Showdown at Winter Range was a CFDA Sanctioned Contest co-hosted by CFDA and the Arizona Association of Gunslingers. It was a trial event on the invitation of the Arizona Territorial Company of Rough Riders, who are the Producers of Winter Range, the National Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting. Winter Range is one of the top CAS matches in the country and many consider it the best.

All of the registered shooters in Winter Range got to shoot an official CFDA Side Match. Their first run was free and additional runs cost $5.00 with all of the proceeds going to Happy Trails Foundation. We had 107 entries in the Side Match and many Cowboy Action Shooters got their first experience with Cowboy Fast Draw. The Side Match ran Wednesday – Friday and then the Top 8 Men and Top 8 Ladies gathered Sunday morning for the Finals. It was 3 out of 5 Single Elimination and the Top Man & Lady both were awarded Beretta Stampedes for their effort. Our own Arizona Thumber won the Men’s and Sweetwater won the Lady’s. It should be noted that Sweetwater is the daughter of 5-Time World Champion China Camp. They received their prizes and all of the finalists were awarded plaques at the main Winter Range Awards Ceremony.

On Saturday, it was CFDA all the way with 22 shooters showing up from Arizona, California, Nevada and Idaho. It may seem funny but I actually was expecting some of our Cowboy Fast Draw brothers and sisters to find an excuse to get to a warmer climate at that time of year and join in the fun. As the rounds were getting down to brass tax we all were getting the feeling that the shooting was going to get fast and furious. The targets were at Gunfighter Distance (18’), which is an interesting distance. Close enough that you want to go for it, but far enough to make you pay when you do.

A real heart warming part of the competition was when Wes Flowers a.k.a. West Fargo showed up to shoot and did really well. Wes has gone through one of the toughest parts of his life recently which finally concluded by getting his leg amputated. But there he was making his way to a stool and having his friends strap his holster on so he could shoot. The man knows about drawing a gun for sure as he did hit some shots in the low .4’s. When things settle down and he gets used to his prosthesis that he’ll be sporting before long he will be a force to be reckoned with as he has always been.

But back to the contest… After a lot of good shoot’in by a lot of folks it came down to a 3-way shootoff between Trick Shot, Arizona Ranger and Quick Cal. They all had 1 X, so we knew there was going to be a few bye rounds shot and .3’s were getting cheap! In the first bye-round Arizona Ranger pulled it out with a .369 and Quick Cal barely beat out Trick Shot. In the second bye-round Arizona Ranger won again with a .365, but this time Trick Shot gave Quick Cal an X. On the 3rd bye-round Quick Cal whipped out a .375, but it wasn’t good enough as Arizona Ranger was on fire and shot a .352! So Cal had to go up against Trick Shot again this time Quick Cal came out on top with 3 shots all .37’s. So it was time for a 4th bye-round and Arizona ranger did it again with a .359, that was 4 bye-rounds in a row every shot in the .3’s. This time Trick Shot nailed the target 3 shots in a row at .38’s and a .39. So Quick Cal and Trick Shot both had 3 X’s and Arizona Ranger had only 1 X. So there would be another bye-round, but would it be the last? This time Trick Shot pulled it off with a .364, and that left it up to Quick Cal to keep it going. Cal got off to a 2 – 0 lead with a .363 & .370, but then couldn’t find the target and knew he just couldn’t give that many chances to Arizona Ranger who came back with a .380 and a couple of .36’s to hand Cal 3rd Place. It was then down to Trick Shot and Arizona Ranger and the Ranger came out on top. Congratulations Arizona Ranger you’re on a good run lately! And also congratulations to Wench who placed 16th shooting with the men but was of course our Top Lady.

We had 25 shooters show up for the Winter Classic with 25 shooting Saturday and 20 shooting on Sunday. We started out with the 21’ contest on Saturday at “High Noon” with a lot of good shooting going on. We finished the contest at about 3:30 and played some rounds of “Follow the Leader”. In that game we start at the top of the list of shooters and folks start making up what trick shot scenario they want to do, then everyone else has to try to duplicate it. We rank the shooters for each stage and give 5 points to whoever has the fastest time with 4 points going to 2nd, 3 points to 3rd, 2 points to 4th, and 1 point for 5th. Whenever we decide to end it we add up all the points and determine the winners. It’s a ton of fun seeing what stuff people come up with.

At 6:00 we had a great dinner prepared by Alotta Lead with ribs, chicken and all the trimmings, followed by the Annual Awards for the club and presented the winners with their plaques for the Saturday contest. We then had a drawing and everyone there won a prize, we gave away a lot of stuff from cleaning patches, to leather shell holders, a limited edition print by Alotta Lead, and ended the evening by throwing all the drawing chips back in the bucket and drawing for a full CFDA holster system provided by Mernickle Holsters, almost a $300 value.

On Sunday morning we gathered back at the range and at 9:30 started the 15’ event. I must point out that the Top 6 shooters in the end of the contest were shooting nothing but shots in the high and mid-30’s. This sport sure is getting faster! Had another fun day with the contest ending at 12:30, the awards were handed out and everyone was headed back home by 1:00.

What a fun weekend! Two contests, a side match and a party with food all for $25.00 for the whole weekend!

The action was fast and furious with Carol Adrian coming out on top both days with the women, a father and son shootout for the title at 21 ft between Don and Shawn Pelot and a jar dropping 3 way shootout at 15 ft with Pat McGarry, John Riley and Dean Storms at lightnin speeds in the mid-upper .300's and a finally of John and Dean at 2 to 2 with John coming out on top with a .376 to Dean's .378.

The PowderHorn Ranch Regulators would like to thank all the came to the shoot and how much we missed the ones who could not make it this time. We hope everyone had a good time with the shoot and the karaokee on Saturday night and hope to see you all again real soon.