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SASS, The Early Days


McCandless

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When I started this game in '95, Lucky Smucky was running the matches at West End.  It was a great place to shoot, and lots of great folks:  Har Trigger, China Camp. Capt. John Sutter, Stony Burke, Island Girl, R.J. Poteet, Dastardly Dave, Calamity Jane, Justin O'Sheriff, Lady Jailer.  I have lots of others in my mind's eye but can't come up with the names.  I shot Showdown several times.  It was always a fun match.

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Avenger in the barber chair on stage 7 getting a haircut and a shave, resting under a hot wash cloth.

The shooter has to get completely untangled from all of the coverings to get his pistol and shotgun, to take care of the situation.

At the beep...disentangle!

 

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Calico and One Shot Squirrel Killer, the winners on the Juniors Category at The Showdown '88

30 years ago... probably with kids of their own now, maybe even grandkids.

 

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Red Fritz and Fast Fritz from Germany were the top international shooters at Showdown '88

 

 

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On 2/19/2018 at 11:08 AM, McCandless said:

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William Bruce and Jake the Snake, at the first annual Rail Head match, July 1988

In Williams, Arizona. Sponsored by the Los Vaqueros Cowboy Club from Tucson.

 

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"The range at Buckskinner Park consists of piney woods surrounding a small lake at 7,000 feet elevation.

There was plenty of camping area in the park, although the downtown hotels were only a five minute drive away."

 

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The Judge and R.J. Poteet, up early to check out the range. Rail Head, 1988

The lake and some long range targets are behind them.

 

I remember that trip, I went over to Arizona with the Judge and RJ Poteet #'s 1 and #3 in the van with them.  I had a great time, we rode the First train to run up to the Grand Canyon in a long long time. We Cowboys had a train car all to ourselves. Just sayin'

Big Jake 1001

Quote

 

 

 

Edited by Big Jake1001
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Well , I got to tell ya'll for  a new shooter like me I find this fascinating !

Thanks for all the pictures and "Keep 'em coming !

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I totally agree with X. Nice to see some of the history of SASS. Keep it up!!!!

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The Showdown '88.  The top two Black Powder shooters were Shotgun Red and Griff.

 

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The top lady shooters were Calamity Joan and Kid Sticks

 

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The Top Gun again this year was Lucky Smucky.  The runners up were (l to r) Great Dane, Brazos, William Bruce and Doc Holiday.

 

 

Edited by McCandless
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13 hours ago, McCandless said:

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The Showdown '88.  The top two Black Powder shooters were Shotgun Red and Griff.

I don't remember who's idea of a joke that was... 

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9 hours ago, Griff said:

I don't remember who's idea of a joke that was... 

Griff, I had no idea!...  Thank you and I'll make the correction.  Good to see a picture of you!

 

Edited by McCandless
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Frank Leaman was shooting short stroked Colts, but he was the only one. NO ONE was shooting light loads, you couldn't but any .38 bullets lighter than a 158 GR bullet that would feed in a rifle. A few folks used 148 GR wad cutters in their six-guns but not many.

 

McCandless: Thanks for the memories.

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On ‎2‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 8:05 AM, McCandless said:

Griff, I had no idea!...  Thank you and I'll make the correction.  Good to see a picture of you!

 

I still have no idea.  :)

 

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"In August 1988, a new twist to the Cowboy Action Shooting game was introduced in Orange, California; indoor action shooting!
The Straight Shooter in Orange has two sets of ranges, one for the public and a second set for special events. The range was
unique in that it had a dozen shooting bays with computer controlled target racks.
The targets could be made to move forward or away, edge on, or toward a firing position.  The computer guaranteed that the
stages were repeatable for each shooter. In addition to the moving targets, there was the ability to stage a "Hogan's Alley" where
the shooter walks between a set of store fronts where both good and bad guys pop into doorways and windows for short periods of time.
A good sized group turned out for the competition."
 
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China Camp, attempting to be the fastest shooter to put all five bullets inside the spade. Aug. '88

 

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The winner of the first indoor cowboy action shooting competition was Tex. Here he is pictured receiving and 10-1/2" Bull Barrel,

Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 Mag from Ted Arai, the manager of Straight Shooter. Looking on are Dr. Willard B Slipsnake and Bible Thumper.

 

 

 

 
 
Edited by McCandless
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Wow thank you stumbled on to these pictures of my parents from 88 eot. Deadly Redly & Irish Clementine. Brought back many a great memory of being raised in a shooting family. From the days of the fast frontiers & Wes Thompsons Juniper Tree Ranch to the Leatherslap & the beginnings of South West Pistol League, combat shooting through the beginning of SASS and its evolution. My brother and i were there. They Made sure we had a lot of fun, could compete and were safe. It was the best family time of my life, Brings a tear to my eye as they are both with Jesus and I really miss-um.

Pugilist 1006L

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Tex, Hangfire Hank, Montana Dan (winner of the Sept. '88 match at Straight Shooter) and Yosemite

 

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The Preacher (Ron Brault), 1988

 

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My brother is in one of the pictures above for Special Awards. His alias was SteelShot and he won a .32 derringer for finishing 32nd at 1988 EOT. We shot Rossi 92's so no short strokes for us. Quite a while ago my youngest Son found (and we watched) an old VHS tape from the early days. He remarked how Uncle Bob (SteelShot) & I  "were" skinny back then. The game  and equipment was a lot different back in the beginning. The thing that's remained the same is there are a lot of good folks shooting this game now as there was then.

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On 3/4/2018 at 12:12 PM, Pugilist sass1006 said:

Wow thank you stumbled on to these pictures of my parents from 88 eot. Deadly Redly & Irish Clementine. Brought back many a great memory of being raised in a shooting family. From the days of the fast frontiers & Wes Thompsons Juniper Tree Ranch to the Leatherslap & the beginnings of South West Pistol League, combat shooting through the beginning of SASS and its evolution. My brother and i were there. They Made sure we had a lot of fun, could compete and were safe. It was the best family time of my life, Brings a tear to my eye as they are both with Jesus and I really miss-um.

Pugilist 1006L

My wife & I often talk of the good times we had with Deadly Readly & Irish Clementine up at West End.  Our sincerest condolences on their passing.

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Flint Westwood, SASS #94, an early EoT Winner, shooting through one of the stages at EoT 1989

(interesting side note:  Flint won the first ever SASS match, shooting a .30 carbine Blackhawk)

 

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Lucky Smucky, McCloud (Top Senior) and Alias on the site of the "Bustin' Loose" stage at EoT, 1989

 

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Hash Knife, (Gene Henry), was one of the behind the scene contributors and responsible for most of the steel targets used in the 1989 EoT

 

 

Edited by McCandless
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Colonel Sir Harry Paget Flashman, EoT 1989. "The two young ladies came prepared to shoot, and shoot they did!

They had loads for all their guns that would make even the biggest men flinch!"

 

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Jake the Snake and Snake Bait Kate tied the knot at EoT 1989. Jake had been the regional SASS director for Arizona and Kate

was a past Top Lady at EoT.

"SASS sent Jake and Kate back East to help establish SASS as more than just a Southern California/Arizona shooting sport.

They took up residence in Virginia shortly after."

 

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Red Ryder and Judge Roy Bean, manned the SASS Information Booth at EoT, and stood guard over the John Dwayne figure painted by Kate Elder.

 

 

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The Top Traditional Shooters at EoT '89 were (r. to l.), 1st - The Durango Kid, 2nd - Doc Holliday, 3rd - China Camp,

4th - Lucky Smucky, and 5th - Tex 

 

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Top Modern Shooters, EoT '89 were: 1st - Paydirt, 2nd - Greybeard, 3rd - Hanfire Hank, 4th - Brazos, and 5th - Billy the Kid

 

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The Top Black Powder shooters were: Avenger (3rd), Shotgun Red (2nd) and winner was Big Jim (aka The Butcher)

 

 

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Top Ladies, EoT 1989 were: Kid Sticks (1st), Snake Bait Kate (2nd), Cholla (3rd), Cottontail (4th), and Diamond Lil (5th).

 

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The Top Juniors 1989 EoT were: Calico (1st), Nomad (2nd), Waco Kid (3rd), Pecos (4th) and Kid Strut (5th). 

These Junior shooters from the 1989 EoT are probably parents or grandparents now... 

 

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The international competition was dominated again that year by the "Fritzes" from Germany: Red Fritz (4th),

Small Glassed Fritz (3rd), Six-Gun Fritz (2nd), Big Fritz (Günter Schoeneberger, 1st) and Fireman Fritz (7th)

 

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The Michael Shelton Memorial Award each year went to the shooter who finished in 69th position.

1989's lucky winner was Bucolic Buffalo. The award was presented by "Half Fast", Lynn Shelton.

 

 

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The Top Gun at EoT '89 was Paydirt and the Top Lady was Kid Sticks... Christopher Colt (the local Colt representative),

presented Paydirt with a Custom Shop Colt Pistol. Kid Sticks received a beautifully hand-engraved Dakota.

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The Wild Bunch, 1989 (picture is damaged by a crease across the top.) 
Back Row (L to R) Leadville Lloyd, Tex, Red Ryder, Judge Roy Bean, Hipshot and U.S. Grant.
Front Row (L to R) R.J. Poteet, Bruce Williams, and The Durango Kid. 

The Wild Bunch is the Board of Directors of the Single Action Shooting Society and the sponsors or End of Trail.

The board now (1989), consists of nine members, three of whom are new since the last End of Trail.

The new members for 1989 are The Durango Kid, Leadville Lloyd and Tex.

 

 

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It was a lot of fun seeing these early days pictures. As a member for 21 years I look at myself as an older member till I look at these wonderful memories. Thanks for posting   

Longcolt

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(l to r) Heath Hare (Top Junior), Max McQueen (Top Gun), City Slicker (2nd) and Rough Shot (3rd) at the Oct. 1988 Cowtown match

 

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Gail Snow, Calamity Lil and Sassy Kassy, Top Lady Shooters at Cowtown, Oct. 1988 match

 

 

 

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Top Guns at the January, 1989 Margarita match:  Standing: Greybeard, Lucky Smucky, and McCloud 
Kneeling: Midway and Yosemite

 

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Diamond Annie, McCloud, Sierra and Greybeard won the Team Event at the Jan. 1989 Margarita match.

 

 

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End of Trail, 1989:  "Early Friday morning, Jim Dunham, famed western

entertainer from Arizona, captured the crowd's attention with his stories

and fancy fun handling."

 

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Cowtown 1988:  Jim Dunham saving his "partner" from the hangman's noose.

 

 

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Thanks for these histerical historical tintypes of the early days. 

It brought back a lot of memories seeing the names and faces of so many of our founders.

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Thank you.  More to come soon, just getting through some eye surgery.

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I'm just a youngster in this sport.  The few pictures I have of when I started are colored.

 

Cutter's Raiders had a buckboard that was mounted on four large springs.  Levering the '66  would cause the buckboard to waggle just like it was moving down the trail.  When I tried to leap off (yes I could move faster back then) to move to the shotgun my right foot wouldn't move.  My right spur had gotten caught between two buckboard floor boards.  It was fun!

Edited by Matthew Duncan
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