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Am I done with SASS?


longcolt 14205L

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Hi all 

ive been  cowboy action shooter for 24 years. This past EOT has me very confused as to my continued support.  I realize that EOT has changed drastically since my initial experience since I think 1993 or1994 in Norco Ca. But I don’t think that it’s for the betterment of the game. Cowboy action shooting used to be about fellowship, promoting the experience of the old west. Partying not only at your campsite with pards  as well as in town and seeing and getting hugs from old friends. What has happened in this cowboys opinion is competition. Competition and more competition. The love of the cowboy (cowgirl) life seems to have faded away into the night. I don’t know if I’ll ever attend EOT again due to the present attitude and I hope that at some point the spirit of the game will  return but at this point fishing sounds pretty good but if things don’t return to having a good time, fellowing with pards returns I think sass may find themselves in a shrinking and uncontrollable situation. 

God bless you all and I hope that I have shed a little light on an  poor situation. At least for me. 

Longcolt

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The Cowboys are having a match out at Norco on Sunday. Come on out and shoot with us on posse 2. 

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Please give some detail about what confused you at the last EOT.

FWIW: I have seen a bit of what you're say'n.

Don't know if you recall-You and I, along with my wife:wub:  Ima Schofield, have possed together a few times.

Respectfully,

OLG

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Longcolt

I have not been to EOT so I cannot speak to that one match but I can assure you that comeraderie is alive and well in Cowboy Action Shooting.

 

I just returned from my 5th consecutive Black Gold and it is just a blast. Do things change from year to year? You bet. We were missing at least three good Pards that crossed over since last year and some that couldn't make it because of serious illness.

 

The Spirit of the Game is alive and well but you have to open your heart and do your part.

 

So, are you done with SASS?

I hope not.

 

Waimea

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3 hours ago, longcolt 14205L said:

Hi all 

ive been  cowboy action shooter for 24 years. This past EOT has me very confused as to my continued support.  I realize that EOT has changed drastically since my initial experience since I think 1993 or1994 in Norco Ca. But I don’t think that it’s for the betterment of the game. Cowboy action shooting used to be about fellowship, promoting the experience of the old west. Partying not only at your campsite with pards  as well as in town and seeing and getting hugs from old friends. What has happened in this cowboys opinion is competition. Competition and more competition. The love of the cowboy (cowgirl) life seems to have faded away into the night. I don’t know if I’ll ever attend EOT again due to the present attitude and I hope that at some point the spirit of the game will  return but at this point fishing sounds pretty good but if things don’t return to having a good time, fellowing with pards returns I think sass may find themselves in a shrinking and uncontrollable situation. 

God bless you all and I hope that I have shed a little light on an  poor situation. At least for me. 

Longcolt

Hey Longcolt  how have you been?  I know what your saying! You remember when 125 to 175 shooters would show up for the Norco monthly  shoot now its like 40 to 50,  I don't shoot as much as I once did and I have been thinking about giving it up for now too? Take care V.D.

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Hi VD. I realize that I’m probably just whining or just missing the past but I miss the way it was. I hope that my current attitude changes but until does I’m buying new fishing poles or maybe new golf clubs. Maybe it’s time to start a new organization and we can call it remembering the old west. Hope to see you again soon. 

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3 minutes ago, longcolt 14205L said:

Maybe it’s time to start a new organization and we can call it remembering the old west. 

I'd join that one in half a heartbeat. 

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28 minutes ago, longcolt 14205L said:

Hi VD. I realize that I’m probably just whining or just missing the past but I miss the way it was. I hope that my current attitude changes but until does I’m buying new fishing poles or maybe new golf clubs. Maybe it’s time to start a new organization and we can call it remembering the old west. Hope to see you again soon. 

 

20 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

I'd join that one in half a heartbeat. 

 

 

Y'all might enjoy NCOWS.

 

 

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1 hour ago, longcolt 14205L said:

Hi all 

ive been  cowboy action shooter for 24 years. This past EOT has me very confused as to my continued support.  I realize that EOT has changed drastically since my initial experience since I think 1993 or1994 in Norco Ca. But I don’t think that it’s for the betterment of the game. Cowboy action shooting used to be about fellowship, promoting the experience of the old west. Partying not only at your campsite with pards  as well as in town and seeing and getting hugs from old friends. What has happened in this cowboys opinion is competition. Competition and more competition. The love of the cowboy (cowgirl) life seems to have faded away into the night. I don’t know if I’ll ever attend EOT again due to the present attitude and I hope that at some point the spirit of the game will  return but at this point fishing sounds pretty good but if things don’t return to having a good time, fellowing with pards returns I think sass may find themselves in a shrinking and uncontrollable situation. 

God bless you all and I hope that I have shed a little light on an  poor situation. At least for me. 

Longcolt

I applaud your view here and totally agree with it. 

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LongColt,

You just need to change who you are shooting with.

Between 15 minutes and 2 hours of drive time from my house there are 8+ clubs and at least 20 matches that I can choose from any given month. Each club / match offers a slightly different experience. I have shot with all but 2 of 8 plus available clubs and they all put on a first rate match.

Not all of the available matches are SASS. There are NCOWS, Cody Dixon, BAMM, GAMM, and Wild Bunch/Professional matches available to name a few. There are also unique variations that allow CAS shooters to shoot and enjoy firearms that otherwise would collect dust in the back of their safes.

A few of the clubs have a tradition of getting together to enjoy a meal and good conversation after the match. Sometimes it is at the range and other times it is at a local restaurant. Either way the food, drink and discussion usually last 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

 

Guess which clubs I tend to gravitate to... Hint it is not determined by driving distance alone; rather I gravitate towards the matches where a bunch get together after the shooting is done and enjoy each others company. I also gravitate towards matches where style points mean more than who won what category. I am not alone in this as I know of several others that choose to do the same.

 

Rather than give up CAS all together I suggest you find a club that offers  what you are looking for in a monthly match. Maybe it is the club next door and maybe it requires some drive time. All I know is that there is a club that has what you are looking for.  I also suggest you act on the desire to go fishing or golfing instead of shooting. Variety is the spice of life after all.

 

Maybe it is time to take a hiatus from the big matches. Personally I have found that I get significantly more enjoyment for my dollar at monthly matches than the bigger ones. So, I haven't attended any big matches as a shooter in several years. That said I have plans to attend a few bigger matches in the coming year but only because I will be attending them at the insistence of like minded friends who will be there as well and who don't take themselves too seriously.

 

 

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Not like that where I shoot. Yeah. there's competition but it's a good thing. The shoots I go to -all of them, are better than a family reunion. My daughter shows up and it's all aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas. And a few brothers and sisters too. Then there's that one kids that starts to stutter and blush but we keep an eye on him. :rolleyes:LOL 

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ive never been to EOT yet , yet , but i always hoped to do it , im with the OP in wanting some easy time around the campfire - older i get , more i want , but i get the competition even if ill never-ever be in that , i just wont let it stop me from shooting ...im all in for some fishing , not so much the golf as it makes me angry , 

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1 hour ago, Bailey Creek,5759 said:

Its not like it used to be that's for sure.

Not much is.

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Howdy Long Colt,

I truly believe the explosion of categories over the years has contributed to the downturn in the fun factor. It used to be maybe 15-20 percent of the attendees might place in a category. Now the pressure is on everyone to place regardless of how small their category is.

 

My wife doesn’t like to shoot because she just wants to have fun with no pressure on how she finishes. Knowing her category will be less than 10, she’ll have to get up and go up front. She’s embarrassed if she finishes at the bottom and doesn’t want to practice to get any better. Since it puts pressure on her to do better when she’s only there for the fun, she just quit all together.

 

Why this game decided everyone must be a winner like a kindergarten soccer league is beyond me. Let the competitors compete, and let the people who are there for fun, have fun. Everyone will be a winner………………and have fun.

 

And I’ve heard for 20+ years when someone doesn’t like the current system, go join NCOWS. Please be respectful of someone else’s opinion without asking them to leave.

 

My .02 cents.

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Put two shipwrecked people together on a deserted island, and they'll be competing over something in a week or less. Competition is just human nature.

 

I agree most wholeheartedly that it has evolved (devolved?) into a game of who can afford the slickest guns and pull the trigger the fastest, but standing in one place and unloading 24 rounds in under fifteen seconds is just as fun for the people that can do it as it is for me to unload the same 24 rounds from a Spencer, a pair of 18" Buntlines, and a Darne shotgun in eighty seconds. :lol: Even with more conventional armament, I'm hard pressed to break into the 20's - oh well.

I seldom attend anything higher than a state championship - they're just too rushed to get everyone through in the allotted time. :mellow:

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Come on up here to Canada,,, And join in the Family Fun of or Shooting ,Singing and Campfire Bunch .....

Some folks think I'm da weatherman as I can pre-dict just when it's about to cloud over ....

We are doing the "Wagon Train" this year Shooting every weekend through Aug. and into the Sept. Long week-end ... 5 shoots in 3 Provinces (think States ) including A SASS regional and the Canadian SASS Nationals ...

 

Jabez Cowboy

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2 hours ago, longcolt 14205L said:

Hi VD. I realize that I’m probably just whining or just missing the past but I miss the way it was. I hope that my current attitude changes but until does I’m buying new fishing poles or maybe new golf clubs. Maybe it’s time to start a new organization and we can call it remembering the old west. Hope to see you again soon. 

No Longcolt are not just whining! you are just stating fact!  I don't care much for the changes either,  so I got a Benelli Super Black Eagle and me and some other SASS pards that stop shooting SASS we have been meeting and shooting sporting clays and we have a good time doing that, so I shoot sporting clays now more than cowboy !  Well I hope to see you soon too, take care my friend. V.D.

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I just got my five year pin with my SASS renewal so I'm still pretty new.  But ... most of the people we started shooting with at this club are gone.  I've seen it often.  A couple of folks ride together to the matches and then one drops out.  The other don't show up any more either.   Then we get someone come in new to us and he enjoys our match and next month more of his shooting buddies show up. It's a revolving population. 

 

As far as the social activities outside the matches,  I never witnessed much.  Most of us are too worn out from the match to do much but get home and recover.   We have gotten together with a few to have a late lunch on the way home. That's about as wild and crazy as it gets. 

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Longcolt,

If you start worrying about that Corvette passing you on the Interstate and honking the horn as

it whizzes buy at 90mph,  are you gonna allow this to stop you from traveling?  Naw!

 

Sometimes, it ain't the traveling part that becomes the adventure, but rather those memories

you cherish when you get to your destination.

 

No doubt, things change.  Cowboy shooters use to be a bunch of crusty ole men telling stories

of WWII and Korea and such.   And I'm sure many of them enjoyed taking out their latest 

pocket knife and showing it off.  And some were probably REAL Cowboys, depending upon their

upbringing.

 

But to grow and possibly survive, our game needed new blood.   Fresh blood.

It was a joy to get the ladies and kids involved and it was probably only natural for some

changes to occur.  

 

WE change also.

I use to truly love Varmint hunting.   But, when I got involved in CAS, my Varmint hunting

dwindled to nothing.

And now that I been involved in CAS for about 14 years, I find myself enjoying rimfire shooting

and setting up rimfire pistols and rifles.

 

I still love CAS and try to make all the local matches.   But some health issues hinder me from

being excited about traveling great distances.    And because WE all change,  I find my

joy of shooting is expanding into the rimfire area.

 

Go ahead, buy a new fishing pole and enjoy life.   But try not to allow the guys in the expensive

bass boats keep you from enjoying a day of fishing on the bank of a good lake, if you know what I 

mean.

 

Hopefully, we'll see each other on the trail someday, posse up together and 'cast a line'.

 

..........Widder

 

 

 

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11 hours ago, longcolt 14205L said:

Hi all 

ive been  cowboy action shooter for 24 years. This past EOT has me very confused as to my continued support.  I realize that EOT has changed drastically since my initial experience since I think 1993 or1994 in Norco Ca. But I don’t think that it’s for the betterment of the game. Cowboy action shooting used to be about fellowship, promoting the experience of the old west. Partying not only at your campsite with pards  as well as in town and seeing and getting hugs from old friends. What has happened in this cowboys opinion is competition. Competition and more competition. The love of the cowboy (cowgirl) life seems to have faded away into the night. I don’t know if I’ll ever attend EOT again due to the present attitude and I hope that at some point the spirit of the game will  return but at this point fishing sounds pretty good but if things don’t return to having a good time, fellowing with pards returns I think sass may find themselves in a shrinking and uncontrollable situation. 

God bless you all and I hope that I have shed a little light on an  poor situation. At least for me. 

Longcolt

I hear what you're saying longcolt, SASS has lost some of it's luster and excitement for me too! I started in '96. I still go to 3 shoots a month, I do the local 3 day shoots for 3 different clubs and I still love the shooting but I hear ya bro!!;)

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Last week a fellow Wire cowboy (I’m looking at you Tyrel Cody) chatted with me about my children’s clothing sizes. He mentioned some shirts his Buckaroo had outgrown and asked for my address. A couple of days ago a package arrived in the mail. It contained several very nice western shirts and one very nice shotgun belt that fits my 13 year old perfectly. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting this pard, though I’m sure I will at some point. He wouldn’t take any money, instead asking me to pay it forward at the appropriate time, which I will.

 

SASS may have changed from the old days, what hasn’t?

 

The Cowboy way is alive and well.

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I was going to go but we were building a house (or suppose to) this year. I have heard about EOT and still can't figure out what the issue was. Too far? Too close. Too complicated? 

 

I'll probably regret asking and don't want to start a war or debate on what they "should do" or diminish the hard work everyone did but understanding the problems and brainstorming on ways to improve are good things if done correctly.  

 

Saying you won't go back without saying why or giving advice isn't a way to improve the match. 

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Longcolt, yer not really Whining, it's a Cowboy Action Shooter's Lament that I hear. There is little doubt that in many places the game has changed. As Long Hunter hit on, I think that Competition became a bit too intense. Now I am indeed intense about competition, but I do try to keep it in perspective and not let it overshadow the GAME. When it comes to digging the cockroaches out of a bowl of rice, or other such nonsense, I'm gonna do my best. Another reason that the game has changed in some places is due to the fact that a good many of today's members simply do not have a connection to the past. As many of the "Old Timers" from CAS of the past have departed from the game, it has left a void that has been filled by some folks that simply never understood just what this game was about..... PLAYING COWBOY! Just look around a bit, and you will find a spot by the fire. If you want to spend a few days playing this game the way it use to be, mark your calendar and come up to the Fresno area for the Fort Miller Shootout next April. For the past 25+ yrs we have been PLAYING THE GAME, and we just don't give a Rat's @$$ who wins... we're having fun.

 

Snakebite 

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Sorry you feel that way. Maybe a long layoff. I am just coming back from almost

a 4 year layoff from SASS myself. And now once again looking forward to shooting and

seeing old friends.

I think it is what you make it. Hate to say it. BUT. EOT is the World Championships.

So competition should be a big part of it. That said. So is seeing and hanging out with

friends.

My last EOT was 2015. But even with the competition there was still time to hang out

with friends. Had many friends at this years EOT and they posted lots of pics on them all

hanging out together, Going to dinner together. So think it's still there. Maybe just not as much

on the firing line.

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10 hours ago, Long Hunter SASS #20389L said:

My wife doesn’t like to shoot because she just wants to have fun with no pressure on how she finishes. Knowing her category will be less than 10, she’ll have to get up and go up front. She’s embarrassed if she finishes at the bottom and doesn’t want to practice to get any better. Since it puts pressure on her to do better when she’s only there for the fun, she just quit all together.


My bride does not have a single competitive bone in her nature.
She is "lysdexic", hence her alias of "Wrongway".

We are "new blood" and just here for the social and the enjoyment of the game.
We see the high skill of Doc Shapiro, Tully Mars, Pancho and the other seasoned hands at our local match.
There are no illusions about catching up with these heavy weight shooters.

Wrongway figures she will get P's for dyslexic out-of-order hits on her stages.
She shrugs it off... if somebody starts ragging her about this, that will probably drive her out.

 

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You've obviously been in SASS much longer than I have so I'm sure not going to try to TELL you anything.  But I hope one match won't spoil your love for the whole game.  Sure it's changed.  Even in the short time I've been playing I've seen change.  But as others have said, we're here to have fun.  Hopefully you'll be able to find something about the game that still allows you to have fun.  I love traveling down to your neck of the woods to shoot.  The Cowboys of Norco is one of the best clubs in the world and the people there are an absolute hoot to shoot with.  If they're not to your liking I'd bet you could find another club in the area that has matches more to your liking. 

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Sure SASS has changed... everything changes. What's that saying? "You can never go home"

Everything is different than we remember and usually we are fond of the way it WAS.

Yes, competition is up, speeds are up, times are down, Matt Black (and the like) is a blurr!

But there are still great pards in the game. Make it what you want with you and your pards.

Let the speed burners run and just have fun with what you do.

Sometimes WE have to be the ones that make things better... even if it's a return to what used to be.

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Back in the day we used to do all kinds of things to make a shoot unique (drunk glasses, shooting playing cards on a straw, throwing dynamite, etc.). Stages would often have a scenario (a short story in text) besides the shooting instructions. We didn't stage long guns horizontally, but would stick them in a corner or a crack in the boardwalk. Times would almost never dip below 20 seconds for even the top shooters. Most of us grew up watching John Wayne and the Lone Ranger. Many have passed to the other side and many are beginning to have health issues. The guns are better than ever today with a lot of choices out there. The people are still great and you can still play your game and take away whatever you wish from it. I'm getting slower than ever, shoot less  but enjoy seeing old friends and new and switching guns for variety. 

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7 hours ago, El Hombre Sin Nombre said:

Let me know if you leave. Longcolt is a pretty cool alias and I might snag it up once you’re gone? What? Too soon? 

Colt Blooded is still untaken, at my last look.  

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A pard that runs one of the most successfully attended shoots in the country,  summed it up very well a while ago when talking to him......Without good entertainment, fun-dooable stages, reasonable food......it is just shooting steel. I've only been shooting a few years so I have no comprehension about riding wooden horses or sticking gun barrels in the boardwalk slats or shooting playing cards....but recently I attended a local match where things like this were tried, to bring back the good old days,  and everyone screamed it was taking too long. 

 

The whole entertainment, after the shooting, thing is a big part of getting folks to attend and having them hang around at night for camaraderie. At Black Gold they had to kick us out of the pavilion and told us "you all got to shoot tomorrow!" I've been to regional shoots where the folks putting on the shoot didn't even attend the on site dinners!

 

You need somebody that is a bit crazy to be the MC. (You all know who I'm talking about in KY and TX) Funny skits, Karaoke, lots of give aways....that makes the aftershooting something to hang around for.

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2 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Last week a fellow Wire cowboy (I’m looking at you Tyrel Cody) chatted with me about my children’s clothing sizes. He mentioned some shirts his Buckaroo had outgrown and asked for my address. A couple of days ago a package arrived in the mail. It contained several very nice western shirts and one very nice shotgun belt that fits my 13 year old perfectly. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting this pard, though I’m sure I will at some point. He wouldn’t take any money, instead asking me to pay it forward at the appropriate time, which I will.

 

SASS may have changed from the old days, what hasn’t?

 

The Cowboy way is alive and well.

Tyrel is one of the good ones. 

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SASS has changed over the years and in some ways/places, competition has clearly overshadowed the social aspect of the game.  That being said, there are still clubs around where the social and entertainment portion overshadows the shooting. 

 

I personally like the smaller events where you don't get run through the chute like cattle to get through the day.  

 

I would suggest coming to Fort Miller for an old fashioned good time or making the trek to the Lazy Arrow where they mix the old with the new.  Two of my favorite clubs in your area are the Double R Bar Regulators and the Cajon Cowboys where there is always a good time.

 

For a memorable experience, head to east Texas to Comin' at Cha with T-Bone Dooley.  There is a non-stop party going at the ranch the whole time.  I'm sure there are others that would make a "Shootin' through the south" a real hoot.  

 

There is still something in SASS for you, it just might take a while to find your niche again.

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