Shamrock Sadie

Thanks everyone! We had a wonderful time traveling the last 8 weeks; started out Sept 1st and heading back home now. One of our sons (an Air Force pilot), his wife, and our 19 month old granddaughter were moving in September to Germany for 3 years, so we figured we’d make our way out to see them (and other family) before they left. We fit in a lot of cowboy shoots these Past 8 weeks and had a wonderful time at each one of the matches, seeing lots of our cowboy family: California State, a monthly in SC, Comin’ At Cha, Tennessee State, a monthly in NC, SE Regional, then the SW Regional. The SW Regional had a lot of competitive categories with some really fast shooters showing up. It was a very close race amongst the ladies! Congratulations to Matt Black and Missouri Mae (Top SW Regional champions), all of the Regional category champions, 1st place winners, all who buckled, and those with a clean match!

Papa Dave mentioned emailing everyone that attended the match once they find out when it would air.

Knot and I are lucky enough to travel for many years to a lot to different matches across the country; even with me still working. So we see all kinds of match setups and see and hear what the CAS shooters actually like in a match. I’m talking about the 80% that pay the match and SASS bills that keep this sport going. Knot and I really enjoyed the Southeast Regional match! The North Alabama Regulators committee had it right! It was apparent they worked as a team to get the job done. When the initial banquet facility had to cancel due to Covid, the committee made a great decision to find another facility - it was spot on! I’m glad they were able to find a good banquet facility with great food choices. With unknown weather, especially the forecast showing no rain (then we had rain), everyone was able to dress up and mingle within the large facility. The range and match set up was awesome. There were permanent cowboy stages with cover. (Note that there are facilities that can’t setup permanent stages due to other shooting disciplines, but those other clubs still put on great matches too). The SE Regional match had lots of vendors and good placement on the range for them. The target distance/spacing along with scenario options allowed for smooth runs for all shooting styles. There was a mixture of target distances without becoming an aiming match Bravo! Well done!!! There are many clubs that setup their targets and scenarios so the shooters walk away having fun at the match; those clubs actually understand it’s about catering to the masses and not just a small percentage of shooters. The SE Regional put on by the North Alabama Regulators is one of those prime examples for establishing a fun match. There are many other large matches we attended the past 7 weeks that get it too! Thanks for putting on a great shoot North Alabama Regulators! Thanks to all of the volunteers ... well done!

Knot and I are lucky enough to travel for many years to a lot to different matches across the country; even with me still working. So we see all kinds of match setups and see and hear what the CAS shooters actually like in a match. I’m talking about the 80% that pay the match and SASS bills that keep this sport going. Knot and I really enjoyed the Southeast Regional match! The North Alabama Regulators committee had it right! It was apparent they worked as a team to get the job done. When the initial banquet facility had to cancel due to Covid, the committee made a great decision to find another facility - it was spot on! I’m glad they were able to find a good banquet facility with great food choices. With unknown weather, especially the forecast showing no rain (then we had rain), everyone was able to dress up and mingle within the large facility. The range and match set up was awesome. There were permanent cowboy stages with cover. (Note that there are facilities that can’t setup permanent stages due to other shooting disciplines, but those other clubs still put on great matches too). The SE Regional match had lots of vendors and good placement on the range for them. The target distance/spacing along with scenario options allowed for smooth runs for all shooting styles. There was a mixture of target distances without becoming an aiming match Bravo! Well done!!! There are many clubs that setup their targets and scenarios so the shooters walk away having fun at the match; those clubs actually understand it’s about catering to the masses and not just a small percentage of shooters. The SE Regional put on by the North Alabama Regulators is one of those prime examples for establishing a fun match. There are many other large matches we attended the past 7 weeks that get it too! Thanks for putting on a great shoot North Alabama Regulators! Thanks to all of the volunteers ... well done!

Same issue here...can’t open the file.

An absolutely fantastic match! Bucket list match, my friends.

The video could be set up at multiple places on the range (I know that would work for Ben Avery with how it is set up) and just keep looping through the video. Wonder who could put this together; maybe Jon Sanchez, Mame, lots of people.. There are lots of videos on you tube that could be edited together with some cool cowboy music.

Suggestion: An email group for the SASS Advisory Board would be good to have. It can be put on the Contact Us page on the SASS portal. That way, all of the members’ ideas could go to that group for funneling up to the Executive Committee. Someone on the Executive Committee should also be on the Advisory group email. Suggest that the Advisory Committee also look at the Wire for ideas too.

Another idea: There should be a locked in post on the Wire for ideas for attracting more shooters. Or - a page on the SASS portal with ideas. Would be good for this to keep going. There’s always talk about “how do we get new shooters,” but no collective compiled ideas. Misty - can you toss around the idea with the new advisory committee about creating a page on the SASS portal for how our membership can help grow SASS? It really has to be all of us working together on this to come up with ideas.

There is a lot of discussion going on about the major SASS events move; mostly positive and some with “concerns.” Both the Arizona Territorial Rough Riders (at Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona) AND the Oklahoma Territorial Marshals (near Oklahoma City) are great organizations with committees that go out of their way to make a great match for everyone. Being on both sides of the country may be inconvenient for some shooters for traveling, but I believe it is a great strategic move to have these two large events separated by distance so that “we” can grow membership into this great SASS organization across the country. It also provides an opportunity for shooters in other countries to visit both sides of the US. Knot and I have only attended a State Wild Bunch match at Oklahoma (which was very well organized) and we know that they have a fantastic facility for a large match; including hotels and camping (on range and nearby). We have heard nothing but great things about their Regional match and it has been on our bucket list for quite some time to attend; looking forward to attending this year’s event! I know that lots of shooters (local and from afar) will step up to the plate in volunteering to get them going for this new National Championship adventure! The Arizona Territorial Rough Riders (current National event) already have a great reputation for their Winter Range daily events and beautifully created stages/venue. Lots of hard workers and the most volunteers I have ever seen for a match; very well organized. With Blackjack Zak’s committee at the helm and now having a World title, I’m sure they will come up with some great marketing ideas for the World Championships to attract even more spectators and potential new shooters. Both organizations have about a year (plus) to market these big matches to attract not only shooters, but spectators (potential new shooters). Both venues are in a great location with lots of hotels and other things to do. I bet each venue’s committee will leverage that and get the media involved, including spinning it up on social media. The Arizona Territorial Rough Riders had channel 10 out last year during the WR match (a major local station). Both organizations could reach out to other local channels in other states that support gun rights and have them run a story. I am sure there is a SASS shooter out there with media talent that could get a video together to send to those stations and on social media to promote each event; perhaps a combo marketing campaign. These two organizations could also request shooters around the country (and world) to help identify those local media outlets (and major cable outdoor channels) that might run a National and World Championship segment. It’s early enough to do that. Getting the word out to all of the different shooting disciplines across the country to have them promote these two major matches would help too. Adding an extra activity (for any SASS event) in assigning SASS shooters to walk around and talk to the spectators about SASS can attract even more people to shoot SASS. We all commonly see spectators while we shoot and occasionally can get out to talk to them, but what might work better is to have specific volunteers to roam the range looking for spectators to meet and greet and talk to them about what we do. The SASS shooters (reps) can even do a mini tour of the facility/stages or if venues can accommodate, have the shooting reps on a stage to talk about SASS. We need to keep this sport growing, right? Anyway - just some of my thoughts for getting the word out to potential new shooters who might see how much fun we have. With all that said, let’s get that positive spirit going to support these two great organizations as they shift over to these big events. We especially need to support the new SASS Advisory Board as they guide and support the SASS executive management team. We all want this sport to grow and if we all work together, leverage volunteers who are willing to help (and put any ill feelings and egos aside); and focus on SASS as a whole, then we will make tremendous strides in growing this great organization. Reach out to these two organizations and your local club to see what you can do to help grow SASS. This turning point is a great opportunity for us all to help each other with marketing ideas and come together to grow SASS and bring in new shooters. Hey - I’m your huckleberry. I’ll help out. Who else? See you on the trail!

Howdy, Bob! Hope all is well with you; haven’t seen you in a while. As for changing hands with the revolver, though not specifically stated in the SHB, changing the revolver from one “hand” to the other means transferring from one “hand” that is gripping the revolver to the other “hand” gripping the revolver.

Get in the side where you can see the gun. You can’t see the ejection ports from the left side. Some people are tall, some short, some big, some small. Too many T/Os think it’s just about pushing the timer button and calling out the score and they just watch for hits not even paying attention to the guns. I saw a LOT of that this weekend when folks were running the timer. The shooter was already at the next window and the T/O was still at the previous window watching targets. Granted, it was super hot, so attention spans were short. Get where you can see the ejection port of the rifle and SG, watch the hammer on the rifle, and watch the pistols; not the targets. Sometimes I have to squat so I can see the guns, sometimes I have to stand on my toes. You can angle yourself where you can watch knockdowns, see where the shooter is pointing their guns, and still see the guns.

I put up the money to buy the Pro Zoom so I’m not locked into 40-minute refreshers and so I could record in the cloud.

How do you send the class link out? Is it the same link with a recurring meeting or is it a new meeting each time with a different link? Just wondering how your students get the link. Thanks for the info.

I have that set, but when I start the mtg, that means I have to watch the requests to enter and admit when I'm talking in the mtg. (would be distracting). It would also be difficult to tell is their name is a Cowboy/Cowgirl too. The link in the DG page has the passcode imbedded in the URL (encrypted), so that folks don't have to type in the passcode. So if I had two different communication channels (one for a URL and one for the passcode, then that would work). But the passcode would have to be separate and no indication of how to get to the URL. I have the chat restricted too and only where I can screen share. --- but now that you bring it up, that might take care of a hacker putting inappropriate images and chats in the mtg. Anyone could still come in as long as they have the URL; the hacker could put an inappropriate emoji on the screen - ugh, hackers! My cybersecurity side of my brain is showing. Would be good to have a separate forum with users vetted as current SASS members.