Southern Missouri Rangers Annual Match 

The Show-Me Shootout 

The 2009 SASS Missouri State Championship--The Show-Me Shootout--was held October 22nd-25th near Branson, Missouri.  The Shootout was a great Cowboy Action Shooting match.  For the tenth year in a row, members and officers of the Southern Missouri Rangers planned an event full of competition, fun, prizes, awards, entertainment, and Old West cowboy camaraderie.

     Two hundred twenty shooters participated in the Shootout held at Ozark Shooters Sports Complex.  Eighty two of the shooters competed for the Missouri State Champion titles.  The Southern Missouri Rangers congratulate the SASS Missouri State Champions:   Durde Dugan and Prairie Dawn.  Shooters from Missouri were joined by cowboys and cowgirls from the following states:  Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.  Four shooters crossed the Canadian/US border to participate in the Show-Me Shootout.  Approximately forty SMR club members either set up the range or worked the actual shoot.

In addition to the prizes, the cowboys and cowgirls had the opportunity to exchange their dollars for cowboy wares at several vendors:  Cherokee Firearms Co., Ear Safety, Gunpowder Creek, Grip Maker, Gunfighter’s Moon, JJJ Blacksmith, Jim Downing--The Gun Engraver, LaserGraphic, Liberty Enterprises, Lonesome Ryder Leather Goods, Major Photography, Michigan Rattler, Miss Terri’s General Store, Peacemaker Gun Carts, The Cow’s Hide, and Work-N-Ranch.  The Rangers extend a thank you  to all businesses, individuals, and vendors for their generosity and support!

Thirteen side matches and ten main stages were conducted over the four-day event; side matches took place on Friday and Saturday as a result of a rain delay.  The main stages took place on Friday and Saturday.  Scenarios for the main stages were once again written by Cowboy Action Shooting legends.  These legends were selected from past participants in the Show-Me Shootout.    Stage writers were presented with a list of targets for a given stage and were given creative liberty for writing the lead-in story and the shooting sequence.  They were also given the opportunity to write a short CAS biography or CAS testimony.  The following shooters wrote the 2009 stages:  Shorty Brooks, John Lee, Joseph Shelby, Hyman Old Cowhand, Gunsmith Frank, Yellowstone Harry & Wesa, Fast Fingers Green & Annie Hickok, Ned Plinkerton & Son of a Plinkerton, Dusty Durf, and Shoshone Slim.

Side matches were held in the following categories:  fastest six gun, fastest pocket pistol, fastest derringer, fastest pistol-cal. rifle, fastest pump shotgun, fastest double barrel shotgun, fastest lever shotgun, fastest 22 cal. rimfire, fastest Josey Wales, long-range pistol, long-range pistol-cal. rifle, slingshot, big bore repeater, big bore single shot, and cowboy trap.  Separate entries were available for the men and women.

 Entertainment was part of the package both Friday night and Saturday night.  The Rangers hosted a “Cowboy Social” on Friday evening, and the Social was packed with activities.  Attendees enjoyed music and singing by Eli Barsi’s Cowboy Outfit, door prizes, costume contests, casino games, and a barbecue dinner.  SMR’s sixth “Cowboy Social” was a hit!

The side-match and category winners were recognized during the Saturday evening banquet at the Cobblestone Inn Conference Center.  Plaques were presented  to the first place winners of the side matches.  “Spirit of the Game” awards were also presented to a member from each posse:  Members of each posse voted on the individual who best demonstrated the “Spirit of the Game.”  Awards were presented to the top three shooters in each category, to the Top Cowboy and the Top Cowgirl, and to the SASS Missouri State Champions.  The Southern Missouri Rangers congratulate the Top Cowboy and Top Cowgirl and the Missouri Champions—Durde Dugan and Prairie Dawn.  Sanfordino Walkero was the recipient of the Middle of the Pack award.  Esperanza Blanco and Lynch M. Sag received “Hard Luck” awards.  The finale for the Saturday banquet was the drawing for a complete set of cowboy action firearms.

 Individuals who attended all ten of the shoots in Branson were recognized at the 2009 Show-Me Shootout.  The decadal shooters received free-shoot registrations and plaques commemorating their attendance.  The shooters who have attended all 10 events include Alamo Kid, Jesse Cain, Jim Cummins & Miss Liz, Ranger Dusty, Rock Creek Rustler, and Trailboss (Santa) Dave.

 The team match was conducted on Sunday.  Teams composed of 4 members participated in the following stages:  Pistol Relay, Nevada Sweep—Pass the Bag, Cowboy Clays, and Shotgun Pickup.  A man-on-man competition and a lady-on lady competition also took place on Sunday.  The last man standing was Rock Creek Rustler and the last lady standing was Catoosa Red.

The Show-Me Shootout keeps getting better every year.  The following statements were made by various participants in the 2009 Show-Me Shootout:

 “My congrats ta all the winners, and thanks to all the “Southern Missouri Rangers” for everything that they have done ta make this event the most fun shoot I go to each year.  And special thanks to them for makin’ this year the best ever for me in 15 years.  Beats anything that I could ever win or steal.  You all are the extreme best.”  (Alamo Kid (MO; #8100))

 “…No doubt the best state match we have ever attended.  We will be back for sure…I couldn’t have had more fun than the team relays on Sunday.  Thanks to the Rangers for doing the posse work for us.  You folks are the best at what you do, including an almost splatter-free shoot.  Keep up the good work, and see you next time.”  (GP Cobb (KS; #82248) and Deeba Slo Walker (KS; #83378))

 “For me rolling into the Ozark Shooters Complex for the MO state shoot hosted by the Southern Missouri Rangers is like going to a family reunion with family that I actually like.  They treat you like an honored guest and put on one helluva shoot that just seems to get better every year...”  (Shoshone Slim (MO; #31347))

 “I see now why everyone keeps going back to this shoot.  Had a great time shooting with some old pards and meeting new ones.”  (West Longer (MO; #46427))

 “A great match!!!”  (Buck D. Law (AL; #62183))

 Be sure and put the 2010 Show-Me Shootout—another SASS sanctioned Missouri State Championship--on your calendar (October 21st – 24th), and let the Southern Missouri Rangers bring you an event filled with hospitality and cowboy fun.

“Those folks of the Southern Missouri Rangers went and threw another gall-dang fantastic Missouri state shoot!!!  Every year it gets better than the year before.  I figgered out how they do it though.  They actually listen to their shooters about what works and what doesn’t.  They are constantly looking for ways to improve this state shoot.  Excellent, straightforward stages with not one procedural trap among them and targets that were at very shootable distances!  But above all is they them make you feel so damn welcome and appreciated…I started smilin’ when we got there and I’m still smilin’...”  (Shoshone Slim, SASS # 31347, SASS Wire)

 “This was my first time shooting with the SMR boys and if I can manage to get some time off work again next year, I’ll be back.  As was mentioned by several other folks down there, you get a whole lot of bang for your buck.  TWO great dinners and THREE lunches are included in the deal.”  (Black Angus McPherson, SASS # 34280, SASS Wire)

 “It was definitely a great shoot…This was our third time, and I hope to shoot this match every year.”  (Wild Irish, SASS # 72294, SASS Wire)

 “Just wanted to say thank you for the great job you guys did hosting the MO State Shoot. It was a well run shoot.  Your range was safely and efficiently laid out.  The scenarios were fun and challenging without being P magnets.  And we really enjoyed the social activities.  Auntie Dee and I are signing up for next year as soon as it’s announced.”  (Ozarks Jim,  SASS # 69618, e-Mail Communication)

The next
Show-Me Shootout will be Oct. 21-24, 2010
Click here for info