Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) that is. Over the weekend, I attended a local event here in the mountains, called End of Trail, hosted by SASS at the Founders Ranch, only about 10 minutes from my home.
Over the next couple days, I’d like to share some of the photos and experiences my son, Jem and I had there. End of Trail is the nation’s oldest and largest Cowboy Action Shooting Contest and Wild West Festival, with live entertainment, shows, music, stage coach rides, Living History Encampments, Equestrian events, Exhibits like the Gatling Gun, a Shooting Range, lots of great food, and tons of western merchandise to buy.
(Like this bison coat, for only $1400, that Jem and I tried on.)
(Ummm. My son looks a little like a pimp, don’t you think? What a poser. lol!)
(Shooeee! That coat was hot!)
But most of all, SASS’s End of Trail Event is an opportunity for over 1000 SASS members, dressed in authentic or replica dress from the 1800’s, to compete for prizes and fame in different shooting categories.
(Like these two guys practicing their gun twirling)
(And these two cowboys discussing the mounted shooting event planned for later on……how do I know this? Well, I met the guy on the right and we got to talkin’.)
(Jem said the cowboy on the right reminded him of The Old Prospector in the movie “Toy Story”. What do you think?)
Cowboy Action Shooting is a sport in which shooters compete in fantasy scenarios based on actual events from history, Western movies and Western TV series. Designed to preserve the history of the Old West, competitors (men, women and juniors) must use authentic or replica single action revolvers, lever action rifles and old-time shotguns of the period.
As you can probably tell, I thoroughly enjoyed the many different kinds of period style clothing that the SASS members and some of the visitors wore, too.
But that’s not all we saw and experienced while we were there.
We saw roping tricks.
Knife throwing tricks.
Hat tricks.
Horse tricks.
And even Bison tricks from the famous Harvey Wallbanger Jr.!
We had a lot of laughs.
And I mean….a lot!
We had the opportunity to ride in uniquely decorated vehicles.
We got to see some fancy shooting (of water balloons).
And Jem was invited to volunteer for a bull whip trick. (He was next!)
And some rope twirling, too.
We enjoyed some delicious meat-stuffed sopapillas with green chile while listening to some good Western music entertainment.
And we made some new friends, too.
Come back soon to learn more about Harvey Wallbanger, Jr. and his owner T.C Thorstenson, in my next post.
From the Tower of,
26 comments :
My goodness, you have some adventures! That coat looked HOT, and I don't mean in a stylin' kind of way!
Girl, you can take me on some adventures! I could go for that! Especially some of those guys dressed in those period clothes with their hats and their moustaches...mmmm..mmmm!
Oh Man! That looks like a blast Lisa!! We've seen SASS info on TV, now my little mind is thinking... wonder how Sonny Bunz would do for mounted shooting? hehehehe
Great pics. Some of those clothes were awesome!! I loved the blue in the one lady's dress!!
Wow - great photos! That event looks like so much fun! I'm glad Jem was there with you to share in the fun. I would love to go to an event like that someday...!
Fantastic, every time I see good pictures of the western life style and not just clothing, I could give up my life and change locations any day!! Looks like alot of fun and I will be back tomorrow to see.
i think you need a bison coat for the winter months :)
wonderful pictures...just wonderful. good to see you out having a great time.
have a great day ms. lisa.
hugs
What fun! I had no idea the event was that big!
I'm glad you had a good day with Jem. I'll bet Jax wished he had come along too.
Wow, that looks like great fun. :) I could imagine one might be too hot in that buffalo coat even in the dead of winter! Whew.
that looked so fun!
That coat was totally P.I.M.P.
My hubby wants to start doing the SASS. We've been to a couple but Im not a fan of the noise at all.
I thought I wanted to do Mounted Shooting, but the noise was too much for me.
BUt cant wait to hear more about the Bison and his handsome rider.
Wow! That looks like a blast! I wonder if they have anything like that around here.
Hey Lisa! I forgot to ask you-- when ya gonna hook yourself up with a pair of those sexy jeans with the bright red fringe on 'em? ;)
(I'm KIDDING!!! You really don't have to plan a trip out here to whack the back of my head for that!!)
Yee ha thar girlie!!!
What a blast, even in the pictures!! I love it and how cool that it is so clsoe to have that much nostalga!
I used to period dress for the Civil war reinacting her in Oregon with Bruce as a "Texas Fourth"confederate Drummer.
I absolutely LOVE the knife shot with the wheel and the dame! Andf the Buffalo is too cool!
You and your son are so blame cute in that HOT coat too!
XO
Kac
PS
It is a "Virtual" tour trail rides...so do come along and picture yourself on a steed be it Baby Doll or another that you completely trust!
Too much fun! Reminds me of the SCA (same thing in renaissance garb). How fun to disappear in an era.
Couldn't get me in one of those dresses. Or that coat! Holy cow, those buffalos know how to stay warm!
How awesome!!! That looked like SOOOO much fun!! I love all the pictures of Jem!! he cracks me up. What a character!! That bison looks neat! I would have loved to have seen that man ride him!! What a fun day.
Great pictures. This is the first year in the last three or four that I haven't gone. I'll go again next year. It's a lot of fun.
Dan
I soooo wish we had fun stuff like that around here. It looked like you guys had a blast. I personally love you in the bison coat. I have got to get out more!.
I love the new blog layout,i've ben meaning to tell ya, I have to ask though where you found it. I love that you get to post bigger pictures.
Oh Lisa, looks like a fun time!
I was meaning to answer your questions before I typed that code in! LOL! As far as how to handle young or old horses on the ground?
The foal should already have the halter on getting used to it. We put Romeo's on immediately upon birth but Slick was already a few weeks old when he came to our farm....he used to give us trouble with halters and fly masks too! Romeo, however, has never refused either and I contribute it to haltering right after birth! We did a lot of imprinting at birth before he stood up. After used to halter, you can start with giving to pressure gently just by holding onto the lead rope and as soon as he gives to the slightest pressure, release!! It's all in the release so you have to really pay attention because it will be subtle at first....praise her immediately and make a big deal out it patting/rubbing her in her favorite spot. Keep the sessions very short as their attention span is not long! It does not have to be this long drawn out ordeal! I'll be back..... gotta bring the horses in! Lu
Wonderful pictures. If I were a tad younger, I would like to try mounted shooting. I think that is so cool. I can barely ride, much less shoot a gun while I am mounted. I can shoot a gun too but just not both at the same time.
Great pics, Lisa, and thanks for sharing your day with us. :) I think that I would want to be one of the saloon girls, or an Annie Oakley type girl....
And a $1400 bison coat??? Wowza is right!
that looked like such a great event. The period clothing was so cool but I bet they were hot.
This is the most awesome post!!! The colors are just jumping off the page! I would love to attend something like this. Glad you had your budy with you to have fun with1
Costumes look beautiful! Fun times.
That first picture of the horse "laughing" is an awesome shot. It captures the horse's expression beautifully!
Is that guy bareback on the rearing horse? Good grief, I can't even stay on my horse bareback at the TROT! (Of course he's too young to have filled out all the way yet, so it's like riding a trotting balance beam, but still.)
Wow!! I want to attend next year! That looks like loads of fun. We don't quite get events like that here in Iowa. I loved the costumes in particular. I used to go to a large Renaissance Festival in Ontario, to which I would wear a costume also. What fun you had!
What a fantastic day, you must have had a blast.
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