Wigley Down Yonder #67002 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 A moment In Time, Lost Forever By, Wigley Down Yonder, SASS #67002 Under a rain shelter, sits a little cowgirl on a blue and white cooler, on a beautiful fall afternoon in South Carolina. Her head is held low, her shoulders slump as she leans forward facing the side berm, so that no one can see her weep. Two of the Berm Marshals sit five feet from her; one glances over his shoulder knowing the little cowgirl is in pain. Her father, Delta Glen, SASS # 39197L, and her older sister Hawkeye Gin, SASS #44595, attempt to make the little cowgirl feel better, but their praise has no effect. She tells her father that she wants to be left alone, so Delta replies, “O.K., I’ll go get ready to shoot”. I can see and feel the pain that Delta feels as he walks away knowing that his child is learning a lesson in life, and he can do nothing to help her. He must fight the urge to shelter her from all harm, and let her fight this battle on her own. So the little cowgirl sits in the shadows, alone with her thoughts. A moment in time has just passed me by; one that will be lost forever. Once again my camera is nowhere to be seen. So how will I share something so precious, something so beautiful, as a child struggling between physical pain and emotional pride, and a father helping his child through one of many lessons in life? I’ll never be able to express in words what I saw or felt at that moment in time, on a beautiful, fall afternoon in South Carolina. What’s that? Where was I? Well, I was at the first SASS Southeast Regional Championship, held in Givens Ferry, South Carolina. This event was hosted by the Palmetto Gun Club, and The Geechee Gunfighters of South Carolina, November 11-14th, 2010. I figured you’d get around to asking me that question sooner or later. “Wigley, how did the little cowgirl get in such a predicament?” Well, Posse One had two squads. Squad “A” was shooting, and squad “B”, my squad, was working. As luck would have it, our first shooter just happed to be a little nine-year-old Buckaroo by the name of Beck A. Boo, SASS # 49857. She’s an “A” student in 4th grade, stands four feet tall, and weighs 80 lbs. Pride has a price, and pain knows no age limit. Stage nine consisted of four knockdowns from two different locations in an alley way. At the end of that alley were two clay pigeons which were located on either side of five rifle targets. Beck A. Boo had her shotgun belt loaded with 12 shotgun shells as she started the scenario. Tex, SASS #4, was her RO, and Delta was not far behind as Boo progressed down the alley way. Boo engaged the four knockdowns with the grace of a dancer. Down the alley way she flew with the speed of a gazelle and her 12 gage shotgun held to her shoulder. Why, even John E. Law, SASS #75866, who is a police officer in south Florida, stated, “Boo has that SWAT Team duck walk down perfect.” However, this stage was going to be Boo’s biggest test of the match. She took out the right clay with only one shot, and she used her remaining seven shotgun rounds on the left target. Tex and Delta could see the pain in Boo’s face as her shotgun pounded her shoulder each time she squeezed another shot off. Delta asked Boo if she wanted to just move to her rifle and take the miss, but Boo had other ideas; she was going to clean this stage as she did all the others. You could see that her pride, determination, and willingness to overcome any obstacle had numbed the pain she was feeling as she squeezed off another round. What I saw was the determination of a young champion. She took down that clay, snatched up her rifle, and starting from the middle target, quickly completed a Nevada sweep with nine rounds. Delta held his breath as Boo pulled her first pistol. She was now going to engage the smallest target selection in the whole match. On the long walk back to the unloading table, cheers could be heard from all of Posse One. The little cowgirl, with tears rolling down her sun burnt cheeks, had cleaned the stage. She walked down the alley with her long guns in hand, and dad and big sis in tow. As she walked past me, you could tell it was taking every last bit of strength she had left to carry her long guns to the unloading table. She quickly glanced my way, and I could see the pain in her eyes. Her shoulder must have been very sore. Her pride and confidence had been challenged in front of the entire Posse, and that was where the pain was coming from. So, now you know why the little cowgirl sat alone in the shade, weeping. What you don’t know: As Posse One’s 1st Sgt, I had many jobs, but now I had to be a motivator. I walked over to the little cowgirl, knelt down beside her and whispered, “Boo, right now everyone on this Posse is watching you. They’re watching what you are going to do. Your reputation as a shooter starts right now. No matter how bad the pain is, you need to put that someplace else. I know that’s asking a lot of you right now, but I need you to Cowgirl Up, and come help your Posse!” I walked back to where I was sitting and continued keeping score not knowing what the little cowgirl would do. Soon I felt a tug on my shirt tail. I turned around to see the little cowgirl, with tears still in her eyes, standing as tall as any cowgirl ever did. She proudly said with her head held high and shoulders thrown back, “Wigley, I’m here to Cowgirl Up. What can I do?” Just another moment in SASS…Wigley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Wind-Walker #36748 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Very nice Wigley...........no excuse - I sit here with tears in my eyes too......ya done good But I do need to correct you........it is not a "moment in time lost forever"......I for one will always remember your story/experience - as I am sure others will too.....especially you and Boo..... Regards,,,,,,,,Wolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 A moment In Time, Lost Forever By, Wigley Down Yonder, SASS #67002 Under a rain shelter, sits a little cowgirl on a blue and white cooler, on a beautiful fall afternoon in South Carolina. Her head is held low, her shoulders slump as she leans forward facing the side berm, so that no one can see her weep. Two of the Berm Marshals sit five feet from her; one glances over his shoulder knowing the little cowgirl is in pain. Her father, Delta Glen, SASS # 39197L, and her older sister Hawkeye Gin, SASS #44595, attempt to make the little cowgirl feel better, but their praise has no effect. She tells her father that she wants to be left alone, so Delta replies, “O.K., I’ll go get ready to shoot”. I can see and feel the pain that Delta feels as he walks away knowing that his child is learning a lesson in life, and he can do nothing to help her. He must fight the urge to shelter her from all harm, and let her fight this battle on her own. So the little cowgirl sits in the shadows, alone with her thoughts. A moment in time has just passed me by; one that will be lost forever. Once again my camera is nowhere to be seen. So how will I share something so precious, something so beautiful, as a child struggling between physical pain and emotional pride, and a father helping his child through one of many lessons in life? I’ll never be able to express in words what I saw or felt at that moment in time, on a beautiful, fall afternoon in South Carolina. What’s that? Where was I? Well, I was at the first SASS Southeast Regional Championship, held in Givens Ferry, South Carolina. This event was hosted by the Palmetto Gun Club, and The Geechee Gunfighters of South Carolina, November 11-14th, 2010. I figured you’d get around to asking me that question sooner or later. “Wigley, how did the little cowgirl get in such a predicament?” Well, Posse One had two squads. Squad “A” was shooting, and squad “B”, my squad, was working. As luck would have it, our first shooter just happed to be a little nine-year-old Buckaroo by the name of Beck A. Boo, SASS # 49857. She’s an “A” student in 4th grade, stands four feet tall, and weighs 80 lbs. Pride has a price, and pain knows no age limit. Stage nine consisted of four knockdowns from two different locations in an alley way. At the end of that alley were two clay pigeons which were located on either side of five rifle targets. Beck A. Boo had her shotgun belt loaded with 12 shotgun shells as she started the scenario. Tex, SASS #4, was her RO, and Delta was not far behind as Boo progressed down the alley way. Boo engaged the four knockdowns with the grace of a dancer. Down the alley way she flew with the speed of a gazelle and her 12 gage shotgun held to her shoulder. Why, even John E. Law, SASS #75866, who is a police officer in south Florida, stated, “Boo has that SWAT Team duck walk down perfect.” However, this stage was going to be Boo’s biggest test of the match. She took out the right clay with only one shot, and she used her remaining seven shotgun rounds on the left target. Tex and Delta could see the pain in Boo’s face as her shotgun pounded her shoulder each time she squeezed another shot off. Delta asked Boo if she wanted to just move to her rifle and take the miss, but Boo had other ideas; she was going to clean this stage as she did all the others. You could see that her pride, determination, and willingness to overcome any obstacle had numbed the pain she was feeling as she squeezed off another round. What I saw was the determination of a young champion. She took down that clay, snatched up her rifle, and starting from the middle target, quickly completed a Nevada sweep with nine rounds. Delta held his breath as Boo pulled her first pistol. She was now going to engage the smallest target selection in the whole match. On the long walk back to the unloading table, cheers could be heard from all of Posse One. The little cowgirl, with tears rolling down her sun burnt cheeks, had cleaned the stage. She walked down the alley with her long guns in hand, and dad and big sis in tow. As she walked past me, you could tell it was taking every last bit of strength she had left to carry her long guns to the unloading table. She quickly glanced my way, and I could see the pain in her eyes. Her shoulder must have been very sore. Her pride and confidence had been challenged in front of the entire Posse, and that was where the pain was coming from. So, now you know why the little cowgirl sat alone in the shade, weeping. What you don’t know: As Posse One’s 1st Sgt, I had many jobs, but now I had to be a motivator. I walked over to the little cowgirl, knelt down beside her and whispered, “Boo, right now everyone on this Posse is watching you. They’re watching what you are going to do. Your reputation as a shooter starts right now. No matter how bad the pain is, you need to put that someplace else. I know that’s asking a lot of you right now, but I need you to Cowgirl Up, and come help your Posse!” I walked back to where I was sitting and continued keeping score not knowing what the little cowgirl would do. Soon I felt a tug on my shirt tail. I turned around to see the little cowgirl, with tears still in her eyes, standing as tall as any cowgirl ever did. She proudly said with her head held high and shoulders thrown back, “Wigley, I’m here to Cowgirl Up. What can I do?” Just another moment in SASS…Wigley Excellent! Reminds me of an occurrence with my own daughter, who has played a couple of games for my paintball team. At a particular game, she took several shots to the unprotected web of her hand by someone who seemed to be shooting "hotter" than they should have been. She yelped in pain, and called out. Walking off the field, she was holding her hand under her arm, and once off, her mask came off to show her grimacing face, trying to fight back tears. I looked over her hand, trying to tell her she would be OK, that it would stop hurting in awhile. She nodded, but didn't say anything, until one of my friends came up, looking at her hand. He patted her on the back and said "It's OK to cry, I would from that one!" With that she laughed, smiled... and said "I wish someone had said something earlier." The tears flowed, but not much by this point. She said she was going to take a break, and I told her that if she wanted to be, she could be done for the day and rest in the AC. She shook her head and made it clear she was far from done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 As Wolf said, it is not lost, Wigley. You have added it to the legend and lore of not just SASS, but all shooting sports. That determined little girl has now become an icon of "The Spirit of the Game." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Roosevelt Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I'll tip my hat to a real cowgirl, Beck A. Boo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I'll tip my hat to a real cowgirl, Beck A. Boo. Indeed! I was a little tired last night and sort of started rambling without really acknowledging the significance of the article itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Very Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twelve mile REB Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Oh yes a moment in time, a lifes moment that's frozen within ones self. A moment that can teach greatness or not. A moment caught and held by two young ladies and that turned them toward the path of greatness. Thank you Wigley Down under and Doc Ward for helping show that path to two deserving young people. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Fernando Slim, SASS #20521 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I would be very proud to be on a posse with her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 If you send it to the CC, they'll probably publish it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wigley Down Yonder #67002 Posted March 21, 2011 Author Share Posted March 21, 2011 The article has been sent to the Chronicle, its just waiting its tunr in line. But, I missed that one picture that would have mad the article whole. That's how I came up with the title. Thanks for your kind words everyone. Till we meet on the trail, or another moment in time! Wigley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Wigley, I know the picture would have made it "perfect" in your mind, saying with an image what words sometimes can't. Trust me though, your eloquence is worthy and stands well on its own. REB, I will just say I hope that I have done a good job of laying out a path, but my daughter is the one who has chosen to follow it. I don't know if I have said it here before, but in so many ways and for so many reasons she is my hero. I will stop at that before I hijack the thread. Perhaps start another on the subject at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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