Dispatch from Wyoming !

[T-Square]

HELL ON WHEELS 2026 – WHERE THE SMOKE ROLLED!

If you weren't ridin' into Cheyenne for Hell on Wheels 2026, partner, you flat missed one of the finest gatherings of gunfighters, gamblers, grinners, and black powder smoke this side of the Mississippi!

 

The Border Vigilantes once again proved they know exactly how to host a State championship worthy of every mile on the odometer. More than 122 cowboys and cowgirls pointed their wagons toward Wyoming, traveling from Georgia, the Carolinas, Arizona, Washington, and just about every point in between to answer the call. And what a call it was!

 

The opening ceremonies started with a calvary colorguard, a Prayer, a brief safety meeting and review of the SASS Rules - and then the thunder of gunfire filled the Wyoming frontier !!

 

The stage writers must've been fueled by campfire coffee and a healthy disregard for lazy shooters. Every stage had its own personality. One minute you were carrying a stick of "dynamite" that everyone secretly hoped wouldn't become too realistic. The next, you were trying to convince yourself those distant targets really were pistol distance. Then came another sprint across the range...followed by a zig...another zag...and enough boot leather burned to qualify as a cardio workout. If your hat wasn't crooked by the unloading table, you probably hadn't shot the stage correctly!

 

Yet somehow, the Border Vigilantes pulled off the impossible—stages that challenged the seasoned speed demons while still leaving newer shooters smiling wider than a jackrabbit in a carrot patch. Fast, fun, clever, and loaded with just enough trickery to keep everyone honest.

 

Mother Nature even tipped her hat to the festivities. The weather ranged from cool Wyoming mornings beneath gentle clouds to bright summer sunshine, with that legendary prairie breeze making sure nobody forgot they were shootin' on the High Plains. 

 

When the last shot echoed across the range each day, the fun was just getting started.

 

Cook Your Own Steak Night once again became a feast worthy of a cattle drive. The grills glowed, the steaks sizzled, and no cowboy, cowgirl, or hungry sidekick wandered away looking for a second supper.

 

Saturday night's casino was another legendary affair. Cards were played, fortunes won and lost...but the undisputed queen of the gambling hall remained the world-famous Chicken Poop Bingo! Competitors eagerly purchased squares beneath the royal henhouse, anxiously awaiting the official decision of one remarkably unimpressed feathered judge. When Her Highness finally rendered her verdict, one lucky gambler struck pay dirt while everyone else laughed themselves silly. Only in Cowboy Action Shooting can poultry become licensed gaming officials!

 

Meanwhile, the campground looked like a frontier town that had collided with an RV convention. There were tents, toy haulers, fifth wheels, travel trailers, motorhomes, and enough glamping accommodations to make a railroad baron jealous. As darkness settled over the Wyoming prairie, the stars put on a show no city could ever duplicate. Campfires flickered. Laughter echoed through camp. Tall tales grew taller. Friendships grew stronger. And somewhere, someone was still trying to explain away that one missed target.

 

When the smoke finally drifted away, one thing was crystal clear.   Hell on Wheels isn't just another annual match—it's an experience.

It's world-class stages.
It's western hospitality at its finest.
It's laughter until your ribs hurt.
It's enough black powder smoke to blot out a small county.
It's old friends, new friends, and memories that'll keep you smiling until next July.

 

So do yourself a favor, partner. When next year's registration opens, don't sit there polishing brass and thinking about it. Circle the date. Hitch up the wagon. Point your horses toward Cheyenne. The Border Vigilantes will be waiting...

 

...probably with another stick of dynamite in one hand, a distant target in the other, a hot steak on the grill, and a chicken ready to determine somebody's gambling future.

Hell on Wheels isn't merely a match...it's proof that Cowboy Action Shooting is still the most fun a cowboy can have with his boots on!

 

See y'all down the trail!

IMG_20260703_213349.heic

Edited July 6 by T-Square

[Jimmy Reb, SASS #54804]

I wish I could be there, but family always has plans for family stuff for the 4th.

[T-Square]

@jimmyreb - bring the entire family !  There were several large families on-range and many of them were shooting !

Edited Monday at 03:13 PM by T-Square

[Assassin]

Appreciate the kind words. Thanks to everyone that attended HOW! We try to get better every year. Next year will be our 30th anniversary. 

[T-Square]

@Assassin HECK YEAH !  Sign me up for July 2027.  You and the entire Club did an exceptional job.  I forgot to mention the swap meet - most swap meets are "junk sales" but these cowboys had real quaility items, and guns,  for sale or trade.  I even scored some black powder. Thanks again for an exceptional match, and see you down the trail !!!

[Texas Maverick]

I can honestly say it is an experience of a lifetime. One you will not forget and will take at least a week to recover from. They said they have plenty of land and plan on using it all and they do. The stages are like running a marathon on steroids. You need good, comfy boots since running shoes are not allowed. Everyone should shoot it at least once in their lifetime and more if you have the stamina. Stages are great, food is great and the fellow competitors are great. You can even drive into Cheyenne and see all the fireworks you want. 

 

We shot this match and then drove over and shot with the Castle Gate Posse in Price, Utah. This is another great match put on by great people. We really enjoyed it as well. It was a nice vacation trip for us. Between the matches we spent a week in Moab. Very pretty country but very warm in July.

 

TM

[Flinthills Dawg]

scores for the match?

[Assassin]

https://www.facebook.com/share/1MivbhujFy/

[Scarlett]

5 hours ago, Assassin said:

Appreciate the kind words. Thanks to everyone that attended HOW! We try to get better every year. Next year will be our 30th anniversary. 

Cool! I was sad we couldn’t make it THIS year - 250th birthday and all. After seeing all the pictures on Facebook last night I reserved an Airbnb in Cheyenne for next year’s 30th Anniversary! We are gonna do a big trip. Start in Kansas at the regional, head north to the ND/SD match then sightsee and visit friends/family until HOW! 
 

Thanks for the great write up @T-Square! You oughta talk to @Skinny about a regular column in The Chronicle! 🥰

 

Hugs!

Scarlett

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

1 hour ago, Assassin said:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1MivbhujFy/

Some of us don’t do Facebook - when will they be posted on your website?

[Assassin]

8 minutes ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

Some of us don’t do Facebook - when will they be posted on your website?

Sorry, I'm not a computer person. That's the best I can do for you at the moment. I'll find out for you. Thanks for being patient.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

20 minutes ago, Assassin said:

Sorry, I'm not a computer person. That's the best I can do for you at the moment. I'll find out for you. Thanks for being patient.

Understand, Very much appreciated - I had a GREAT TIME !!!!!!

 

I’m still traveling home - won’t be there until tomorrow evening.

Edited Tuesday at 01:08 AM by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[T-Square]

@Scarlett   AWESOME!! 🤠 That news is sweeter than a clean stage and a cloud of black powder smoke!

 

I'm always mighty proud to see you and Tommy ride into camp. You're one of the finest ambassadors this game could ever ask for—a top-notch shooter, a true cowgirl, and an even better friend.

 

The ND/SD match and Hell on Wheels are both marked on my 2027 wagon train route, so we'll surely be making plenty of noise together. I'll mosey over and study your full trail schedule, because I'm betting there are a whole lot more places where we can fill the prairie air with thunder, laughter, and enough gunsmoke to make the buffalo wonder what happened!  ....and I'm going to need to replenish the supplies in my wagons.

 

Safe travels, and I'll be looking forward to riding the trail with you two all across the frontier!

[Waterboy]

Hell on wheels scores.

Match Final Total Time Main Match 07032026_260707_045731.pdf

[Waterboy]

Thank you T square for the rite up. People like you make it worth the sweat and sore back it take to put a Match like HOW on.

[T-Square]

@Waterboy  A mighty tip of the hat to Waterboy and the entire Border Vigilantes posse! Putting on Hell on Wheels ain't just a match—it's a full-blown frontier undertaking that takes months of hard work, countless volunteer hours, and a whole wagonload of grit. Every target, prop, and stage showed the pride and dedication of folks who truly love this game.  

If you've never ridden into Cheyenne for Hell on Wheels, quit makin' excuses and mark your calendar for next year - their 30th anniversary shoot. You'll find fast shootin', great folks, plenty of black powder smoke, and enough laughs to last until the next roundup. It's one heck of a Wyoming adventure you won't want to miss!

[Sedalia Dave]

 

[Pistol Paisan]

This was my first participation in an official match and wow it was a blast.  A huge thank you to @Waterboy and his team as well as so many from the Border Vigilantes - you all amazed me! What a fantastic four days! Got to meet so many folks and so many helped me to elevate my game.  Shout out to Posse #5 - both warm up day and for the match days- so many pards gave me true nuggets of gold that I will carry with me forever ... you all truly live the Cowboy Way. My only regret is not having taken more pictures ... 

looking forward to seeing you all at the next one.  

[Texas Maverick]

On 7/6/2026 at 7:35 PM, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

Some of us don’t do Facebook - when will they be posted on your website?

I posted them before reading the rest and seeing someone had posted them. So I deleted my post

 

 

 

 

 

 

TM

Edited Wednesday at 03:59 PM by Texas Maverick

[Buffalo Bill Mathewson, 37826]

As usual I had a good time at Hell on Wheels. This is a shoot I keep going back for and plan to return to next year. Thanks Border Vigilantes