MercantileEXCITINGSee section our (starting on page 91) NovemberNovemberNovember 2001 2001 2001 CowboyCowboyCowboy ChronicleChronicleChronicle PagePagePage 111 The Cowboy Chronicle~ The Monthly Journal of the Single Action Shooting Society ® Vol. 22 No. 7 © Single Action Shooting Society, Inc. July 2009 .COWBOY HEAVEN, The Last Stand At Chimney Rock • SASS 2008 Western Regional! October 9-12, 2008 By Frederick Jackson Turner, SASS #28271 Photos by Hoss Hall, SASS #15689 ucerne Valley, CA – I’m See HIGHLIGHTS on page 73 sitting in a scoring shack that would double as a an 1880’s southwestern cowtown! L pretty decent hotel lounge Cowboys, bankers, train conduc- in some parts of the country. The tors gentlemen, scoundrels, and 2008 SASS Western Regional is their ladies, amble down a long over, folks are pulling up stakes, boardwalk, where real buildings and headed back home after days of line both sides of the street. Down revelry. Everyone is headed for the boardwalk, you’ll run into the home, ready to take a shower, appropriately titled “Twitchy maybe pour out a good libation of Finger’s Saloon.” It’s a fully func- some sort, and mull over the events tional old time saloon—complete of a long, satisfying weekend. with working piano—that also hap- Except no one is in a hurry to pens to be Stage Three of the leave! match! It would also become the I’m basking in the warm after- site of regular late night gatherings glow of a great match with Ella as the weekend went on. Watson and Kentucky Gal, letting Cowboys started pulling into the last of the day slide by, when town by the middle of the week. Crusty Jim walks in. “It’s a little bit Side matches were held Thursday, of cowboy heaven,” he grins through and when the last shots had echoed the dust and three-day beard. He down the rocky canyons at the end tips his hat, and, having given voice There are many parts to a world-class shooting match. of the day, those early arrivals were Shooting, of course, is very important, but all the fun things wrapped to what we all are thinking, disap- treated to one of those spectacular around the shooting part is what makes a match really stand out … and sunsets that just ache with the pears into the warm afternoon sun. that’s just what the Double R Bar Regulators arranged! The shooters, And folks, that’s what the 2008 the Old West Town, and the evening social activities completed the picture. romance of the old West. Later that Western Regional, the Last Stand at Twitchy Finger’s Saloon was THE place to be each night! same evening, with the guns safely Chimney Rock was—a little bit of locked away, the first of several par- Cowboy Heaven. Valley, Double R Bar Regulators, Trails Children’s Foundation sim- ties broke out in Twitchy Finger’s Set in the picturesque Lucerne with help from surrounding clubs, ply added to the event. Saloon, the working bar on Stage put together one of the most The Double R Bar Regulators Three. Upgraded this year, the authentic and scenic matches held have built an entire western town Saloon has become the social center SASS Cowboy Chronicle anywhere in this country. The sere in this little corner of the Lucerne for those looking for a little peace landscape is the site of one of the Valley. Last year, the props and and quiet with a few dozen rowdy last shootouts in the old west— stages were great; this year, they cowboys. Lit by kerosene lanterns, In This Issue Chimney Rock—and from that his- were even better! Forget about the annual Thursday after-hours torical event, the Western Regional looking like a movie set. To stroll event, bartended smartly (if not 57 THE ALCHIMISTA takes its name. The fact that part down the streets and boardwalks of wisely!) by Twitchy and Co, lasted by Capt. George Baylor of the proceeds went to the Happy this range is like walking through (Continued on page 71) 68 WOLVERINE RANGERS’ www.sassnet.com ANGE AR 87015 NM Edgewood, R W Way Cowboy 215 by R. J. Law C h C 74 HOOSIER AMBUSH ‘08 r o by Matthew Duncan o w n b i o 76 HIGH NOON AT THE c y TOMBSTONE LIVERY l by Sassy Dancer e Page 2 Cowboy Chronicle July 2009 July 2009 Cowboy Chronicle Page 3 Page 4 Cowboy Chronicle July 2009 July 2009 Cowboy Chronicle Page 5 The Cowboy CCONTENTSONTENTS Chronicle 6 FROM THE EDITOR Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? ... 8-12 NEWS Billy The Kid’s Breakout . Double R Bar Ranch Is Up For Sale! . Editorial Staff Tex 14-23 LETTERS Comments From SASS Members . Editor-in-Chief Cat Ballou 16 CAT’S CORNER What Women Wore (Chapter 2 - The Hoop Skirt Era) ... Editor Coyote Calhoun 18 COYOTE DROPPINGS Stage Writing 101 - (Part I) ... Managing Editor & Marketing Director 24 POLITICAL Reforms For Our Time . Adobe Illustrator Layout & Design 26-36 ARTICLES Dodge City (A Brief History) . William Severe (Part II) ... Mac Daddy Graphic Design My Hideout . A Yoke Of Oxen . Wild West “Wheels” . 38-48 GUNS & GEAR Donna Oakley Advertising Administrator PROFILES A Big Thank You To Major Aaron Bass, SASS #8149 . 50 Contributing Writers Capt. George Baylor, Celtic Knight, 52 MOUNTED SASS Eastern Nationals . Col. Dan, Doc Cary, Ioway, Ivan Innaccurate, JEB Stuart, 54-55 SASS CONVENTION AND WILD WEST CHRISTMAS (Sign Up!) ... Joe Fasthorse, Larsen Pettifogger, Lone Wolf McCrary, Lori Dani Dixie, Match Ready Guns (Part 3) EMF Alchimista . Miss Tabitha, Miz Annie Ross, 57 REVIEWS PRODUCTS Oracle, Palaver Pete, Purdy Gear, Sweetwater Jack, Turkeyfoot, 59, 60 HISTORY Famous People . Trumpeter Voss At Custer’s Last Stand (Part II) ... Whooper Crane The Sutton - Taylor Feud . The Cowboy Chronicle is published by 62 REVIEWS BOOKS The Wild Bunch, Board of Directors of The Single Action Shooting Society. 63 TRAIL MARKER To Be Remembered . For advertising information and rates, administrative, and editorial offices contact: Chronicle Administrator 64-76 ON THE RANGE What’s Goin’ On In Your Town? . 215 Cowboy Way Edgewood, NM 87015 (505) 843-1320 82-90 CLUB REPORTS Shoot To Support The Troops A Stunning Success . FAX (505) 843-1333 email: [email protected] 97-99 CLASSIFIED http://www.sassnet.com The Cowboy Chronicle (ISSN 15399877) is published monthly by the Single Action 100- SASS AFFILIATED CLUBS (MONTHLY, ANNUAL) Shooting Society, 215 Cowboy Way, Edgewood, NM 87015. Periodicals Postage is Paid at ANAHEIM, CA and additional 107 SASS NEW MEMBER APPLICATION mailing offices (USPS #020-591). POST- MASTER: Send address changes to The Cowboy Chronicle, 215 Cowboy Way, ASS held its New Mexico Edgewood, NM 87015. Sheadquarters building SASS® Trademarks DISCLAIMER - The Single Action Shooting ® ® Society does not guarantee, warranty or grand opening in April 2009. SASS , Single Action Shooting Society , endorse any product or service advertised Dignitaries from three coun- END of TRAIL®, EOT®, in this newspaper. The publisher also does ties, two cities, and the State The Cowboy ChronicleTM, not guarantee the safety or effectiveness Cowboy Action ShootingTM, of any product or service illustrated. The of New Mexico were in atten- distribution of some products/services may TM dance. The keynote speaker CAS , be illegal in some areas, and we do not was New Mexico Governor, The World Championship of assume responsibility thereof. State and Cowboy Action ShootingTM, local laws must be investigated by the pur- Bill Richardson. After the Bow-legged Cowboy Design, and the chaser prior to purchase or use or prod- ucts/services. speeches and Dutch oven Rocking Horse Design cowboy grub, everyone took are all trademarks of WARNING: Neither the author nor The Cowboy Chronicle can accept any responsi- the opportunity for a photo The Single Action Shooting Society, Inc. bility for accidents or differing results op with the Governor. If Any use or reproduction of these marks obtained using reloading data. Variation you’re driving through New Mexico on I-40 east of Albuquerque, get without the express written permission in handloading techniques, compo- nents, and firearms will make results off on the north frontage road at Edgewood and follow it west to the of SASS is strictly prohibited. vary. Have a competent gunsmith check very end. Our New Mexico staff will be happy to show you around! your firearms before firing. Page 6 Cowboy Chronicle July 2009 WHY CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG? By Tex, SASS #4 Maintaining growth of new mem- Many of the reasons for drop- mails received at SASS headquar- Tex, SASS #4 bership is, of course, a primary focus ping out have to do with club ters are from ecstatic new members ~SASS Hall of Fame Inductee~ of SASS as an organization … but it’s actions and policies. “The club has who have met the most wonderful only half the job. The other half of the its ‘clicks’ and when I shot with people on earth! If your club isn’t job is retaining membership. As folks them, I was completely ignored. paying attention to new folks, take ASS continues to attract fail to renew their memberships, After two or three matches, I got a hard look at what you’re doing … new members … and after SASS has a policy of asking why … the idea … they didn’t need any- new members are the lifeblood of S nearly 30 years, that’s won- and a few are willing to respond. more folks in their inner circle.” every organization. derful! In many areas SASS is still a Sometimes cowboys have life chang- Another letter complained the club It’s also important to remember, well-kept secret, but we’re doing all ing events that affect their ability to members were actually hostile it’s not always the club that’s at we can to remedy that.