Does Wrangler collapse to Cowboy if not enough entries?

[Popcorn Kelly]

Here are the two SHB sections relevant to the question:  

• 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; and,
• Protected age-based categories: Buckaroo/Buckarette, Junior, Elder Statesman/Grand Dame, Cattle Baron/Cattle Baroness, El Patron/La Patrona, and El Rey/La Reina.

 

Question: If Wrangler’s entry does not meet the minimum entries and the club collapses categories, would Wrangler be collapsed to Cowboy?  In my interpretation of the above sections, Cowboy is the "base" category to which Wrangler entries would be moved if they don't have the minimum number of entries. 

To come at this from the other side, if Wranglers would never be collapsed, it effectively makes them a Protected category and therefore would be listed as such (bullet #2 above).

 

This is mostly a curiosity question as I work to understand how this section is applied.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

Yes...  And No - it depends.

 

Wrangler can be collapsed. 

There is no protection.

 

As for Cowboy/ Cowgirl.

Cowboy and Cowgirl are the BASE categories from which all "Age" based (without style/ propellant modifiers) originate.

 

Without designating them as such; they ARE a protected category (under certain circumstances) as they exist because there is no where else to collapse a Cowboy/ Cowgirl  competitor to (that is age ineligible for any other category)

 

But they are not labeled as "protected" because the thinking is slightly different - IF you have shooters in Cowboy that are ONLY eligible to shoot Cowboy - it has to be offered.

 

But lets say you have 4 shooters in Cowboy (not meeting your match minimums) AND all 4 of these shooters ARE age eligible to shoot in other categories - you are not required to protect Cowboy; you "could" legally collapse Cowboy and push the other age category eligible shooters UPWARD.

 

And then you "could" have a match without Cowboy being populated or protected.

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

"Who's on First?"

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

For Cattle Baron and above they simply collapse on the ground.

[German Jim]

48 minutes ago, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

"Who's on First?"

"I Don't Know"

[Sedalia Dave]

36 minutes ago, German Jim said:

"I Don't Know"

 

Second Base

[mean gun mark]

for the ohio state match , i still offer all the base categories, regardless of entrants.   its all the age based/style extra that i collapse down..

[Dusty Devil Dale]

On 5/10/2024 at 2:13 PM, Creeker, SASS #43022 said:

Yes...  And No - it depends.

 

Wrangler can be collapsed. 

There is no protection.

 

As for Cowboy/ Cowgirl.

Cowboy and Cowgirl are the BASE categories from which all "Age" based (without style/ propellant modifiers) originate.

 

Without designating them as such; they ARE a protected category (under certain circumstances) as they exist because there is no where else to collapse a Cowboy/ Cowgirl  competitor to (that is age ineligible for any other category)

 

But they are not labeled as "protected" because the thinking is slightly different - IF you have shooters in Cowboy that are ONLY eligible to shoot Cowboy - it has to be offered.

 

But lets say you have 4 shooters in Cowboy (not meeting your match minimums) AND all 4 of these shooters ARE age eligible to shoot in other categories - you are not required to protect Cowboy; you "could" legally collapse Cowboy and push the other age category eligible shooters UPWARD.

 

And then you "could" have a match without Cowboy being populated or protected.

But how do you determine if they have other  age-eligibility, without knowing their actual age? 

[Turquoise Bill, SASS #39118]

Most major matches, including EOT require a photo ID when the competitor checks in at registration. It is checked against his or her age based category.

 

TB

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

58 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

But how do you determine if they have other  age-eligibility, without knowing their actual age? 

 

31 minutes ago, Turquoise Bill, SASS #39118 said:

Most major matches, including EOT require a photo ID when the competitor checks in at registration. It is checked against his or her age based category.

 

TB

And in the absence of that - the MD can simply ask (or go off of pre existing knowledge).

 

And remember - you wouldn't necessarily be placing them into their "age appropriate" category - but into the category nearest to their chosen one.

 

So you have 4 shooters in our hypothetical situation all signed up in Cowboy.

After you determine that ALL are age eligible for other categories; you don't send two of them to 49'r, one to Silver Senior and one to Cattle Baron via their birthdates.

You send all of them to the nearest category that they are eligible for.

In this example - they would all go to Wrangler. 

THEN "If" Wrangler were not fully populated - AND everyone in Wrangler was age eligible to shoot a different (older) category - you "could" collapse upward again and place everyone in 49'r.

 

NOW - let's say you have a shooter in 49'r- that is age category ineligible to move upward (and we have already collapsed Cowboy and Wrangler) then 49'r cannot be collapsed and becomes the base age "protected" category - and until you reach full category population or a SASS noted protected category; you would/ could then begin collapsing shooters downward into 49'r.

 

So - while Cowboy is not a "protected" category per the rules; eventually you will have a "protected" age based category that encompasses the youngest shooter that is ineligible for any other category.

[Cemetery]

On 5/11/2024 at 5:37 PM, mean gun mark said:

for the ohio state match , i still offer all the base categories, regardless of entrants.   its all the age based/style extra that i collapse down..

 

Isn't this how it's supposed to be done?

[Branchwater Jack SASS #88854]

6 hours ago, Cemetery said:

 

Isn't this how it's supposed to be done?

Not really. See SHB pg 10

 

But following the logic that it is acceptable to offer a Wrangler category with only one entrant and not collapse it down to cowboy, would you also say that it 'ok' to offer a Wrangler gunfighter category with only 1 entrant and not collapse it down to just a single gunfighter category?

 

If you say, no, that it is not okay, why not? What's the difference?

 

[Cemetery]

1 hour ago, Branchwater Jack SASS #88854 said:

Not really. See SHB pg 10

 

But following the logic that it is acceptable to offer a Wrangler category with only one entrant and not collapse it down to cowboy, would you also say that it 'ok' to offer a Wrangler gunfighter category with only 1 entrant and not collapse it down to just a single gunfighter category?

 

If you say, no, that it is not okay, why not? What's the difference?

 

 

Can't shoot gunfighter in any category other than Gunfighter or B-Western, also Wrangler is aged based, so yes, that could get rolled down to Cowboy.

 

when @mean gun mark mentioned 'base' categories, I am under the impression that he meant Gunfighter, Duelist, Classic Cowboy, B-Western, and Black Powder categories. Of which I'm under the impression they all are 'base' categories, that would always be offered.  Yet, re reading the rule book, I'm not so sure.

[mean gun mark]

There is some match director discretion, my opinion a state or above should offer all base catagories….. ie: if i have 2 people for fcgf, im going to offer that catagory.   Now if i had 5 for fcgf and only 2 for sr. Fcgf, they will get dropped down to fcgf.     I have been very resistant to all the extra “ age/ sytle” categories. But as a match director I realize i am selling entertainment and that seems to be what people want. So this upcoming state championship i offered for everyone to check the age box and the style box.    But with a match of approximately 125 shooters i only end up with 4 maybe 5 extra categories.      To me cowboy/ wrangler are both base catagories 

[mean gun mark]

Everyone also must realize that with each new category, your awards budget takes a bump up, while trying to manage all the cost involved with putting on a match, the main intent is to make some money for your club, not alot but some…., while also realizing if you cant keep your shooters happy, your numbers are going to dwindle down.  Every match has certain fixed cost, banquet hall, porta potties, paint, range maintenance, etc..,, then there are the flexible costs, banquet dinner, awards, shooters swag gifts, etc…., bigger numbers you can dilute the fixed cost over more shooters.    Its really a threading the needle act… my state match we have a banquet dinner and a friday night steak dinner, sadly we may have to drop the steak dinner after this year,  once we tally the final numbers…. I ball park the extra awards cost would cover approximately 20 of the steak dinners at our cost. 

[Idaho Gunslinger]

Looking at page 10 in the SHB it is very direct in saying this age based categories are protected: 

Exceptions to the category mandate include protected age-based categories:  Buckaroo/Buckarette, Junior, Elder Statesman/Grand Dame, Cattle Baron/Cattle Baroness, El Patron/La Patrona, and El Rey/La Reina.

 

Just above that it shows how to collapse categories: 

- Gunfighter -> Lady Senior Gunfighter -> Lady Senior Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter.

-Duelist -> Lady Duelist -> Lady Senior Duelist -> Lady Silver Senior Duelist.

 

That tells me a few more things, 1. That Gunfighter and Duelist also appear to be protected categories. 2. Frontier Cartridge and Lady's are not protected. 

 

But it leaves me with a few questions.

- Does that mean if you have only a couple people shooting 2 handed Frontier cartridge do they collapse to Cowboy and shoot with the smokeless?

- Same with Frontiersman, Classic Cowboy, and B-Western, are they also not protected?

 

Page 5 of the SHB starts off: 

SASS recognizes shooting categories based upon age, gender, costuming, equipment, shooting style, and/or propellant.

 

We see that specific age categories are protected and shooting style appears to be protected, but other age categories, gender, and propellant due not appear to be protected. As stated above it's not clear about costuming and equipment. This is just a relatively new shootings point of view here. 

 

 

[Taos]

On 5/10/2024 at 3:32 PM, Popcorn Kelly said:

Here are the two SHB sections relevant to the question:  

• 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; and,
• Protected age-based categories: Buckaroo/Buckarette, Junior, Elder Statesman/Grand Dame, Cattle Baron/Cattle Baroness, El Patron/La Patrona, and El Rey/La Reina.

 

Question: If Wrangler’s entry does not meet the minimum entries and the club collapses categories, would Wrangler be collapsed to Cowboy?  In my interpretation of the above sections, Cowboy is the "base" category to which Wrangler entries would be moved if they don't have the minimum number of entries. 

To come at this from the other side, if Wranglers would never be collapsed, it effectively makes them a Protected category and therefore would be listed as such (bullet #2 above).

 

This is mostly a curiosity question as I work to understand how this section is applied.

 

So, Elder Statesman CAN NOT be collapsed to Silver Senior?  That right?

What if the Category is ES Frontier Cartridge?  Can it then be collapsed into SS Frontier Cartridge? 

[Turquoise Bill, SASS #39118]

14 minutes ago, Taos said:

 

So, Elder Statesman CAN NOT be collapsed to Silver Senior?  That right?

What if the Category is ES Frontier Cartridge?  Can it then be collapsed into SS Frontier Cartridge? 

Yes you are correct, the category collapses down in the next lower age based category of the same style.

 

TB

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

2 hours ago, Idaho Gunslinger said:

Looking at page 10 in the SHB it is very direct in saying this age based categories are protected: 

Exceptions to the category mandate include protected age-based categories:  Buckaroo/Buckarette, Junior, Elder Statesman/Grand Dame, Cattle Baron/Cattle Baroness, El Patron/La Patrona, and El Rey/La Reina.

 

Just above that it shows how to collapse categories: 

- Gunfighter -> Lady Senior Gunfighter -> Lady Senior Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter.

-Duelist -> Lady Duelist -> Lady Senior Duelist -> Lady Silver Senior Duelist.

 

That tells me a few more things, 1. That Gunfighter and Duelist also appear to be protected categories. 2. Frontier Cartridge and Lady's are not protected. 

 

But it leaves me with a few questions.

- Does that mean if you have only a couple people shooting 2 handed Frontier cartridge do they collapse to Cowboy and shoot with the smokeless?

- Same with Frontiersman, Classic Cowboy, and B-Western, are they also not protected?

 

Page 5 of the SHB starts off: 

SASS recognizes shooting categories based upon age, gender, costuming, equipment, shooting style, and/or propellant.

 

We see that specific age categories are protected and shooting style appears to be protected, but other age categories, gender, and propellant due not appear to be protected. As stated above it's not clear about costuming and equipment. This is just a relatively new shootings point of view here. 

 

 

 

I'll let PWB discuss the rules.  However, at our state match we consider base propellant categories as protected.  I shoot ESFC at bigger matches but shoot FC at our state match.  If I was told I could not shoot FC I would withdraw from the match and just show up as a match worker.  

 

1 hour ago, Taos said:

 

So, Elder Statesman CAN NOT be collapsed to Silver Senior?  That right?

What if the Category is ES Frontier Cartridge?  Can it then be collapsed into SS Frontier Cartridge? 

I register in ESFC for Land Run.  I have been placed in SSFC after agreeing to this with the match director.  I have no complaints.  I placed in SSFC and my goal was to simply place in the match.  

[Cemetery]

3 hours ago, Idaho Gunslinger said:

We see that specific age categories are protected and shooting style appears to be protected, but other age categories, gender, and propellant due not appear to be protected. As stated above it's not clear about costuming and equipment. This is just a relatively new shootings point of view here. 

 

 

Shooter's Handbook is not clear on what could be considered protected regarding shooting style, costumes, or propellant.

 

One MD I spoke with said D, GF, CC, BW, and BP categories are base and protected (except when age breakdowns happen), while other MD's say they are not.

 

It's just not the best then when you arrive for a match, and find out you got moved into another category, because the MD didn't want to honor your 'base' category.

 

And as a GF, it sux extra because there's no other category to shoot GF in (besides BW).....

[Idaho Gunslinger]

43 minutes ago, Cemetery said:

 

Shooter's Handbook is not clear on what could be considered protected regarding shooting style, costumes, or propellant.

 

One MD I spoke with said D, GF, CC, BW, and BP categories are base and protected (except when age breakdowns happen), while other MD's say they are not.

 

It's just not the best then when you arrive for a match, and find out you got moved into another category, because the MD didn't want to honor your 'base' category.

 

And as a GF, it sux extra because there's no other category to shoot GF in (besides BW).....

Yeah. I think there was a thread on here once where someone said they were at a match that there were not enough Duelists and they lumped them into Gunfighter; or maybe it was vice versa. Which would be a pretty unfair advantage to put them up against each other. 

[Popcorn Kelly]

4 hours ago, Taos said:

 

So, Elder Statesman CAN NOT be collapsed to Silver Senior?  That right?

What if the Category is ES Frontier Cartridge?  Can it then be collapsed into SS Frontier Cartridge? 

Yes, that is my understanding.  Age-based Style and Costume categories aren't "Protected" and are subject to being collapsed if the MD wants to do so.   We don't collapse categories at the Illinois State Championship.  Instead, we offer a few targeted Unprotected categories which are indicated by the peach-colored cells in the attached image, and then guarantee the person will be able to shoot in it at the match.  These include the Unprotected categories of Wrangler through Silver Senior, and a few age categories for Duelist, Gunfighter, and FC Duelist.  We don't get crazy and all every possible iteration, just these few targeted categories based on our experience. We also publish how many people are signed up for each category so if someone really craves the competition they can self-select into a more competitive category if they wish to do so.  I'd much rather shooters voluntarily self-select into a different category than to have us move them involuntarily.  

(*The image reflects the Protected and Unprotected Categories as we understand and apply them here.)

[Colt Laredo]

Just honor all categories that you put on the Application.

 

If you think you might have to collapse, then offer less categories to shooters.

Only the shooter knows why they picked a particular category.

 

I think changing someone's category before a match is just plain wrong!

 

Otherwise, offer a full refund to any shooter that is forced to change.

[MizPete]

I remember when we had Modern and Traditional (men's and ladies').  I remember the creation of Buckaroo (Montana Brown was responsible for it).  We have 'way too many categories because some people ain't entertained if they don't get a buckle.  Even my 11-year-old grandson said he didn't think he should "win" if he was the only buckaroo there.  IMHO it creates additional burdens on the match hosts and accomplishes little except stroking egos.  I do not disapprove of age-based categories per se (yes, age CAN be a disadvantage) but we have watered them down so far they are practically meaningless.  Just my opinion.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

I few years ago my wife and I attended an annual match in a nearby state.  The match was on a lovely range.  Stages were fun and challenging.  I had one of my best stage times ever.  However, we registered in black powder categories and were switched to smokeless categories without prior notification.  We had no smokeless ammo with us and finished near the bottom of our categories as a consequence.  We went home disappointed and will not return.  An e-mail a week before the match would have been enough to for us to pack different ammo.  We thought the match director treated us disrespectfully.  

[Leroy Luck]

1 hour ago, MizPete said:

We have 'way too many categories because some people ain't entertained if they don't get a buckle.  Even my 11-year-old grandson said he didn't think he should "win" if he was the only buckaroo there.  

A view from the other side of the fence:

 

If they are the only ones to show up for their respective categories it just shows the commitment/willingness to attend matches. They earned it like anybody else could’ve and should be proud of the accomplishment. 

[Branchwater Jack SASS #88854]

7 hours ago, mean gun mark said:

There is some match director discretion, my opinion a state or above should offer all base catagories….. ie: if i have 2 people for fcgf, im going to offer that catagory.   Now if i had 5 for fcgf and only 2 for sr. Fcgf, they will get dropped down to fcgf....To me cowboy/ wrangler are both base catagories 

 

You seem to be stating that you would not approve of having Senior FCGF if there were only two participants, but be perfectly ok with having only 2 signed up in the Senior category simply because it is an age based category. Are we giving preference to the latter simply because they shoot two handed or is there some other difference?

 

I will agree that there may be more than the minimum in the Senior category at most major matches now a days (we are an aged bunch), but you add gender on top of the base....you very well could have one ladies senior and another one want to sign up for ladies senior Frontier Cartridge. Why allow the category of one for a lady shooting two handed smokeless, but drop the other other lady down to shoot with the two young young gals signed up for ladies FC? 

 

 

 

[Popcorn Kelly]

I posted this thread's initial question while I was working on the video attached below.  We don't collapse categories, but I could easily model what the impact would have been had we done so using our registration data.  In the video below I describe what I learned from this exercise.  I'm giving this group an early opportunity to view it before making it available to a wider audience.  Suffice it to say I found little upside for us to collapse categories and will continue to offer a hybrid model where we offer all Protected and a select number of Unprotected Categories, and then sticking with them.  

 

 

[mean gun mark]

3 hours ago, Branchwater Jack SASS #88854 said:

 

You seem to be stating that you would not approve of having Senior FCGF if there were only two participants, but be perfectly ok with having only 2 signed up in the Senior category simply because it is an age based category. Are we giving preference to the latter simply because they shoot two handed or is there some other difference?

 

I will agree that there may be more than the minimum in the Senior category at most major matches now a days (we are an aged bunch), but you add gender on top of the base....you very well could have one ladies senior and another one want to sign up for ladies senior Frontier Cartridge. Why allow the category of one for a lady shooting two handed smokeless, but drop the other other lady down to shoot with the two young young gals signed up for ladies FC? 

 

 

 

SR. is a base category, same as classic cowboy or b western and i will offer them no matter the number, but yes to offer sr, b western i would require at least 3 for my match.  same for  silver sr. classic cowboy......not necessarily the absolute right way to do it but its the way we do it in ohio.    my favorite way to shoot is outlaw, but i know when i sign up for a big match they may or may not offer it, so im fine in fcgf or plain gf,   just as long as i know beforehand so i know what ammo to bring..   not a preference for the age based categories just i see that as a base category

[Branchwater Jack SASS #88854]

9 hours ago, mean gun mark said:

 not a preference for the age based categories just i see that as a base category

 

But the fact that you see it that you see Senior as a protected age-based category, contrary to the shooter's handbook, says that you see it that way as your preference. 

 

According to the SHB, exceptions to the category mandate include only the following protected age-based categories:  Buckaroo/Buckarette, Junior, Elder Statesman/Grand Dame, Cattle Baron/Cattle Baroness, El Patron/La Patrona, and El Rey/La Reina.  Senior is NOT on the list of protected age-based categories.

 

9 hours ago, mean gun mark said:

but yes to offer sr, b western i would require at least 3 for my match.

 

 If you have three people sign up for senior b Western and only one person sign up for b Western, should you really have two categories? According to the SHB, no. You would need a certain number in the base of b western in addition to having enough to fill out the senior category.

 

The cool thing with all of this, though, is that none of this really matters. The SHB allows match directors to do whatever they want based on their preferences*. 

 

*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 unless the individual contract indicates otherwise. 

 

I hate to hear about the steak dinner, though.

[mean gun mark]

If i had 3 sr b western and  1  b western i would collapse it down, you need to fill the base before filling the extras. After watching popcorns video i see that sr. Is not necessarily a base catagory. I see your point…. After starting it this year, compressing the catagories is harder  than posse assignments 

[Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L]

That can be a difficult call at times, but ultimately it comes down to the Match Director's decision as to what works.  Nobody likes showing up to a match and not being able to shoot "Their" category, but almost everyone I have encountered understands that there has to be some limit placed in it.  As long as they can shoot their "Shooting Style" they are generally OK with it.

In the Shooters Handbook, Page 10, SASS states...

 

In the interest of ensuring and promoting a true competitive environment at the SASS Sanctioned Championship level of competition (State, Regional, 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.

 

SASS then goes on to define what those minimum entrant levels are for the various levels of sanctioned match, and then they further define a list of "Protected Categories".  Where the confusion comes in to the picture, at least for me, is a clear definition of what the Base categories are, and at least from my perspective, the "Protected Categories" are already included in the Base categories.  Unless someone is planning on lumping the BP shooters in with the Non-BP shooters, or eliminating Costume Categories, or Duelist/Gunfighter Categories, it would appear that the only unprotected categories are the age based categories between 17 and 70.  I'm not sure that was the intent, maybe it was, but I am not privy to the background information.

 

From the Shooters Handbook, Page 10, SASS also states...

 

*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 unless the individual contract indicates otherwise.

 

Below (and attached) is the chart I created and use as a basis for the MD State Match.  My interpretation of the rules is that all of the "Base" categories are to be offered at every match and anything beyond the base is supposed to follow the criteria for minimum entries.   We offer all of the Base Categories our match.  Any of the "Optional" categories are only offered if there are enough participants.  There are exceptions to this.  If I have two folks signed up for Senior Duelist, and nobody signed up for Duelist, I am going to run Senior Duelist because at the end of the day, it doesn't make a difference.  If I end up with a Duelist also, then it will all collapse down to Duelist.

 

The result is that there are 38 "Base" categories, 19 Open and 19 Ladies and, if all of the optional categories were appropriately populated, there would be 128 Optional categories, 64 Open and 64 Ladies.  As unlikely at that is to happen, it could result in 166 categories being offered, but if there were that many shooters, no one would care!

 

SASS Official Category Matrix 27_5.pdf

 

 

That's my take on it anyway, your mileage may vary.  Now, let the flaming begin...

 

 

 

 

[Popcorn Kelly]

It'd be helpful to a lot of people if the "Official" Category Matrix was published in the SHB as an Exhibit or in an Appendix.  I've seen it somewhere before, but it's not as easily found as it should be.  PK 

[Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L]

48 minutes ago, Popcorn Kelly said:

It'd be helpful to a lot of people if the "Official" Category Matrix was published in the SHB as an Exhibit or in an Appendix.  I've seen it somewhere before, but it's not as easily found as it should be.  PK 

 

It has been posted here a few times in the past, and to the Damascus Wildlife Rangers website (specifically the Thunder Valley Days page) and it was published as part of the Mason Dixon Stampede when that match was the Eastern Divisional, but it has never been approved by SASS although it was reviewed by a few on the RO committee some years ago with no negative feedback.

 

I think part of the issue, is that SASS is specifically leaving it vague because they don't want to force match directors to award 38 awards.  There are Sanctioned matches out that draw less than 50 shooters and it can be a huge expense for those matches.  Back in the day when matches sold out in 2 months and even the small ones were 100+ shooters, it was less of a problem.  Of course, we only had a handful of categories back then, but now it can be a "Thanks For Coming, Your Prize Is In Your Shooters Packet" kind of thing.  If that is going to happen, it should at least be the decision of the Match Directors.

 

I had hopes that SASS would have included it, or something very much like it, in the SHB.  It is a constant source of debate amongst the various match directors and some additional guidance from SASS would be appreciated.  I would be more than happy to send the Excel file that I created to generate the .PDF to them so they could do with it as they saw fit, but unless SASS "Officially" blesses it, it remains simply my interpretation of the Category Matrix and Un"Offical".

 

 

[Scarlett]

I’m a FCGF. If there are enough ladies to make a category, I’m a LFCGF. 2022 & 23 at Land Run we had to WORK to get 5 to make the category. This year, I am the only lady, in any age group, to sign up FCGF. There is no option for ME to represent the shooting style that I LOVE unless I shoot in the “open” category - with the fellas - so that is what I’m gonna do. I’ve done it a few times. Won once and the cowboys were totally cool with it. That’s part of the FCGF category that I love the most! It’s competitive, sure, but there’s such a deeper devotion to it than just “choose your category wisely”… it’s special. 
 

As for me collapsing to LFCD or LFC - I’d get DQ’d because I’d draw both revolvers… and it wouldn’t be as fun.

 

I put on match applications that I will shoot LFCGF OR FCGF - that I don’t want to be a category of one. Some match directors won’t put me in open - I think it’s gonna take some getting used to.  @mean gun mark was one of the first cowboys to encourage/welcome me to shoot FCGF. Thank you! 
 

Hugs!

Scarlett

 

apologies if I went too far off topic.