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Just how many "Categories" does SASS have ??????


Silver Sam, SASS #34718L

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Apparently no one knows. The SASS Rule book doesn't even know...............

 

"A full listing of all possible shooting category combinations is unavailable."

Thats's a quote straight out of the current rulebook !!!

 

Sad,

I miss the Old Days when Clubs didn't have to give out "Participation" Awards to get Shooters to show up.

When did "Competition" become a Bad Word ??

Are they trying to turn us all into a bunch of "Snowflakes" or what...............

 

Anyway....

I'll get back to filling out the multiple choice questionnaire that the Entry Forms for the Spring Shoots have become. :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gosh Sam... do I have competition for the title "Friendly Curmudgeon"?  But... you're sounding a little more like a "Cranky Curmudgeon." :P

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What difference does it make?

Does it really matter to you if someone else "wins" their category?

Why even have any categories at all then, if you think that we are all in the same competition.

If you want to know who was the fastest, look at the total time results.

--Dawg

 

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The issue for listing "all" of the categories is local clubs have non-SASS approved categories. At our annual shoot we have Tom Horn which within it are 4 categories involving Black Powder, smokeless, single shot and lever action big bore rifles. Other clubs have outlaw, Josey Wales etc.

SASS can't list them all.

Ike

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We are working on our annual in 2 weeks

counting Ladies and well as everyone (There are no Male categories in SASS) come up with 62.  This counts our club ones too

 

Note we have Wild Bunch shooters right in the mix with the other categories

 

 

category listA 2018 for regisration form.xlsx

 

 

 

 

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13 minutes ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

The issue for listing "all" of the categories is local clubs have non-SASS approved categories. At our annual shoot we have Tom Horn which within it are 4 categories involving Black Powder, smokeless, single shot and lever action big bore rifles. Other clubs have outlaw, Josey Wales etc.

SASS can't list them all.

Ike

 

You're Wrong Ike.... The SASS Rulebook is referring to "Official" SASS Categories

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At a monthly match and at many smaller annuals, I agree, it really makes no difference.
Thats one reason at my home Clubs monthly's, where pretty much everyone Wins their category,
we hand out copies of overall finish so people can see how well they ended up against all the other shooters.

 

One place it does matter is when SASS cons a Club into Holding a Big Match like a Territorial Blackpowder Shootout,

like one recently held at a Club I try to go shoot at as often as possible.

They invested a Ton of time and money into putting it on and ended up with More "Official" SASS categories than Shooters to shoot in them.

 

For me it matters because I really don’t have much of a desire to invest the Time and Money it takes to go to a far away Shoot and have no one to shoot against. I can stay at Home and shoot and have just as much Fun and Camaraderie without the investment in time and dollars.

 

But then I don’ t consider myself a “Snowflake”

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I like to think that SASS has a category for everyone to enjoy!  Shoot what you want, wear what you want, load what you want, be what you want.  Just have fun doing it!

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2 hours ago, Silver Sam, SASS #34718L said:

At a monthly match and at many smaller annuals, I agree, it really makes no difference.
Thats one reason at my home Clubs monthly's, where pretty much everyone Wins their category,
we hand out copies of overall finish so people can see how well they ended up against all the other shooters.

 

One place it does matter is when SASS cons a Club into Holding a Big Match like a Territorial Blackpowder Shootout,

like one recently held at a Club I try to go shoot at as often as possible.

They invested a Ton of time and money into putting it on and ended up with More "Official" SASS categories than Shooters to shoot in them.

 

For me it matters because I really don’t have much of a desire to invest the Time and Money it takes to go to a far away Shoot and have no one to shoot against. I can stay at Home and shoot and have just as much Fun and Camaraderie without the investment in time and dollars.

 

But then I don’ t consider myself a “Snowflake”

That doesn’t make anything sense at all. If you get to a match and there’s no one to compete with in your category, then switch categories. Or compete for overall. The gunfighter shooting style categories are the only ones that you can’t compete against another category and still shoot how you want to. It’s still sounding pretty snow-flakey to me. 

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Silver Sam I can totally understand where you're coming from.  Also I'm sorry some seem to want to become aggressive towards you for expressing your opinion especially on a topic that you are not alone in feeling the same way as others. I've read on the wire and talked with others that feel the same way.  I went into cowboy retirement for several years. Came back out of it only earlier this year.  When I started reading up on the rules and the wire again I thought "where did all these additional categories come from" and had to do research to even figure it out since they were not listed in the SHB.  Now, while I can understand the "category for everyone crowd" I do personaly prefer several people to shoot with in my category as well.  Im fortunate to have that again since I've changed to Gunfighter and shoot with a bunch of great folks.  But before that I found myself being the only Duelist a time or two at a monthly.  I still had fun because of the fellowship with all the cowfolk but I prefer to have others to share a category with.  I don't mind additional categories, but sometimes I feel it does hurt a bit.  But, of course most of them are due to unofficial categories and there are many.  I don't think SASS themselves are to blame in that area.  But, each club has their own idea and sometimes categories, if it works great.  In the end i'm just happy to be back and having a blast.

 

CD

 

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RK..... Almost 5000 posts in less than 2 years.

 

You obviously really like seeing yourself on the Wire !

Maybe someday you'll post something worth reading..... we can only hope :rolleyes:

 

 

Lets Go Shoot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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1 hour ago, Silver Sam, SASS #34718L said:

RK..... Almost 5000 posts in less than 2 years.

 

You obviously really like seeing yourself on the Wire !

Maybe someday you'll post something worth reading..... we can only hope :rolleyes:

 

 

Lets Go Shoot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep. Ad hominem there. When you can’t attack the argument, attack the man?  

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4 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Moderators, please note that I am NOT involved in this discussion in any way...

 

:mellow:

 

Awww Com'on Phantom... You Know you wanna throw in on this ...... :lol:

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21 minutes ago, Silver Sam, SASS #34718L said:

 

Awww Com'on Phantom... You Know you wanna throw in on this ...... :lol:

Cats got his finger.:P

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15 hours ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said:

What difference does it make?

Does it really matter to you if someone else "wins" their category?

Why even have any categories at all then, if you think that we are all in the same competition.

If you want to know who was the fastest, look at the total time results.

--Dawg

 

We used to have a "wednesday" shoot at Firelands with no categories! It was a fun time, you could shoot whatever you wanted on any stage! I'm not saying it should be done at big matches but no one complained and we all had a blast!;)

 

At your next monthly match just try it once! You'll love it!:P

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 In addition, every shooting style can also be subdivided by gender, age, and propellant depending on demand and sanctioning category mandates. (SHB pg. #6)

 

CATEGORY MATRIX Above the “Base Categories” listed in this handbook, the local club monthly match and club annual match level, all SASS recognized shooting categories may be offered by subdividing by all factors; including age, gender, shooting style, and propellant.  When breaking down all style/costume categories, the regulations for the base category is to be applied first, then the age limits.  A full listing of all possible shooting category combinations is unavailable.  The breakdown examples below serve to provide a glimpse into the various possibilities:

- Gunfighter  Lady Senior Gunfighter  Lady Senior Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter.

- Duelist  Lady Duelist  Lady Senior Duelist  Lady Silver Senior Duelist.  (SHB pg. #10)

 

MINIMUM ENTRANT CATEGORY MANDATES  In the interest of ensuring and promoting a true competitive environment at the SASS Sanctioned Championship level of competition (State, Regional, Divisional, National, and World Championships), all possible category breakdowns may be offered, however, categories above the base categories will only be honored if they meet the minimum entry mandates decreed by SASS and the Championship agreements.  Ladies’ categories must have a minimum of three entrants and open categories must have a minimum of seven entrants in order to be honored at the SASS Championship level.   Exceptions to the category mandate include Buckaroo/Buckarette, Junior, Elder Statesman/Grand Dame, Cattle Baron/Cattle Baroness, and El Patron/La Patrona.   If an offered category does not meet the minimum mandates, the entrant(s) will be entered into the next category down as the categories collapse toward the base categories until the minimum mandate is fulfilled. *Shooting categories offered at any match are ultimately at the discretion of the Match Officials to ensure the success and viability of each match individually.  (SHB pg. #10)

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Our last shoot of the year at Firelands we had only 15 shooters, (it was cold) 

 

ALMOST EVERYONE got first place!!! There was that many categories!:lol:

 

Duelist

Sr. Duelist

Classic Cowboy

Classic Cowgirl

Cowboy

49er

Senior

Elder Statesman

Gunfighter

Sr. Gunfighter

Frontiersman

Wild Bunch

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Who cares? I am in my 80s and enjoy CAS. I shoot Grand Patron and compete against other older pards and pardettes.  Just shooting is enough,. I don't need trophies. It's nice to shoot ahainst others with the same abilitiy.

 

I shoot black powder Gunfighter. That's lots of fun. I am content to shoot with old and NEW friends. The number of categories does not affect me. Our club recognizes any and all categories. If it makes a fan of a competitor, so be it.

 

Whining about too many categories is not "The Cowboy Way".

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The expense of all the awards for a large match is incredible. Then, shooters want to change categories. Try planning all of the awards, you ever wonder why people get cranky at the awards ceremony. How about not having enough awards because someone decided to jump categories at the last moment. And, those awards must be shipped to the shooter.

For those that have never run a match it's easy to say lets add more categories.

 

After a match there are always awards left over and that (in my mind) is wasted money that could have been used to buy additional prizes for the shooters.

All the additional categories are also a logistical nightmare. Yes, it's nice that we give out all the awards and make others feel good, just how many awards does one need.

 

If it were let up to me, I'd go back to 2008. Look at those categories and just go with those and I'd do away with the "boutique" categories for those that know how choose a category wisely in order to win an award. Or, break the categories into major and minor. 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Assassin said:

The expense of all the awards for a large match is incredible. Then, shooters want to change categories. Try planning all of the awards, you ever wonder why people get cranky at the awards ceremony. How about not having enough awards because someone decided to jump categories at the last moment. And, those awards must be shipped to the shooter.

For those that have never run a match it's easy to say lets add more categories.

 

After a match there are always awards left over and that (in my mind) is wasted money that could have been used to buy additional prizes for the shooters.

All the additional categories are also a logistical nightmare. Yes, it's nice that we give out all the awards and make others feel good, just how many awards does one need.

 

If it were let up to me, I'd go back to 2008. Look at those categories and just go with those and I'd do away with the "boutique" categories for those that know how choose a category wisely in order to win an award. Or, break the categories into major and minor. 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll have to agree that the biggest pain when organising and putting on a big-er match is the awards.

 

If you've never been involved in planning one, volunteer... Your eyes will be opened.

 

Phantom

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I show up in full B-Western regalia with sufficient accoutrements for Classic Cowboy, a Marlin, a '66, SxS hammer shotgun, black powder ammo, C&B revolvers and tell 'em to put me wherever the hell they want. :lol:

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I enjoy shooting with other superannuated pards. Every posse that puts up with me allows me to shoot over 80 (Grand n Patron wart hog blackpowder gunfighter. That

is so much fun that at this stage of life the last thing I need is another dust catcher!!!!

 

Who needs trophies!!!

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