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Founders Ranch Sold!


Misty Moonshine

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Exciting news about Founders Ranch! 

Founders Ranch will REMAIN OPEN! 
 

The Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) has leased and operated Founders Ranch for the past 18 years but is ceasing to do so on April 1st.

 

There is great news that we are excited to share with you! On Friday afternoon the owners of Founders Ranch reached an agreement with another company who will take over ownership and the operation of Founders Ranch. There will be a transition period while things change over, but the best announcement is that Founders Ranch will continue to operate – and will remain open! 

The transition will be immediate, and SASS will work with the new owners to transition the daily operations over to the new owners over the next few weeks.

We hope you will give the new owners your support and continue to help Founders Ranch grow.


Some clarifications: 

 

So- what does this mean for SASS? 
SASS’ role in the operation of Founders Ranch will end entirely on May 1- assisting in the transition of operations to the new ownership through April. 
Many items that are on the property that belong to SASS and/or the SASS Museum will be relocated. 
SASS’ lease of Founders Ranch will not transfer to the new owners with the sale.
 

Does this mean EOT will go back to Founders? 
No. As explained, Arizona and the Arizona Territorial Rough Riders (the match formerly known as Winter Range) is the new home for EOT beginning in 2022. 


I hope this helps clear up any misunderstanding.

 

Misty Moonshine 

 

 

 


 
 

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7 minutes ago, Happy Jack, SASS #20451 said:

Has there been a decision about the local SASS clubs use of the ranch??

The local SASS clubs- along with dozens of other shooting disciplines- will still have the ability to host their matches on FR. 

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I am not trying to be snarky or sarcastic, its just that I am a tad bit confused.  How is this good news for SASS? SASS' lease ends, as it is not picked up by the new owners.  SASS' holdings will be moved off the property. EOT is being moved to AZ. Unless you are one of the few SASS members that live and hour or so drive of Founder Ranch and utilize the range, I don't see the benefit for the rest of the SASS community.

 

3 hours ago, Misty Moonshine said:

SASS’ lease of Founders Ranch will not transfer to the new owners with the sale.


If by good new you mean that SASS is no longer on the hook for leasing and operating the ranch, and that the portion of our dues that was funding this can now be used to promote SASS , I can see how this could  be a benefit to SASS members.

 

As I have not been as active as I would have liked to have been this last year due to COVID, and am not as up to date as I probably should be on this topic, maybe someone with a little more knowledge can enlighten me with more details.

 

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Great News for the Local Clubs.  

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We frequently hear that SASS is a private business, and as such they have no transparency requirement to the membership. People have asked about topics ranging from membership numbers, association budgets, data on match attendance, and dozens of other questions - for the simple purposes of helping the Association   and/or Clubs grow and serve the membership. 

As Adam Schiff would say, "I can't tell you, but you have to trust me....."

I hope it all works out, and everyone hopes that the new Board of Directors will be more responsive to the membership.

As for me, I'm not going to ask,  I don't want to be manipulated or shamed  - I'm just going to get my Vaccine Passport.....

sarcasm added by the author for humor

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Well now that SASS is not on the hook for Founders Ranch, does that mean SASS can lower the membership fee?  I mean, let's be honest, Founders Ranch was a loosing proposition versus what it cost to own and operate.  Who got the money for the sale of Founders Ranch?  

Members want to know.

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22 minutes ago, Lone Spur Jake SASS #7728 said:

Well now that SASS is not on the hook for Founders Ranch, does that mean SASS can lower the membership fee?  I mean, let's be honest, Founders Ranch was a loosing proposition versus what it cost to own and operate.  Who got the money for the sale of Founders Ranch?  

Members want to know.

SASS the organization leased Founders Ranch, and did not own it.

One could logically assume that the cancellation of EOT 2020 and relocating EOT 2021 had an impact on finances of SASS continuing to lease Founders and the owners selling the property. The new owners were upbeat on continued use of the faculties for CAS and expanding it for other shooting disciplines.  

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Met the new owners.They seem to be upfrnt with everybody.They seem to want to work with the local clubs to keep things going.Time will tell.

It won't happen overnite..

                                                                                                                                                  Largo

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24 minutes ago, Lone Spur Jake SASS #7728 said:

Well now that SASS is not on the hook for Founders Ranch, does that mean SASS can lower the membership fee?  I mean, let's be honest, Founders Ranch was a loosing proposition versus what it cost to own and operate.  Who got the money for the sale of Founders Ranch?  

Members want to know.

The Wild Bunch owned the ranch, not SASS so they probably got the proceeds from the sale. 

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12 hours ago, Lone Spur Jake SASS #7728 said:

Well now that SASS is not on the hook for Founders Ranch, does that mean SASS can lower the membership fee?  I mean, let's be honest, Founders Ranch was a loosing proposition versus what it cost to own and operate.  Who got the money for the sale of Founders Ranch?  

Members want to know.

SASS will not be lowering the membership fee. 

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4 hours ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

What will happen to the chapel?

I asked one of the new owners what the plans were for it, and it is in their plans for it to be available for use as a chapel . Interestingly he mentioned he is an ordained minister! 

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Good deal, I hope it is well used. Visited FR a few years ago when I was in town for a wedding. Only got to see Texas Tiger practicing, nice lady.

Love to shoot there someday. I'll tell ya this, the drive from the highway to FR down Barton was challenging in my rental  car. Haha.:o

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44 minutes ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

Good deal, I hope it is well used. Visited FR a few years ago when I was in town for a wedding. Only got to see Texas Tiger practicing, nice lady.

Love to shoot there someday. I'll tell ya this, the drive from the highway to FR down Barton was challenging in my rental  car. Haha.:o

Never take BARTON off 66!!!

We all are aware that some 'maps' take you the shortest route...but have been adding for years NOT to follow that suggestion!

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10 hours ago, Captain Clark said:

I asked one of the new owners what the plans were for it, and it is in their plans for it to be available for use as a chapel . Interestingly he mentioned he is an ordained minister! 

Joel Osteen, maybe?:rolleyes:

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23 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

The Wild Bunch owned the ranch, not SASS so they probably got the proceeds from the sale. 

You're assuming there are profits? Not nescessarily. A long term mortgage on a property like that might not generate many if it's sold. Most of the early payments are for interest.

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6 minutes ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

You're assuming there are profits? Not nescessarily. A long term mortgage on a property like that might not generate many if it's sold. Most of the early payments are for interest.

My understanding was that there was no mortgage, I may be wrong but that’s what I was told a few years ago. With the water situation the way it is there there isn’t a whole lot that you can do with it outside of what they’re using it for now and livestock. You know water is an issue when you sit up on the hill manning the gate and you see pickups coming down the road with a water tank in the bed, empty on the way into Edgewood and full on the way back.

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Ok, so the "Wild Bunch bought and owned" the property, and leased it to SASS,  based on "The Chisler's" recommendation, and soon found out it was a HUGE mistake.  And the Chisler left SASS in a very short time.  "Oh look guys there's a buffalo roaming on the property, let's buy it."   And a lot of SASS members forked over a lot of money for "SPECIAL PRIVILEGES" ,IE:. Memberships to Founders Ranch.   And vendors disappeared by the droves compared to when it was in CA., because EOT now was only drawing about 1000 "visitors" compared to 20,000 visitors in CA. and way fewer shooters.  Winter Range was drawing more shooters, vendors, and visitors than EOT.  Chronicle had to be cut back and memberships went up to pay for expenses.  

SASS has had some very bad management in the past.  Members should not have to pay for their mistakes.  Hopefully the new management of SASS and EOT will move forward and not make the same mistakes.  Good luck to the new owners of the Ranch.  Hope they do well.

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23 hours ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

Well, didn't get that message. Haha, was "interesting". My wife was scared to death the whole way.

I bet!!! There have been a few trucks with trailers who followed the same suggestions!!!

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Anybody know if all the STEEL went with the saleor do the clubs have to furnish their own??

                                                                                                                                                               Largo

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On 3/30/2021 at 7:50 PM, Yul Lose said:

My understanding was that there was no mortgage, I may be wrong but that’s what I was told a few years ago. With the water situation the way it is there there isn’t a whole lot that you can do with it outside of what they’re using it for now and livestock. You know water is an issue when you sit up on the hill manning the gate and you see pickups coming down the road with a water tank in the bed, empty on the way into Edgewood and full on the way back.

Around the ranch there are locations with a few inches of dirt covering limestone bedrock with no water table.  Houses are supplied with water by large water tanks filled by water haulers (see picture below).  The nearby village of Tijeras has people tapping into its municipal system after dark and stealing water.  

 

image.png.040e3bf1ccde102a3066409c7b54a16d.png

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I just don't understand the logic of buying any property where there are no water rights and no public water available.  I live in the southeast where water is not an issue.  I guess it's just a different mindset.

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29 minutes ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

I just don't understand the logic of buying any property where there are no water rights and no public water available.  I live in the southeast where water is not an issue.  I guess it's just a different mindset.

 

 

 

Contrary to popular Hollywood culture, most of the battles in the west were over water rights.  It is, was, and through out human history in North America (and around the world) has been a major source of conflict.

 

cowboy-architects.thumb.jpg.43aca98434ade3050bcf37f56ce53309.jpg

 

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1 hour ago, Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L said:

 

 

 

Contrary to popular Hollywood culture, most of the battles in the west were over water rights.  It is, was, and through out human history in North America (and around the world) has been a major source of conflict.

 

cowboy-architects.thumb.jpg.43aca98434ade3050bcf37f56ce53309.jpg

 

And it’s only going to get worse.

 

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There's plenty of cheap land in Wyoming. 160 acre parcels for $40k or less. It's cheap because there's no water.

Same as in New Mexico. 

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I thought EOT was moving to Oklahoma?  After this year.

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