Volume 4, Issue 10                                     (Web Edition)                                   October 2001

     Long May It Wave                   At The Marauders October Shoot

   The historical interest and the enduring myth of the Old West largely is the creation of Hollywood and the motion picture industry.  But before there was a Hollywood or motion picture industry, there was Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and Rough Riders of the World Extravaganza.  Ole Buffalo Bill brought the scouts of the plains, the cowboys, the Indians, buffalo, thundering horses, trick shooters, stagecoaches, dust, and all the noise and excitement of the west to the American and European public.

     Being cowboys & cowgirls of the modern day, who once a month journey back to the Old West, we celebrated ole Bill's Wild West Show at our October Marauders Shoot.  And he'd have been proud of what we did.. 

     When shooters arrived, the 1st action they beheld was the Long-Range Buffalo Shoot, organized and conducted by Hondo and Double Barrel.  Shooters used Sharps Buffalo rifles, other long-range single shot rifles, and lever action rifles to compete in the single shot and lever action categories to win braggin' rights, certificates, and free shoots at future matches.  Ole Tellico won the Long Range Single Shot Rifle competition and Tri won the Lever Action Rifle Long-Range competition. Tri also placed 2nd in Single Shot Competition, and Pleasant placed 2nd in Lever Action Competition. 

L to R:  Doc Harleyday - Deadfoot - Shadrock Jones - Blayde Hollister

     A bunch of cowboys came extravagantly dressed to impress the crowd, just like Ole Buffalo Bill's cast did back in the 1800's.  In fact there were so many well dressed performers that we are going to award multiple certificates for the best presence as a performer.  Who were they?  Well, there was Shadrack Jones (as Buffalo Bill), Doc Harleyday (in black chaps & Indian beadwork), Deadfoot (as Buffalo Bill, in a long haired wig)  Blayde Hollister (in duster, gauntlets, and ivory handled 1851 colt), and Dead Beat (in Indian buckskins).  

     After the rifle competition, the cowfolk journeyed to the main match shootin' area to register: we had 54 shooters.  Wild West Show posters were hangin' on trees and buildings, advertising the event and showing featured Marauders as performers, just like ole Buffalo Bill's Show Posters did.  By the way, each competitor received a mini-poster showing that she or he was a featured performer in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.  But that was just window dressing.  Then came the action.  The safety meeting was held, all cowboys & cowgirls pledged allegiance to the U.S. Flag, the flag of our country and of all Americans worth a flip, and then the Posse Marshal's organized their performers and took them out to the arenas to shoot and entertain themselves and observers.

     The shootin' was fast and furious.  On one stage, Hondo shot his pistol dry, then shot his rifle dry, then reached for his second pistol.  He picked up a pistol, cocked it 3 times, pulled the trigger 3 times, and it didn't fire a shot..  Mesquite Millie, who was timing the stage, finally yelled, "Pick up your loaded pistol!  That one's empty!"   The 2nd pistol fired a lot better.   How'd he shoot?  Terrific!  Every Cowboy Action Shooter who shoots safely and has fun shoots terrifically.  It doesn't matter whether they hit the target or just scare it a little.  The object of the game is to have fun.  We always do!  Ole Shadrack Jones, who shoots Frontier / Black Powder Cartridge, was overheard saying, "It don't matter whether your bullet hits the target, as long as you put a lot of smoke behind it."  He does....put a lot of smoke behind his bullets.

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