Southern Missouri Rangers Annual Match 

The Show-Me Shootout 

The 2011 SASS Missouri State Championship--The Show-Me Shootout--was held October 20th-23rd near Branson, Missouri. The Shootout was a great Cowboy Action Shooting match. For the twelfth 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 thirty-eight shooters participated in the Shootout held at Ozark Shooters Sports Complex. Ninety eight of the shooters competed for the Missouri State Champion titles. The Southern Missouri Rangers congratulate the SASS Missouri State Champions: Ned Plinkerton and Prairie Dawn. Shooters from Missouri were joined by cowboys and cowgirls from the following states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Approximately forty SMR club members either set up the range or worked the actual shoot.

Prizes were distributed to registered shooters. Donations were received from more than forty individuals, businesses, and vendors. Random drawings were conducted to determine the recipients of the prizes. Prize donations were collected from such businesses as Black Hills Ammunition, Brownells, Inc., Cabela's, Desperado Cowboy Bullets, Dixie Gun Works, E.M.F. Company, Inc., El Paso Saddlery Company, John Walter’s Veggie Wads, Kaw Valley Mercantile, Midway USA, Otis Technology, Inc., PFI Western Store, Redding Reloading Equipment, Recollections, Single Action Shooting Society, Starline, True West Magazine, plus many others. Eight of the Branson theaters also stepped up to the donation plate and donated tickets to the prize pot: Branson Mall & Music Theater, Clay Cooper Theater, Grand Country, Hughes Brothers Theatre, Mickey Gilley Theatre, Presley’s Country Jubilee, Shoji Entertainment, Inc., and Yakov Smirnoff Theatre.

In addition to the prizes, the cowboys and cowgirls had the opportunity to exchange their dollars for cowboy wares at several vendors: Caprock Mercantile, Cherokee Firearms Co., Cowboy Shooters Supply, Custom Earplugs by Mike & Sue Butti, Gripmaker, Harry’s Custom Leather, Jim Downing--The Gun Engraver, Liberty Custom Hats, Major Photography, Old West Laser Graphic, Sly Fox, 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!

Seventeen side matches and ten main stages were conducted over the four-day event. Side matches took place on Thursday. 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 2011 stages: Taos Willie, Curly Hombre, Outlaw Joe C. Pails, Naildriver, Eldorado Wayne, Six Killer Stan, Col. J.J. Van Horn, Frisco Red, The Inspector, and Coffin Sam.

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, Wild Bunch, Grand Army of the Frontier Scout, long-range pistol, long-range pistol-cal. rifle, slingshot, archery, big bore repeater, big bore single shot, and cowboy trap. Separate entries were available for the men, women, and juniors.

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 the Honkytonk Renovators, door prizes, costume contests, casino games, and a catered meal. SMR’s 12^th “Cowboy Social” was a hit!

The side-match and category winners were recognized during the Saturday evening banquet at the Our Lady of the Parish 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 in each category. The Southern Missouri Rangers congratulate the Top Cowboy and Top Cowgirl (Naildriver & Prairie Dawn) and the Missouri Champions (Ned Plinkerton and Prairie Dawn). The finale for the Saturday banquet was the drawing for a complete set of cowboy action firearms.

The team match was conducted on Sunday. Teams composed of 4 members participated in the following stages: “Carson City Sweep”, “Which Gun in a Pinch?”, cowboy clays, and a rerun of “Shotgun Pick Up.” A man-on-man competition and a lady-on lady competition also took place on Sunday. The last man standing was Red Knee and the last lady standing was Tanga Loca.

The Show-Me Shootout keeps getting better every year. The following statements were made by a participant in the 2011 Show-Me Shootout:

“We always have fun when we come to Branson but this year was better than ever! The stages were not too complicated, even for gunfighters…The banquets were fun, the band was great, the food was good, and the facility was easy to get in and out of. All in all – a GREAT SHOOT! Good friends, good times –what more could you ask for!” (Catoosa Red, SASS # 57246)

Be sure and put the 2012 Show-Me Shootout—another SASS sanctioned Missouri State Championship--on your calendar (October 25th – 28th), and let the Southern Missouri Rangers bring you an event filled with hospitality and cowboy fun.

The next
Show-Me Shootout will be Oct. 25-28, 2012