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What situation almost made you quit?


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Reading another thread prompted me to this...

I hear of folks that won't come 'back' from being 'brow beat', or overwhelmed with ' you're doing it wrong'....many other things.

My one time:

It was a state shoot.

Had shot monthly matches, and was shooting 100+ stages (as a novice shooter) so decided to go conventioneer.

This allowed to shoot 2 stages with a posse.

Being the hubby was shooting, I went down the morning with him...took on score keeping...and whatever else I could do.

Now, that 1st day I did nothing but help out.

The second day I decided to shoot.

I chose the second stage of the day...and thought I had done well.

(Oh...hubby and I had one set of guns...so sharing took time)

The next stage, I asked the PM if I could shoot that one, and was told "lets see if there is time"

Okay???

Then the next stage he bellowed that we all needed to step up...that we were on a time limit.

Well....how did you think that made me feel?

I handed the score book off, told my husband I was going back to the camper.

Later, the PM asked where I was.

Hubby let him know his remarks 'ran me off'.

Now...I cried all the way up the hill...and did not come down for after hours socializing....

I am glad that this PM was not a local, or I would have quit then and there.

 

I have more patience, I suppose, for slower/or newer folks than most....probably because I was shown none.

 

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No single situation has ever made me want to quit. Folks have always been polite and enjoyable. 
 

But going back to shoots after a five year hiatus and seeing 10/10/4 on every stage...  That made me stop and think. I hadn’t been involved due to my stage of life, but the game had evolved. That’s okay. 
 

Still really good people, but I burn powder in other ways now. 

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Situations differ while Sue could be run off by a rude Posse Marshall that only tightens the grip for some people that refuse to have a can tied to their tail.

Mine is a bit different I have been competitive most of my 20 year SASS career.  In April I learned I had cancer and an aggressive one at that.  May25th they opened me up and removed the offending parts.  Post operation problems almost did what the cancer hadn't had time to do but it was hard.  Now, I'm not the shooter I was can I go back and limp around and still enjoy myself.  Just how important is hearing your name called how fragile is my ego?  I though about a lot of things but I'm hard to kill and have a very supportive family.  I didn't realize just how supportive my and I mean MY cowboy family is.  I shot an annual this weekend and with the help of my friends exceeded my expectations.  Life goes on. 

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2 minutes ago, twelve mile REB said:

Situations differ while Sue could be run off by a rude Posse Marshall that only tightens the grip for some people that refuse to have a can tied to their tail.

Mine is a bit different I have been competitive most of my 20 year SASS career.  In April I learned I had cancer and an aggressive one at that.  May25th they opened me up and removed the offending parts.  Post operation problems almost did what the cancer hadn't had time to do but it was hard.  Now, I'm not the shooter I was can I go back and limp around and still enjoy myself.  Just how important is hearing your name called how fragile is my ego?  I though about a lot of things but I'm hard to kill and have a very supportive family.  I didn't realize just how supportive my and I mean MY cowboy family is.  I shot an annual this weekend and with the help of my friends exceeded my expectations.  Life goes on. 

REB...you have the BIGGEST Angel beside you!!:wub:

How many years now? 51??

Anyhow, Prayers for continued healing!!!

I love you and Pat

..and it is FAMILY like you that have kept me here!!!

FYI: not a hair on my body (not even the two on my chin) has a competitive molecule!!!:wub:

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33 misses in the Wild Bunch match five days ago at the Montana State championship. :lol:

Age is taking its toll - I reckon I'm done shooting Traditional WB, and am going to have to stoop to shooting Modern. :mellow:

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2 hours ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

I cried all the way up the hill

 

What?  Don't you know there's no crying in SASS?

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx2Sps9aMcY

 

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EoT '03 : My only overseas trip (ever) was to  EoT'03, Bestest time ever, except .....

 

 .... in my posse was a nice young fellow who was always keen and often first in line to shoot each stage; being a bit of an extrovert he liked to "adlib and improvise" the start line. Never got it quite wrong and always included the essence of the line. Hey, we was all havin' fun. 

 The start line was "This is for Will Munny", our man was first and 'This isn't for Santa Claus, this is for ....... " at which point the RO yelled "SAY THE LINE AS WRITTEN!!"

 From that point on, from under the wet blanket that had been thrown over the entire posse came the flat monotone "this-is-for-will-munny" from every competitor in that whole posse, myowndangself included. 

Spirit picked up about a stage later.

To this day, I have not been back to EoT. 

 

( of course living halfway around the world and being broke has a lot to do with the situation too)  :ph34r:

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I actually did quit. 
After the 2004 EOT and the Wild Bunch loaded up all the targets and equipment in Norco and shipped it all to Founder’s Ranch without so much as a “kiss my ***” to all of us in The Coto Cowboys then the egregious insult to me by the club President at the big raffle and fund drive match we had to outfit our new club “The Cowboys” I quit after I moved to North Carolina. 
 

I returned in 2016 to find that “gamers” took over SASS and it’s all about close targets and fast 10-10-4 stages. 
 

Heck, I put myself out of commission so may times this past few years it feels like I have quit and restarted again a few times now. :lol:

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14 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I actually did quit. 
After the 2004 EOT and the Wild Bunch loaded up all the targets and equipment in Norco and shipped it all to Founder’s Ranch without so much as a “kiss my ***” to all of us in The Coto Cowboys then the egregious insult to me by the club President at the big raffle and fund drive match we had to outfit our new club “The Cowboys” I quit after I moved to North Carolina. 
 

I returned in 2016 to find that “gamers” took over SASS and it’s all about close targets and fast 10-10-4 stages. 
 

Heck, I put myself out of commission so may times this past few years it feels like I have quit and restarted again a few times now. :lol:

Well, if it makes ya feel better, I hear your name around these parts every once in a while and it's always been complementary.

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51 minutes ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said:

EoT '03 : My only overseas trip (ever) was to  EoT'03, Bestest time ever, except .....

 

 .... in my posse was a nice young fellow who was always keen and often first in line to shoot each stage; being a bit of an extrovert he liked to "adlib and improvise" the start line. Never got it quite wrong and always included the essence of the line. Hey, we was all havin' fun. 

 The start line was "This is for Will Munny", our man was first and 'This isn't for Santa Claus, this is for ....... " at which point the RO yelled "SAY THE LINE AS WRITTEN!!"

 From that point on, from under the wet blanket that had been thrown over the entire posse came the flat monotone "this-is-for-will-munny" from every competitor in that whole posse, myowndangself included. 

Spirit picked up about a stage later.

To this day, I have not been back to EoT. 

 

( of course living halfway around the world and being broke has a lot to do with the situation too)  :ph34r:

I like to hear some of the lines folks meld!!!

Shame on the pooper-head!

 

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50 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

I had a stage where the spotter said “I didn’t know so I called it a miss.” Nobody spoke up. I didn’t bother to say anything because the concept of not calling a miss when you don’t know was not clear to anybody.

TO should have called it a HIT, if the spotter 'didn't know.

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33 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I actually did quit. 
After the 2004 EOT and the Wild Bunch loaded up all the targets and equipment in Norco and shipped it all to Founder’s Ranch without so much as a “kiss my ***” to all of us in The Coto Cowboys then the egregious insult to me by the club President at the big raffle and fund drive match we had to outfit our new club “The Cowboys” I quit after I moved to North Carolina. 
 

I returned in 2016 to find that “gamers” took over SASS and it’s all about close targets and fast 10-10-4 stages. 
 

Heck, I put myself out of commission so may times this past few years it feels like I have quit and restarted again a few times now. :lol:

Oh man.

I don't want to get into the 'that was then' thing...but yes, bad 'blood' and such can ruin many things.

I continue to support the matches I enjoy...and keep truckin'.

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Never entertained the thought of quitting!!  I HAVE once or twice entertained the idea of cleaning someone’s clock for being rude or for mistreating someone, but I discovered long ago that I don’t like jail!!  That has honestly kept my temper in check.  I’m no stranger to taking a whooping, but it has never kept me from expressing my opinion in less than acceptable ways.

 

SO!! When a lady friend of ours was verbally abused after having a less than stellar stage, years ago,  it took a great deal of restraint to keep me from bending a gun barrel over a rude TO’s noggin!!  After some serious discussion, we all decided to not cause a scene, to finish the match, and just not return!

 

On another day, I’d have at least had a word with the match director about the offending oaf, but we were informed that this individual was a big contributor and that the MD was loathe to take action.

 

The club no longer exists, the oaf has apparently moved on to other endeavors, and we’re all still shooting!!  All’s well…

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Oh, and to add insult to injury I contracted a fellow Cowboy SASS member to be my realtor in NC. I gave him a $750 check to purchase my home warranty. He pocketed the check and when the AC failed less than a year later I found out he never paid Century 21 for my warranty so I was out the $750 plus $500 to repair my AC unit. Grrrrrrrrr 

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 Nothing or no one could make me quit but the weather as I get older is a real factor in whether I shoot or not!

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1 hour ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

 

I returned in 2016 to find that “gamers” took over SASS and it’s all about close targets and fast 10-10-4 stages. 
 

 

I haven't quit but I have cut back considerably. I am a gamer. I look for the fastest way to complete the stage within the rules but the close enough to spit on targets has taken a lot of the fun out of it.

 

I've stopped going to matches that are a 4 hour round trip just to shoot for 2 minutes. I don't even bother with State and above matches these days, the value just isn't there to justify the expense.

 

I'll go to the ones that are within an hour for the most part but it's really just to spend time with my 84 year old Dad who still has a great time shooting Gunfighter. I guess that after 24 years of shooting SASS, I'm kind of burnt out on it. As BB King said, The Thrill is Gone.

 

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I have a pretty thick skin and can let pretty much anything pass by. I am here for MY enjoyment and not the criticisms of others.

 

That being said, I know quite a few that have quit (so far) for being criticized at how they shoot a stage, their equipment and some that have devoted much time and effort to the sport by new club officers that do not have a clue as to how to run a club.

 

Some have bristled at the unwanted "advice" given by "well-meaning" experienced shooters that would be better directed to those that really want to compete vs participate. 

 

I have also experienced all of the above but do not let it affect my being able to participate in CAS. 

 

(I did resign from the board though.)

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37 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

I haven't quit but I have cut back considerably. I am a gamer. I look for the fastest way to complete the stage within the rules but the close enough to spit on targets has taken a lot of the fun out of it.

Perhaps I should have used a different term or tack. What I should have said was the game now seems to be only about speed and getting stages over with quickly. 
 

Nothing wrong with gaming within the rules and the spirit of the game. No insult meant. :)
 

 

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2 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Perhaps I should have used a different term or tack. What I should have said was the game now seems to be only about speed and getting stages over with quickly. 
 

Nothing wrong with gaming within the rules and the spirit of the game. No insult meant. :)
 

 

It is a game...so 'gamer' is not a bad thing...as long as their 'toes don't cross the line':wub:

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Well... Let me think... My second shoot, which also happened to be the State match. Between the substantial length of time between the first shoot and the second, I had a major career upheaval, was dealing with a lot of personal issues and more. A number of people had worked very hard to get me to come out and shoot, including a couple who sold me firearms for cheap after I had needed to sell my others, the match director telling me he was giving me a "military / veterans discount on fees, and that a couple of other shooters were covering that... Really going above and beyond what anyone could reasonably expect to get me out there. Even reloads for ammo. They made it so I literally had no reason to not go shoot the match.

Stage One. Say starting line, starter goes beep. First firearm... Squib. Table it and go to second... Squib... I didn't even try the third. The shotgun fired, though!!! After I realized that I had to take the safety off because it automatically engaged.

 

Walking off the stage, I was completely stunned and discouraged. After the unloading table, I just stood there in disbelief. I was prepared to be frustrated with the learning curve, but I was so ready to be in love with the sport and the people... And... That happened. I very nearly put everything in my cart to take the long walk back to my truck. My daughter had joined me and was watching, and I didn't want to set that example for her though (Actually, I wanted to live up to her example when she was the slowest cross country runner at her first meets, but never gave up).

 

I bumped into the shooter (who will remain nameless), who gave me the ammunition, and he was... Appalled wouldn't put too fine a point on it. He dropped everything and was back in a couple of minutes with different ammo, which he promised would work just fine. It did. I'm still not shooting anywhere near as often as I would like, but I am shooting as much as time and money (and now ammo availability) allow. Now that I am in a new career field, I hope that increases.

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14 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Perhaps I should have used a different term or tack. What I should have said was the game now seems to be only about speed and getting stages over with quickly. 
 

Nothing wrong with gaming within the rules and the spirit of the game. No insult meant. :)
 

 

 

None taken at all.

 

Oh wait, I quit....or not:D

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29 minutes ago, Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L said:

Some have bristled at the unwanted "advice" given by "well-meaning" experienced shooters that would be better directed to those that really want to compete vs participate. 

While that is not the reason that I stopped going to matches, I remember a match in Georgia where I was shooting 45 Colt. At the unloading table some punk came up to me and told me that, "If you were to learn how to reload, you could load lighter charges and lighter bullets into those 45s, and get back on target quicker".

 

I'm standing there thinking, "I've been reloading longer than you've been alive boy. Keep your damn nose out of my business." Didn't say it. Thought it.

 

Probably he was sincerely trying to be helpful, but if somebody don't ask for your help, it's most likely because they don't want your help.

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5 hours ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

REB...you have the BIGGEST Angel beside you!!:wub:

How many years now? 51??

Anyhow, Prayers for continued healing!!!

I love you and Pat

..and it is FAMILY like you that have kept me here!!!

FYI: not a hair on my body (not even the two on my chin) has a competitive molecule!!!:wub:

53 at EOT 2022

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A few things have frustrated me lately and make me question why I'm doing this.

1. Angry arguing in the posse over what seem to be silly things to me. This isn't for money. It doesn't gain you points to get into any type of state, regional, or national matches. Why do some folks make a big deal over little things?

2. With the exception of Injun Ryder and a few others, many of my new friends have left our club and went back to another club. I miss their banter and camaraderie. I think part of the reason they left is due to Number 1.

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Let's see.  A lot of the guys I enjoyed shooting with got old.  New guys started taking on more of the club management.  Went from fun/goofy stages to 10,10,4 speed stages.  They had a "famous" world champion come and give a seminar.  This man, he is well respected and should be, commented on how the target placement was a sniper shoot, the targets were placed so far away from the firing line.  Went from fun, maybe somewhat complicated stages where you might have to think about what you were doing, to speed stages.  As fast as you could dump them.  It was time to move along with other interests.  I still go to matches. maybe once a year but it isn't as much fun without the guys I used to shoot and holler at.

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43 minutes ago, Alpo said:

While that is not the reason that I stopped going to matches, I remember a match in Georgia where I was shooting 45 Colt. At the unloading table some punk came up to me and told me that, "If you were to learn how to reload, you could load lighter charges and lighter bullets into those 45s, and get back on target quicker".

 

I'm standing there thinking, "I've been reloading longer than you've been alive boy. Keep your damn nose out of my business." Didn't say it. Thought it.

 

Probably he was sincerely trying to be helpful, but if somebody don't ask for your help, it's most likely because they don't want your help.

I shoot 45s and was told the same thing as you.  I just smiled back and said 45s are suppose to have recoil!!!!

 

You see my dad was stubborn and so was mom.  That means I have a double dose of stubbornness! 

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I've heard of the old fun stages, but I joined late enough that I can't actually miss them. I would love to try one or two, though.

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1 hour ago, Alpo said:

While that is not the reason that I stopped going to matches, I remember a match in Georgia where I was shooting 45 Colt. At the unloading table some punk came up to me and told me that, "If you were to learn how to reload, you could load lighter charges and lighter bullets into those 45s, and get back on target quicker".

That’s funny, I had similar advice by a couple of folks a couple of years ago. I like .45 Colt ammo that hits with authority. This guy starts explaining how Cowboy Action is supposed to be. I guess everyone is supposed to shoot light loads now. 
I smiled, pointed at my badge and said “Read that badge number.”

He did. His face flushed and then I said “Thank you, but you’ve bothered me enough today.”

 

 

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Arthritis hurts.  Getting out of bed and doing range of motion exercises just to be able to go to the range; manipulating the guns;  moving from one shooting position to another.  Realizing I will never be as competitive as I was even a year ago.

 

It’s getting close.

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It's not been the people for me.  The stages get boring.  There's only so much you can do with a 10/10/4 under current SASS rules.  The other thing is that I ended up with a palsy.  My hands now shake like a leaf in a high wind.  I don't really feel safe.  But I'm now on some meds that help a lot, so I can shoot again.  Then there's the current price of primers.  I'm shooting very little as I have no idea when there will be availability and the market will stabilize.

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