Elder's restaurants. No one went hungry and it was efficiently done.

I was introduced to chocolate cake shots too – thanks Complicated Lady!! Yum!

Late that evening (as was expected) it started to rain and Saturday we all awoke to a very, very, wet and gloomy looking morning. Cowboy up we did and headed out to complete the final 5 stages. Hand warmers, coats, scarves, slickers, umbrellas, towels, everyone scrambling for what bit of cover there was.

The final five – 3 Mercantile, 4 The Mine, 5 Livery, 1 The Depot, 2 Saloon

 

Done and dusted! A clean match for me and Jack a few misses, it was up to the scoring system now to see how we faired against a tough pack of players.

The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum is the famed setting for Land Run banquets and you couldn't find anything more appropriate for a bunch of cowboy's and cowgirl's. Served meals and waited tables it certainly is in a class of its own and pleasantly surprised a number of new Land Run attendees.

 

The costume contest ran well and whilst I registered and encouraged entrants, my judge's for this year – Cheeka Bow Wow, Two Gun Johnnie, Shotglass and Tacky Jackie did an exceptional job of getting everyone through and we were all sitting down to hot meals with other halves and friends. I sincerely thank you all again for giving your time to do this.

There were many great costumes and some very excited winners in the categories of Couple, Men's, Ladies, Young Man, Young Lady, Military, Silver Screen and Soiled Dove. Congratulations one and all!

The presentations went off without a hitch as Flat Top Okie does an exceptional job of delivery and keeping to time. Everyone's friends and match photographers, Fly and Just L, chipped in for a raffle of a beautiful cowboy quilt Mean Mary had made. Grizzly Dave won it and promptly donated back for auction. On top of the original $3075 raised, an additional $800 by the generosity of Tacky Jackie and Bois D'Arc who then also gave the quilt to Just L and $500 from a rifle Mean Mary won and donated back for auction. Gorgeous people, all of them and that will go a long way to Just L's continued medical expenses.

 

In the Silver Senior category Jack finished 5th alongside Don Jorge taking 1st place, congratulations sir!, Aberdeen 2nd and SW Regional champion, congratulations to you sir also!, 3rd Greasy Creek Slim, 4th Lefty Wheeler, 6th G.W. Ketchum and 7th Creek. Congratulations gents!

 

Jack also came 2nd place in the Best Dressed Men's category wearing his 1890's sack suit!

 

Out of all the shooters there were only 54 clean shooters which goes to show the conditions on the second day probably had a lot to do with that.

In the Lady Wrangler category, 1st was myself alongside 2nd place Renegade Roper, 3rd Calamity Di Bar and 4th Cheeka Bow Wow. Congrats ladies!

 

I accomplished an overall ladies win for the Regional this year and with a clean match, finished 14th overall! Matt Black won the men's overall, congratulations!

 

To all that placed in their categories, won side matches, clean matches, won guns etc (thank you Bond Arms for the .45 derringer) a hearty round of applause to one and all.

To the Territorial Marshal's, Match Director's – Missouri Mae and Flat Top Okie and all the other Marshal's for your assistance during the past week and weekend, without you all, this shoot would not run like the well oiled machine that it is.

Looking forward to next year and if you've never been here to Land Run, get it on your calendar or bucket list!!

 

See you on the range somewhere.

Kat xo