Tag Archives: United States of America

Range Is Set!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Well folks, the range is set for Red Dirt Rampage, the SW Regional championship hosted by the Territorial Marshal's.

Looks fantastic! The weather is perfect! Just sensational for the next few days!

Stage 1 – The Church

 

Stage 2 – The Stagecoach – look how good my painted sky matches the real sky today!! To say I'm pleased with my painting is an understatement, I love this piece!

 

Stage 3 – The Adobe Wall

 

Stage 4 – The Depot – with our resident conductor aka looks like Gunkiller! But it's not!

 

Stage 5 – The Saloon had to take pics from outside saloon was locked up so you'll have to wait for new pics!

 

Stage 6 – The Mercantile

 

Stage 7 – The Mine – only got to shoot 6 of the 8 shotgun.

 

Stage 8 – The Livery

 

Stage 9 – Fort Courage

 

Stage 10 – OK Corral

 

Some of them have the odd extra target getting ready for side matches and Wild Bunch tomorrow.

Yee haw! Bring it! Hope you are here to have fun, if you still have never shot Land Run or Red Dirt Rampage, next year it will combined and be held end of April!! You've got to come try it!

See you on range!

Kat xo

 

Kansas to Minnesota

Posted on by kathousekelli70

This morning after a fabulous breakfast and great hospitality from our hosts, we hit the road again and headed out for Kansas City.

We are visiting Union Station, just across the border in Kansas City, Missouri.

What a grand old lady is Union Station, with beautiful architecture, ornate ceiling rosettes, grand chandeliers AND Harvey's – a restaurant that once upon a time was a Fred Harvey house. I have a bit of an obsession with Harvey Houses.

 

Now there is Science City and a current exhibit of Mummies showing but we headed for the 2nd and 3rd floor history exhibits.

Union Station as it is today, replaced a smaller Union Depot that had served the city since 1878. The bigger station was built in 1914 on a new site away from floodplains just south of the central business district.

 

Just a few facts:

  • Jarvis Hunt, Architect was hired in 1906 for the building of Union Station.
  • When it opened in October, 1914 it was the second largest train station in the country.
  • It takes up 850,000sq ft/79,000m2 of real estate
  • Each chandelier, of which there are 3, weighs 3,500pds/1600kg
  • The Grand Hall clock face is 6ft/1.8m in diameter
  • The ceiling height in the Grand Hall is 95ft/29m high
  • In 1917 during WWI peak train traffic numbered 271 – 1945 during WWII peak passenger traffic was 678,363
  • 1933 Union Station massacre made headlines Frank Nash (notorious gangster, bank robber and escaped convict) along with 4 of his hit men attacked the men who had come to take him back to Leavenworth. 5 men including detectives and FBI agents were killed.

There are fabulous old photographs, information boards and displays of artefacts on the two levels overlooking the Grand Hall.

 

Mementos from special exhibitions are also on display along with information regarding the National Memorial and WWI Museum. The view across the lawn and fountain area to the Memorial is mighty fine. Landscape designer, George Kessler, indeed planned a beautiful city back in the late 1800's-early 1900's.

 

With a visit to Harvey's for extra breakfast (lol, don't need lunch! Have a go at the size of Jack's pancakes!!) we rolled out the door and back to the car to head further North through Missouri and into the state of Iowa.

 

Iowa is another new state to visit. We took a quick pit stop at Lamoni at the Welcome Centre and Amish store. I thought the buggy and horse were a statue when I saw the buggy parking sign! Lol! The horse must have realised the blonde needed an acknowledgement and with a turn of his head I realised it was real!

 

How fabulous Amish stores are with all their homemade and harvested fruits, vegetables, grains, and spices. Jack scored some Fig Jam and we got some awesome licorice wheels, YUM!

 

I head to the other end of the store where there is a neat little cafe set up and more goods. In the meantime, Jack perusing the information stand, finds the John Wayne Birthplace and Museum brochure. Winterset here we come!

Born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, John Wayne is one of the most recognised western actor's history has seen.

 

This small museum has a theatrette, a gallery with costumes, guns and other items used in films he starred in. It has one of his last customised cars on display, a buggy and beautiful panels from the ballroom in The Shootist.

 

The wax statue and painted scenes of Monument Valley are excellent. Monument Valley lends the perfect western landscape to many movies. Director John Ford made John Wayne a star in 'Stagecoach' in 1939. John Wayne directed and starred in 3 other films in Monument Valley – 'Fort Apache', 'She Wore A Yellow Ribbon' and 'The Searchers'.

 

John Wayne starred in 152 movies! (200 actually, including cameo appearances)

 

The sweet little 4 room house and birthplace of John Wayne sits on it existing site just round the corner on the same block as the Museum and Gift shop. It has been restored and includes period furniture of 1907 when he was born.

 

Then it was back on the road!

We need to be in Faribault, Minnesota y'all!

Kat xo

 

Oklahoma/Kansas

Posted on by kathousekelli70

After a feed at the chuckwagon (aka Dennys), Jack and I jumped in the buckboard and reined in the horses (aka Dodge van hp). We are headed for Abilene, Kansas along the Chisholm Trail. Well essentially the modern day version of it being the I-35 which runs all the way from Texas through Oklahoma and up into Kansas.

 

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail – the first cattle drive that headed north to Abilene. 1867-2017

 

We made good time and stopped in at the Dwight Eisenhower Library and Museum. The museum currently has an exhibit 'Chisholm Trail and the Cowtown that raised a President' and the library has two exhibits 'The Chisholm Trail: Driving the American West' and 'Eisenhower and the Great War'.

First up we watched a documentary on the Eisenhower years and about the man himself. Dwight David Eisenhower, known as 'Ike', was a formidable man indeed, one of compassion and decency.

Next we went on a short guided tour through his Abilene boyhood home. The house is on its original site where the Eisenhowers lived from 1898 to 1946 when his mother passed away. There are still items within the home that belonged to the Eisenhower's.

 

He lived here from when he was 8 until he was 20 before leaving for West Point Academy. Six boys were raised in this home.

The blanket on the fainting couch was woven by the great grandfather who was a weaver. It is over 160 years old and still appears to be in really good nick!

 

The wooden box with the lid in the kitchen is a dough box. Ida made 9 loaves of bread every other day, to keep the boys fed.

 

Next we went into the Museum and spent a good amount of time in here. The first part of the exhibition was information that most of us cowboys and cowgirls know of the Chisholm Trail, its origins, the cattle drives, the cowboy's and how Joseph G. McCoy and Jesse Chisholm made it into the history books.

 

Chisholm, after marrying, had worked for his wife's father's trading post along the Canadian River in the Indian Territory (Oklahoma). He also worked in a diplomatic capacity, brokering treaties with Indian tribes for the Republic of Texas and the United States Government.

Later after the Civil War, he went back to trading and essentially transformed the trails to be more usable by heavily laden wagons. He continued trading until he died in 1868.

McCoy after having been turned down from a few towns finally settled on Abilene, KS for his new 'cowtown'. There was a quarantine issue for Texas cattle at the time and after lobbying the Governor of Kansas got permission to create a corridor for cattle to be driven from Texas through to Kansas. Holding pens were built, paths were surveyed on the previously travelled trails that Jesse Chisholm had traded along.

It soon became the first of the cattle boomtowns. In a few years it had transformed from a small frontier town into a thriving boomtown.

The trail had been called many names and was finally officially recognised when the name was publicised in 1870. The Chisholm Trail was about 150 miles west of the old Shawnee trail. It was shorter and there were plenty of grazing grasslands and water for the cattle along this route and rivers were easier to cross.

 

Abilene, saw the usual well known figures flow through its streets such as Wild Bill Hicock, John Wesley Hardin, and more. Problems ensued with the cattle trade with cattle getting sick and the 'Texas tick' causing issues that essentially shut the cattle trails down in 1871.

It is said by historians that an estimated 3 million head of cattle made the trek from Texas to Abilene in a 5 year period. Safe to say Joseph McCoy's plans for a prosperous cattle business were indeed successful.

Whilst time and governance closed the cattle trails, the legacy of raising cattle and creating new agricultural ways has lived on for generations since.

One of Eisenhowers personal hero's, was a man named Thomas “Bear River” Smith who served as Sheriff in June 1870 until he met his demise in November of the same year. Smith had managed to tame the cattle town and was well liked. He policed mainly with just his spirit and a badge. He had outlawed gun carrying within city limits. His tenure was short lived when he was murdered during a homestead scuffle where his Deputy left him to fend for himself.

Into the next lot of exhibit rooms and there are lots of displays of Eisenhower growing up, Mamie his wife and beautifully displayed clothes of hers on rotating mannequins in climate control cases.

 

There are exhibits of his time during WWII and his exceptional leadership, D-Day, VE-Day, his presidential time etc. so much information, beautifully done and they are looking at changing the displays and renovating the museum. It will be an even more impressive museum when they do that. This is a Museum not to be missed.

 

The library across from the Museum had a, shall I say, more modern twist in a shortened version of the history of Chisholm Trail. There is also another exhibit currently being held there of Eisenhower and the Great War that we didn't see.

 

That my friends, is our quick history lesson and Museum visit for the day.

After a short stay with our Kansan friends Cooncan and Bertie Winchester we will head for Union Station in Kansas City before going on through to Morristown, MI.

See you on the trail!

Kat xo

https://www.eisenhower.archives.gov

 

THE Day of Truth

Posted on by kathousekelli70

'Days of Truth 2017' has come to an end with a long day of 9 stages yesterday to complete the match.

We enjoyed the match with great stages, targets and distance, good mix of movement as well. Colbert and the AWS team put on a great match.

Last night we changed and headed back to the range for the dinner, awards and costume contest.

Speaking of the latter, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people really dressing up and while standing there waiting for my turn, listened to them talk about their costumes and how the military guys were very well informed.

Best Dressed Man, Lady, Couple, Military and Junior cogratulations to all contestants and winners.

 

Ladies – Cruzan Confusion 1st, Kathouse Kelli 2nd, Edentate Oppitorá 3rd

 

Mens – Catweasle (aka UK Dane) 1st, Lommy 2nd, Tiff 3rd

 

Military – Wreckhouse Paul 1st, Sherman McMasters 2nd, Had 3rd

And I didn't get a photo of the couples or juniors! Congratulations though to Cherry Poppins & Captain Woodbury Kane 1st, Harry Long & Crazy Lady 2nd, Jarka & Mgrda Kredoíboví 3rd in the couples. For the juniors, Little Sure Shot 1st, Black River Belle 2nd and little brother and sister Jan & Ludmila 3rd.

The Ladies Of Cowboy Action Shooting, Cowgirl of Honor Award was also presented and it was with congratulations to Crazy Lady from Cžech Republic 3rd Place, Jessie Belle from Germany 2nd Place and Wonder Bibi from Italy in 1st Place.

 

It was well after midnight when we got back I know.

The results, as I'm sure you want to know, so the 10 in the rifle and the shotgun mishaps cost me dearly but am pleased to say 5th lady overall and still managed 2nd behind the lovely Mad Cat With Gun finishing first for the Lady Wranglers! Congratulations to my other Lady Wrangler competitors, Misty Moonshine 3rd, Black Velvet 4th and Katie Scarlett O'Hara 5th.

 

Jackaroo finished very well overall at 19th and 2nd in Silver Senior category. Congratulations to the other Silver Senior's, Captain Wildbeard finishing 1st, Lash LaRue 3rd and Ace Heart 4th.

 

This year's SASS European Championship, Days of Truth, overall Man and Lady – Hell Hound and Mad Cat With Gun! Congratulations to you both.

 

This morning we got sort of a sleep in, packed everything and headed out for Prague via Kutná Hora. Well…….that was the plan…..we made it as far as Kutná Hora and checked into a Hotel. The boss has had a sleep and we feel kinda normal again – if there is such a thing for us.

Time to head out into the street for dinner and have a quick look around.

Na zdraví!

Kat xo

 

Nebraska – Wyoming

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Today we moved on and visited Gothenburg again briefly. Enough time for Jack to get another Pony Express badge, seeing as he lost it somewhere on the range a month or so ago and to send a postcard.

 

Next we continued on the Lincoln Highway to North Platte. We had also previously been here to Buffalo Bill Cody's house and ranch but this time we stopped in at the Golden Spike Tower.

With views overlooking the world's largest classification rail yard – Bailey Yard (have you been here before Paddlewheel???)

 

Here you can go up into the observation deck and watch Union Pacific Railroad workers 'sort and connect over 10,000 cars a day on two classification hump yards, with nearly 120 bowl rows and 315 tracks.'

 

It is 8 miles long, 301 sets of rails covering 2,850 acres.

North Platte was originally “Hell On Wheels Town” in 1866.

Inside the gift shop are historical displays and a short movie. Information boards line the walls of the internal observation deck and in the foyer to the outside observation deck the boards talk of the canteen.

 

This was a great stop and you could actually see the cars being pushed up the humps to be transferred down the other side into the bowl and let run down a track ready to be attached for their final destination.

 

It's lunch time and that means getting our skates on! Next stop Ole's for lunch and view some 200 mounted trophies displayed in this Big Game Steakhouse and Lounge.

 

The brochure says 'Rosser O. Herstedt (“Ole” to anyone that knew him) was one of a kind.' Born and bred in Paxton he seized on a unique business opportunity in 1933. (This part makes me grin) 'On August 8, 1933, prohibition in Nebraska came to an end. At 12.01am on August 9, Ole opened his tavern on Paxton's main street.' Lol!

He was a hunter and soon the lounge became a showcase for his hunting trips and safaris. It is still owned today by another Paxton native, Tim Holzfaster.

 

An Ole's club sandwich and a side of fries did both of us!!

On to our last stop before reaching Cheyenne, WY, we made a quick stop in Sidney, NE at the Pony Express National Monument which of course is right next to Cabela's….which of course we just had to go into!

 

Hope you've had a great day or having a great day!

Kat xo

 

What A Tangled Web We Weave

Posted on by kathousekelli70

I've been doing these Tom Mix inspired jackets for Jack and I for some time now.

We first saw the shell jacket in one of our very first visits to the Oklahoma History Centre which was quite opportune at the time as they had a whole section on famous Oklahomans.

Right in the door way was a Tom Mix exhibit with his shell jacket (c.1935 from what I can tell from the plaque) a saddle and pictures.

Having wandered through the rest of the exhibit hall it really struck me that this would make a pretty neat costume and I should have a crack at it!

 

So a few photos later it's been sitting on the back burner for about 3 years, fabric purchased probably about 2 years. A good test of the soutache skills led to some eye rolling, tantrum throwing days but eventually a result that I was reasonably happy with!

A split/riding skirt for me and a new pair of duds for Jack – in coordinating fabric – and then it was procrastinate, research and procrastinate some more over the shoulder boards.

More super eye rolling and research eventuated in finding xmarksthescot.com and their question/how-to regarding the making of shoulder boards. Yes thank you! A decent blog/internet response regarding 'how to make shoulder boards'!

So step 1 – skip the part about some program that helps you develop some template on how to make a shoulder board.

Looks about an inch apart………that will do she says! Let's do this!

 

Step 2 – out to the shed. Acquire a scrap piece of timber from Jack, yep that'll do, and look at pic again from Internet conversation. We can do this!

 

Step 3 – draw up (a presumed) 1″ grid on piece of timber as per picture. Got it! Sorted!

 

Step 4 – nails, find nails, yep, hot enough. Hammer nails in to create a 'loom' type piece for making shoulder board weave on.

 

Step 5 – acquire internet picture again. Yep, should be able to do this……..get so far and use drawing to complete required weaving pattern.

 

Step 6 – follow through with braid again as per instructions. Hmmmm yeah, nup, not liking this look.

 

I decided that the 3mm flat soutache braid is too narrow and flimsy looking, not the required look I'm going for so it was off to Jo-Ann's and Hobby Lobby. I settled on some coordinating braid that would probably work and set about to again make the shoulder boards.

 

I will add the guy was right when he said the easing and tightening of the weave took longer than the actual weaving itself. Eventually I got 4 even looking epaulettes I was happy with.

Next I needed matching military braids. How am I going to make these? Back to google I go, found a link and a YouTube video by Tieing It All Together. You ripper, here we go!

So two goes and I got it! Yee Haa!

 

Had also ordered bugle cord ends – usually used on bolo ties – and completed the cord end.

 

Hmmm not too bad.

Oh and I did a bit more research on Tom Mix, he was actually born in Pennsylvannia but did spend a lot of time in Oklahoma?? I know the saloon in Guthrie has a claim to fame with Tom Mix having tendered there and the Tom Mix Museum is in Dewey, so I guess Oklahoma can claim him as one of their own.

Have a good one!

Kat xo

 

Independence Day, 4th of July

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Happy Birthday to me!….and some others that I know – Trail Boss, Sweet Sherry and someone else I was told of lately but have forgotten…

The true meaning of the 4th of July however occurred in 1776 with the Continental Congress declaring Independence of the 13 colonies, now known as the United States of America, no longer a part of the British Empire.

It is written that Independence was actually declared two days earlier on the 2nd of July. Congress however reviewed the declaration and final approval came two days later on the 4th.

John Adams (who later became the 2nd president) wrote to his wife stating the day (well the 2nd but he was a bit off) shall be celebrated with ‘pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations…….’

On the first anniversary of their Independence in 1777, Bristol, Rhode Island fired 13 gunshots in the morning and again in the evening…..I guess celebrations have grown proportionately since then!!

Today it is celebrated with backyard bbq’s, visits to the lake, parades, American flags, red,white and blue bunting, fireworks and more!

 

The 4th is apparently the largest day of travel within the US as well, so for all of you commemorating your past forefathers of your fine country, travel safely wherever you may be headed.

Looking forward to fireworks tonight! Yippee!

Cheers

Kat xo

Happy Birthday to meeeee. It’s now 12.03333. (am in the morning, night!!)

 

Cushing, OK

Posted on by kathousekelli70

After a week of nothing, we had to do something! By nothing I mean no shooting! Lol!

We headed to Cushing, Oklahoma to Scott Wayne's range and along with 12 other keen beans – with about two thirds having just arrived back from Hell On Wheels in Wyoming, or End Of Trail in New Mexico – it was apparent that we just couldn't get enough.

It was hot and humid so actually a little more uncomfortable than the dry heat of New Mexico.

I swear you would not have thought some of us had even appeared at the World Championships after some of our stages but we kept smiling and just laughed it off none the less.

After 6 great stages, a split pistol stage, a run-down, a 'take your shotgun' with you stage, we finished up with hotdogs and chatter before taking the one hour drive back home.

Thanks Scott Wayne for a great Sunday morning!

Cheers peeps!

Kat xo

 

End Of Trail 2017 Cowboy Action World Championships

Posted on by kathousekelli70

The 'town' has filled with more cowboy's and cowgirl's from all around the world, ready to test their skills and compete for their World Championship ranking.

This year there were 17 from Australia, 7 from New Zealand, at least 2 from the Netherlands and Canada, and a few from Germany. My apologies if there were more from other countries.

The match this year 'A Tribute to Clint Eastwood' westerns. The NRA Firearms Museum had a fabulous display of all guns used by Clint Eastwood in films or by others in films he had directed. Such a neat display! EMF Firearms also had some excellent firearms and a beautiful piece fully engraved and gold plated from The Museum of Confederacy Spirit – an edition of 500.


Thursday was a great start to the main match, starting on the late wave with Posse 29. On our posse led by Shamrock Sadie, we had Knot Hardly Dunn, Christian Mortician, Trail Bandit, Randy Saint Eagle, Papa Dave, Reno Mustang, Dodge City Dixie, Wild Horse John, Trigger Happy Ted, Misty Rider, Avery Wade, Tombstone John, Red Johnson, Pancho Sin Lefty, Lucky Boy, Jackaroo and of course me, Kathouse Kelli.


Most of the week but particularly Thursday and Friday were hot! Think the statistics for this year's match was 1800 gallons of water (?) and this one I do remember 97 gallons of Gatorade. A personal thanks to Dusty Garnet and EZ-GZ for your medical aid and driving up and down the range keeping everyone hydrated, to the rest of the waddies for keeping the water containers constantly topped up. Even though we always have some with us, it's never enough and we so appreciate it.


Side match awards were held on Friday night in the main tent and I must say again thanks to Santa Fe Brewing Company for sponsoring SASS, the bar was frequented often. Congratulations to all side match winners. I picked up one for the .22 pistol – thanks Dixie Bell for allowing me to use yours!


It was a great mix of side match winners this year!

Saturday we had the early shift. With an overcast sky and much cooler temperatures it made for a pleasant start of the final shooting day. All wrapped up! What's done, is done now and Sunday would see what the outcome would be.

Saturday evening for the banquet and best dressed costume contests started well. There were some sensational entries this year with myself, Texas Flower, Shotglass and Dixie Bell placing in the Best Dressed Ladies. Jack had entered his first costume contest ever as Thomas Durant (Hell On Wheels, S4, Ep1) but I should have had him in the Silver Screen category. 😦 Never mind, he did a great job, we just need to get the right hat sorted for him and he will enter again. Got Artie from Major Photography to work his magic and subsequently he has this amazing photo now.

 

After the costume contests were done and the band was on, it was a quick change up and Mary-Lou July made her first solo appearance at EOT. She said she'd been to the Doily Gang Clinic, had her own badge and she had learnt some gun twirling skills from Lightning Buck McGaw (learnt that and practiced in 2 afternoons). Mary-Lou July helped out Sassy Dancer, Shamrock Sadie, Ruby Jewel and Hey You with the announcements of the Top 8 Mens and Ladies Wild Bunch and Top 16 Cowboy's and Cowgirl's for the shootout.

 

The band played, Mary-Lou danced and danced. People had a great time, Jack was busy trying to sell land plots as his Thomas Durant persona and having a few drinks at every stop I'm guessing. Haa Haa Haa! Got him home, just before midnight and I think he had the best nights sleep he'd had in a long time!

 

Shootout took place Sunday morning. R C Shot from QLD, Australia made it in the Wild Bunch and I made it into the Cowgirl's. We used a magnetic board this year, with Sadie and Sassy having done most of the work on this one, it was fantastic, everyone had been randomly drawn and paired up the night before when announced. Then as each one dropped out we could re pair them for the next round and everyone could see who was shooting against who.

The winners of the Wild Bunch Shootout were Captain Sam Evans and Texas Tiger. For the Cowboy Shootout it was Matt Black and Texas Tiger (she is the First Lady to have won both shootout's at the one match)

 

Down to the nitty gritty and it's a huge congratulations to all who placed in their respective categories!

Let's start with the Aussie's:

  • Clean Match – Sam Balin, Chuck, Ex Sighted, The Trapper from Oz.
  • Posse Spirit of the Game Award – Chuck, Deadwood Gunslinger.
  • Category Placings – KT, 4th Place Junior Girls. Sam Balin, 3rd Place Silver Senior Duelist. RC Shot, 6th Place Wrangler. Kathouse Kelli, 1st Place World Champion Lady Wrangler. Ex Sighted, 6th Place Lady Wrangler. Sister Sarah Carnegie, 2nd Place Lady Gunfighter. Pearl Starr, 7th Place Lady 49ers. Chuck, 7th Place 49ers. Jackaroo, 5th Place Silver Senior.

 

This is where we cross over into the Oklahoman's – The Territorial Marshal's faired well and we will include Deadeye Dillard as well 😉

  • Clean Match – Bashful Kate, Greenhill Bart, Highland Scottie (and forgive me if I didn't take note of anyone)
  • Posse Spirit of the Game Award – Grady County Kid
  • Category Placings – Grady County Kid, 4th Place Buckaroo. Roadrunner, 4th Place Frontier Cartridge Duelist. Lady Roadrunner, 10th Place Lady 49ers. Greenhill Bart, 4th Place B-Western. Deadeye Dillard, 3rd Place Cowboy. Jackaroo, 5th Place Silver Senior. Three, yes three World Champions – Kathouse Kelli, 1st Lady Wrangler. Missouri Mae, 1st Lady 49er. Roy's Creek Dan, 1st Senior.

 

Congratulations to the 2017 World Champion overall winners – Matt Black and SASSkicker!

 

Thanks must surely go to Lassiter and Deuce Stevens for a great match, to SASS, the Wild Bunch, Misty, the girls and just everyone who helps 'git er done!' Sensational work as always.

 

That's it…..goodbyes are said, tears are shed, friends will be missed. Safe travels to each and everyone know matter how far you came.

 

Kat xo

 

End Of Trail Opening Ceremonies

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Tonight, Wednesday, was the opening ceremonies for the 2017 World Champion Cowboy Action Match. What a sensational night it was.

Yesterday we shot some warm up matches to get rid of the Wild Bunch stuff and had a pretty good day. Today I spent the first half of the day instructing with the Doily Gang Clinic – Shamrock Sadie, Hey You, Sassy Dancer and Dixie Bell, giving some guidance and coaching to ladies both new and very good shooters. Spent the time talking transitions, shotgun differences, stance etc. hopefully all got a little piece of something out of it and we sure hope to see you again.

 

Jack spent the morning wandering the vendors, buying pants, braces pieces and viewing the Clint Eastwood guns from the movies that this year's End Of Trail is based on. I will have to go visit this one myself!!

Pearl Starr and I then went to Deuce Stevens shotgun clinic…..you are never that good that you can't learn something new!…..now if I could only go shadow little miss SASSKicker and learn from that girl some more!?! (Thank you to both Deuce Stevens and Cowboy Carty)

We did a super quick run through of the stages this afternoon and then headed for the main tent waiting for beer o'clock and the opening ceremonies.

RC Shot was this year's flag bearer for Australia and along with the other country representation led the colour guard into the main tent, topped off with cannon fire and Miss Amber Scott singing the national anthem. Sensational as always.

 

The Waddies, medical assistants and the Wild Bunch/board of directors were all recognised.

 

The 2017 class of Regulators were announced of which this year I was nominated to be one as well. Wow! Just wow! Truly honoured to be included, let me tell you.

 

The beer was flowing at the bar, Jason's Deli had provided the food for the evening along with Amanda Reckonwith's divine vanilla, chocolate and red velvet cupcakes!!

Tomorrow is start of main match! Bring your A game peeps! Have fun, shoot straight, play your own game and above all be safe, think about the process and be awesome!

Kat xo