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SASS, The Early Days


McCandless

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  • 2 weeks later...

001A.jpg.1ab92fe1fe1db8041fafc2b131fed4aa.jpg

1989 Cowtown Shootout: Phoenix, Arizona Territory.
Stage Winners were: Tex (2), Great Dane (4), Durango Kid (1), and Dr. Willard B. Slipsnake (1)

 

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Cowtown Shootout, Top Seniors: Moosebreath (r.) and Zapf Chancery

 

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Cowtown Shootout, 1989. Top Ladies (right to left) Kid Sticks, Calamity Joan, Coyote Bate, Barbwire, Prairie Weet and Plucked Chicken 

 

 

Edited by McCandless
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  • 2 weeks later...

Courtesy of Justice Lily Kate:  

 

5ae8b1fa65c3c_HarperCreighakaJudgeRoyBeanofHarperCreighGraphicsModelsandGordonDavisakaDiamondJimChisolmofDavisLeather.thumb.jpg.67f4cdb845b5c5b4fa0c44bee0925dd4.jpg

A picture of the first End of Trail. Harper Creigh, aka Judge Roy Bean, of Harper Creigh Graphics & Models, and Gordon Davis, aka Diamond Jim Chisolm

of Davis Leather ... the first two sponsors or End of Trail.  

Artwork by the one & only Bill Hahn. Who also created John Dwayne (rocking horse cowboy) & the SASS cowboy logo. 

 

 

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Great thread.  In 1984 Gordy Davis was trying to get us in the NW to shoot SASS.  This at a IPSC state match mind you.  Gordy was a great guy!  We did eventually start shooting  something similar to SASS in the late '80s but usually using just one six gun and many times the lever gun was a 30-30.   When did SASS events mandate a second handgun for most stages? 

Edited by levi littleton
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2 hours ago, levi littleton said:

Great thread.  In 1984 Gordy Davis was trying to get us in the NW to shoot SASS.  This at a IPSC state match mind you.  Gordy was a great guy!  We did eventually start shooting  something similar to SASS in the late '80s but usually using just one six gun and many times the lever gun was a 30-30.   When did SASS events mandate a second handgun for most stages? 

Wasn't until the early '90's that folks wanted twice the fun!  Before that most stages were 2 gun... pistol and rifle or pistol and shotgun.

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Thanks McCandless.  That was how I remembered it as well.  Just glad I wasn't totally loosing my mind.  I skipped a few years and by the time i came back everyone was SASS affiliated.  Flew into Vegas for a match shooting dbl dualist, which was a new category at the time.  Had to be 91 or 92.   First time I actually remember shooting two hand guns....but must have prior.

 

Again, great thread.  Thank you.  Fun to see the photos of a bunch of folks I recognize from BITD. 

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22 hours ago, McCandless said:

Wasn't until the early '90's that folks wanted twice the fun!  Before that most stages were 2 gun... pistol and rifle or pistol and shotgun.

It was the mid-90s before we had two six-guns on every stage.  In CA from about '87 we were doin' 3 guns on most stages...    It was '85 when Coto de Caza forbid the .30-30 as a main match round.  Like the month before I first showed up with mine!

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Wish I had a way to post a photo of Cathouse Bill Blattler, who introduced Cowboy Action Shooting along the Front Range of the Rockies back about 1990 or so.  Sadly, Bill "crossed the Divide" several years ago, but I'll treasure his memory and his friendship.  The Colorado Shaketails were shooting at the Ben Lomond Gun Club back then, and Bill had some really neat props, including a stagecoach, where you sometimes shot from the drivers seat (back when some of us could actually climb up there) or inside the coach.  There was a barrel horse.  A neat one started with the shooter sitting in a "chic sale" (outhouse), facing uprange, with his sixgun hanging from a nail on the frame of the door.  The shooter had a size 60 overall down around his/her ankles.  At the sound of the horn, the shooter had to stand up, pull up the drawers, holding on with one hand, exit the outhouse, turn around, draw the gun from its holster and shoot!  I don't think we used two pistols back then.  Didn't contribute much to fast times, but was a hoot!  I don't get out to too many shoots nowadays...generally scheduling conflicts. :(  Ah, them wuz the days...

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5af43bb5dc2bc_1GeneralU.S.GrantRoyRogersJudgeRoyBean.Notsureoftheyear.withRoyRogers..thumb.jpg.0d4edde755458c6ddb682e053229e8e5.jpg

General U. S. Grant, Roy Rogers, (SASS Alias "RR") and Judge Roy Bean

 

(photo originally posted by Justice Lily Kate)

Edited by McCandless
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These pictures and stories are great.  Very enjoyable.  Thanks for posting.  I'm a new shooter and didn't realize how different things were back then.  Those action stages like the Chinese laundry, outhouse, horseback, barber chair, etc. had to be a lot of fun to shoot.  Not so much emphasis on time just get through it and have fun doing it.  Again, thanks and if you have more please post them.

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This is not the early, early days. It was taken about 2000. I started shooting in 1999, so it is early to me.

Front Row: Burgundy Juno, Billy Blackthorne, Mudville Slim, Montana Maggie Hunter.

Back Row: Payback Princess (RIP), Jim Jivitus (a dentist, LOL) Cherokee Knight, Billy Briscoe (RIP), Frank Bruce, Jess Brown (my Hubby), Allie Mo, Sterling Starr, Black Jack Traven (hiding), Fiddletown Flash, Sedona Sue, Badlands Bud.

 

scan0001.jpg

Edited by Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217
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On ‎5‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 8:31 PM, McCandless said:

5aea8269d272a_FlintWestwoodSASS94EoTTopGun1983withDennisMartinez..thumb.jpg.d43f6b8d7c2519d1456d6f8723369bea.jpg

 

Flint Westwood, SASS #94, EoT Top Gun, 1983 — with Dennis Martinez.

 

 

 

Gimmie a Break... that old Goat was never that young!

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Doc Peabody's website is still out there... so before it disappears I figured I'd transplant some of his pictures here!

 

5afb7818c84a9_docpeabody.jpg.16bd8b4f6161be551aa77298272878e3.jpg

 

5afb7927cafee_DocPeabodysRoto-Recta-rootalator.AstrangemedicalinstrumentdevelopedafteryearsofcruelexperimentsonDesertTortoises..jpg.348fa12d24aba79995492c7e6fbbfadd.jpg

Doc Peabody's Roto-Recta-rootalator. A strange medical instrument developed after years of

cruel experiments on Desert Tortoises.

 

5afb784b2756c_DocPeabodysHomemadeRectalThermometer.ItisconstructedusingaFordModel-AradiatorcapandanauthenticpieceofColoradoBarbedWire(wahr).jpg.7d1a0e5e053d30a923a882daa93e9e3a.jpg

Doc Peabody's Homemade Rectal Thermometer. It is constructed using a Ford Model-A radiator cap and

an authentic piece of Colorado Barbed Wire (wahr) as a retention device.

 

5afb797473181_DocPeabodysRoto-Nasa-Vacuator.Theperfecttoolforthosepeskysinusinfections.jpg.b89400680d423dfab8b83bc427e8973a.jpg

Doc Peabody's Roto-Nasa-Vacuator. The perfect tool for those pesky sinus infections.  After which it can 

be used as a cake decorator.

 

5afb7a6fc3a6f_MarshalHallowayandMarshalettemeetDocPeabody.jpg.84751afa367a051bcdf2b011aa95222c.jpg

Marshal Halloway and Marshalette meet Doc Peabody 

 

 

 

 

Edited by McCandless
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  • 3 weeks later...

1201690604_1TheJudgewiththeCarradinebrothers.Noclueonthedate.jpg.0dafbbf621d0671008091166cef7ff9f.jpg

SASS members, the Carradine brothers.  David, Robert and Keith with Judge Roy Bean

 

 

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631487891_1HipshotiskneelingandJudgeisinthewhitechaps.TheGeneralistothefarleft..jpg.09668878462436c2bbc5abb7dbae5393.jpg

U.S. Grant on the far left.  Hipshot kneeling out front.  Judge Roy Bean in the white chaps.

 

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865057094_EoT1988WinnersTeamShoot-BibleThumperMidwaySidewinderMancosandYosemite(photopostedbySgt.Chesty).jpg.ea1efac29abd86c712aa8e65aa9fb061.jpg

EoT 1988 Winners, Team Shoot -  Bible Thumper , Midway, Sidewinder, Mancos and Yosemite  (photo posted by Sgt. Chesty)

 

 

 

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2044136290_FirstWinterRangeCowboyActionShootinPhoenixAZ_1992..jpg.10634593af23bd3847b1c1675b2364a5.jpg

First Winter Range Cowboy Action Shoot in Phoenix AZ. 1992.  (Photo courtesy of Big Jake, SASS #1001)

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yep lots of these old cowboys come and go and just seem also to disappear. Hers an article from the  SASS Chronicle from June 1996 on  match that was held at Cowtown  in  December 1995. 

 

Enjoy the clipping.

 

 

Jackrabbit Joe #414

COWTOWN SHOOTOUT 1995 001.jpg

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I'd like to recall my pard Gordon "Diamond Jim" Davis, one of the pioneers of SASS.  He made leather for me that I still use in SASS and IPSC after lo, those many years.  Excepting Ernie Hill, my leathermen have gone west: besides Gordon, Milt Sparks and Bruce Nelson.  Fond memories of all.

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Awesome pics!!!;) I started in 1996 and really got into it in '98, I'll have to dig up some pics!

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On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 12:33 PM, McCandless said:

Courtesy of Justice Lily Kate:  

 

5ae8b1fa65c3c_HarperCreighakaJudgeRoyBeanofHarperCreighGraphicsModelsandGordonDavisakaDiamondJimChisolmofDavisLeather.thumb.jpg.67f4cdb845b5c5b4fa0c44bee0925dd4.jpg

A picture of the first End of Trail. Harper Creigh, aka Judge Roy Bean, of Harper Creigh Graphics & Models, and Gordon Davis, aka Diamond Jim Chisolm

of Davis Leather ... the first two sponsors or End of Trail.  

Artwork by the one & only Bill Hahn. Who also created John Dwayne (rocking horse cowboy) & the SASS cowboy logo. 

 

 

 

what a great photo and reminder of the early days.

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The "Fritz gang from '87 EOT IIRC.  And some behind the scenes setup for EOT '88scan0021.JPG.4d790e2f66b9c6c6eea34c13b5c4400d.JPGscan0030.JPG.f84072cbef4156f774d239be4745305f.JPGscan0031.JPG.2b4238a7955d259c383fe553689bde65.JPG1709489920_scan00321.JPG.3452f5734685c2e1543188216b64a089.JPG

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On ‎2‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 2:45 PM, Sixgun Sheridan said:

So how many of these old-timers were using short-stroke kits and firing mouse fart loads?

 

Most all the early guys were ISPC shooters prior.  They'd already seen what the games could or would become.  So the answer was...almost no one.   But it didn't stay that way long.  Once it started to actually get really fun the folks from other  venues wanted to play cowboy and arms race was on.

 

I like shooting 2 six guns per stage and especially like dualist and gun fighter.  But have to say I really liked shooting one hand gun and having a reload required.   Slows things down match wise but sure was fun when you could wear a truly historical rig and still play the game.  

 

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Still have good memories of shooting in a lot of SASS matches in the 90's. Had to give it away years ago. Good times at Pala with Graybeard and crew, also enjoyed shooting at West End gun club. EOT 94 and 96.. best ever.. full loads black powder. Tex.. greatest times. 

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281366558_1992MarshalLawandEthanCord.jpg.e26e824943a5667c320be05ae1509aed.jpg

                                 1992:  Marshal Law and Ethan Cord

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

China Camp was a 5-Time SASS Overall World Champion, and was in the first class inducted into the Cowboy Action Shooting Hall of Fame. This interview was recorded in 2006. 

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, McCandless said:

China Camp was a 5-Time SASS Overall World Champion, and was in the first class inducted into the Cowboy Action Shooting Hall of Fame. This interview was recorded in 2006. 

FIVE CONSECUTIVE WINS.

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541526579_EOT1996.InthismyfirstEOTthemembersofCAS-LtossedtheirmoneyinthepottobringMarshalHallowayandhisthenwifeSpringfromNorwaytoNorcotoenjoyEOT..jpg.96ad366be6aad86501c9c1ac68879a64.jpg

EOT 1996. The members of CAS-L tossed their money in the pot to bring Marshal Halloway and his then wife Spring from Norway to Norco to enjoy EOT.

 

(photo originally posted by Gringo)

 

 

Edited by McCandless
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Now that picture brings back some memories. I even see myself in there in the centre right next to I think it is Hipshot. 96 EOT, I finished 3rd in Blackpowder. I used to be SASS #3340.

Hope can get some more sometime.

I am going through my old collection, I think I have a lot of video footage somewhere.

Edited by Josey Wales
made an ommision.
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21 hours ago, McCandless said:

541526579_EOT1996.InthismyfirstEOTthemembersofCAS-LtossedtheirmoneyinthepottobringMarshalHallowayandhisthenwifeSpringfromNorwaytoNorcotoenjoyEOT..jpg.96ad366be6aad86501c9c1ac68879a64.jpg

EOT 1996. The members of CAS-L tossed their money in the pot to bring Marshal Halloway and his then wife Spring from Norway to Norco to enjoy EOT.

 

(photo originally posted by Gringo)

Now just how in the world did I not make that photo op?

 

 

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Information request reference  Buffalo Chip & his shooting card which he gave out. I just found his card which he gave me from EOT shoot at Norco, California that's where I met him and when he gave me this card he put the number 18 on the back which he told me why and I cannot remember why and what this was about.

 

Contact made.

 

 

 

Thanks in advance:

Jackrabbit Joe #414

Edited by Jackrabbit Joe #414
Located contact made.
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