Shooter Spotlight : Midwest Hale

This spotlight and the next are going to focus on fairly new shooters. Midwest Hale has been at it for about 3 years now and has come a long way rather quickly. Go to We The People Munnitions and use the code Hale5 for 5% off your order. I'm sure her sponsors would appreciate that. Lets dive in and see what she had to say.

Where do you live? (what state or country)

Florida

When did you start shooting CAS and how did you or who got you into the sport?

Firewater Bandit and I shot our first match with the Roughshod Raiders at the end of November 2017. We had stalked the Roughshod Raiders a little bit prior, we had gone to their match the month before as spectators. Firewater had seen a cowboy action shooting match on the calendar for Shoot GTR gun range. So, we went and watched that match, and you know cowboys, they put guns in our hands and that started it all.

Who was your mentor, either known to them or not?

If you have ever seen me on the range it was probably in the shadow of a certain outlaw. That would be Arcadia Outlaw, he is my mentor/coach. Though in general I feel extremely lucky to have gotten started at the Roughshod Raiders around lots of really good shooters.

How much do you practice, how many rounds a month do you send down range?

Typically, I dry fire 3 days a week and a match on the weekend. Getting ready for a bigger travel match I like to dry fire every day and shoot a match every weekend to get ready.   I don’t get much live fire practice at all.

Have you won any state, regional, national or world championships?

I do currently have the honor of being the SE Regional Cowgirl champion.

Tell us about your most memorable match:

So many matches are memorable, for example Black Gold is like Vegas what happens at Black Gold stays at Black Gold. Florida state 2019 which was my first state match, I had a meltdown. I had a bad case of big match jitters; I just could not get it together. I was a basket case. Why that is so memorable is because, I still had so much fun. It is like you say Moog “a bad day on the range is still better than a good day at work” which is so true. I am a very competitive person by nature, it kind of made me have to take a breathe and not take the game so seriously to where I was so heartbroken about how I shot. I also received the spirit of the game award from my posse at that match, which really meant a lot to me. The other match that sticks out in my mind is The SE Regional Ambush 2019 with the rain and the fall I had on a stage.

What is your favorite aspect of CAS?

Everybody says the people, which is true. For me, I think it was finding a competitive outlet as an adult after having been a high school and college athlete. I think that sass is a wonderful outlet for my competitive side. Having never shot a gun before sass there was a lot of things to learn from the start to be competitive and most importantly, safe.

Do you have a travel/shooting buddy? (you know that friend that makes this game what it is?

The beautiful thing about it is Firewater Bandit and I started CAS together. Neither of us had shot competitively, so learning the game together made it special.

Where is your favorite place to shoot? (range or match past or present)

Let me say that the OK Corral annual, that range is beautiful, it is like a country club. Instead of a golf course they have a gun range. I can get onboard with that. But I feel that the Lake County Pistoleros range in Eustis FL is where I am most comfortable.

What category do you shoot?

Cowgirl

Have you tried other categories? What categories have you shot and how did that go?

I have not. If I did try another category it would probably be a costume requirement one.

What is your posse job of choice?

I like to keep score. I probably spot the most though.

What is the time of your fastest clean stage?

17.68 or something like that. But, I really try not to remember my stage times in that way.

What was the best advice you got from a fellow shooter, and who was it?

The first person was really Arcadia Outlaw who suggested that I shoot my own game and not worry about how good or bad the others are doing. Also, don’t let a bad stage ruin the next stage.

What advice can you give to some of the shooters reading this?

Try out equipment before you buy, ask questions. What works for someone may or may not work for you. Even though we are all playing the same game we can also get to that same place in different ways. Finding what works for you is really important for your enjoyment.

What keeps you playing this game?

My addiction, the community and the people we meet playing Cowboy

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not on the range or shooting?

Well Firewater Says that working out is not a hobby. So,….I really do love to be outside, I like riding my bike, and I am starting a big vegetable garden presently.  I also like video games, and in these times it’s easy to just sit down and get lost in a game.