The Ides of Marvember

What can I say about the crew that came together to pull of one of the most fun matches that I have attended, that has not been said before? Let me try. Thank you, Arcadia Outlaw and Greta D, for keeping the fire burning for the 2020 Ides. Arcadia Outlaw wrote excellent stages and Greta D kept the ship pointed in the right direction. With all the crazy stuff going on in the world these days I know it was stressful to even think about and try to plan for. You guys pulled it off, well done. Delta Glen and Santa Fe River Stan did a great job as match RO’s. The batteries on their golf cart got a workout that is for sure. The set up and tear down crew worked their butts off driving post and hanging steel. Blazing Saddles and the prop crew was on point with all the accoutrements that we have come to love about the Ides. We even had the Earp brothers join us on the range. (thanks Stan!)  Smart * was running around all weekend tying up all the loose ends. Sunshine Rose and Purdy Sharp greeted all the shooters with a smile and organized all the tablets and kept them charged. If I missed anyone I am sorry, you guys are the heart of this game.

Side Match Day.

The alarm did not even have to go off, I was up at about 6 on side match day. We loaded the truck and hit the range around 7. Checked in with Sunshine Rose and Purdy Sharp about the tablets for scoring before everything kicked off, they had them labeled and charging. Great job ladies, you made it look easy. So, with the time they saved me I was able to walk the range a few times reconnecting with some shooters that I have not seen in some time.

Then the bang and clang started. Is it me or does that just sound like freedom and fun when the first rounds start blasting off at a big match? Cowboy Jon was giving the rifle speed match a good what for, getting better and faster with each attempt. He nailed down a 3.5 second speed rifle that stayed on the books for a long time. That kid is tightening up his game for sure. When he puts it all together, I think he could run with the overall champs. He was beat by I think it was like 3.20. Madame ran some pistols to warm up and I took over the speed rifle RO at noon till about 2 when I was relieved of duty and went to have some fun at the man on man side match.

Rocky Creek Shooter called me out as soon as I got there. Loaded up, staged my guns and I think I missed more than I hit. It did not matter though because I was shooting, and it felt good. I got one practice round in then it was time to draw numbers. I drew Chickie Winsome for the first round and I felt a disturbance in the force. When the bell tolled for Chickie and I to start that disturbance got worse. I missed a truckload of poppers with my pistols. But that is okay because you can make them up right? Yeah. Worked my shotgun on my misses and that left me with 2 shotgun shells that I dropped on the way to the last 4 shotgun target. But wait! Chickie Winsome is also out of shells. What do we do now? Chickie reached out with the force to Bucky Buckskin and asked for a shell and from across the range he let it fly. 20 or 30 cowboys all shut up and watched the shell arc across the sky, and like a Jedi Master Chickie caught it and in one motion it was in the gun and boom. For those you that do not get the Star Wars references, remember the immaculate reception? It was better! Way to go Chickie, now we have a fun memory.

Main Match Day 1

The nerves again woke me up at like 4:30 and I could not get back to sleep so I impatiently waited for Madame Moog to stir. We got ready and hit the range around 7. I went through the final sync of the tablets and everything worked perfectly, that let me relax a bit. The few shooters that could not make it on side match day came in, and the morning flight was building outside. Time went by so fast and the next thing I knew it is time for the safety meeting and opening ceremonies. The morning flights hit their berms and I made a few laps around the range to make sure the scorekeepers were comfortable with the CAS Scoring app. It was as easy as the breeze that morning.

Flight change! The afternoon flight took the range and the same as the morning I made the rounds on the range to make sure the scorekeepers were comfortable with the new app then made my way to my berm. We started on stage 9. I decided on the game that I was going to play a couple months back and I stuck to it. First stage of the match 22.18 and clean. With the big match nerves behind me I was off. I may have shot the best big match day 1 for me ever. I finished clean.  Madame Moog came to play too. Finishing day 1 with one miss and good times on the books. It was fun to watch her having fun and smiling. Shelleen even showed up this weekend. Putting up impressive times and he also shot clean on day 1. Our posse worked like a well-oiled machine before we know day one was done.

The heartbreaker was Santa Rosa Slinger on stage 10, you have maybe seen the video. He picked up what I believe to be his first SDQ on stage 10 after running and the pistol fell out of his holster. These things happen and it is always a bummer. He turned the other cheek even though he was “highly disappointed” and went on to shoot 9 stages very well and impressed the judges at the awards for costume contest. Sorry Slinger, 4 months you can try again.

Main Match Day 2

Day 2 we were the morning flight. Madame and I hit the range got the cart loaded and went to our berm. I am happy to say that the good match continued. So those of you waiting to read about the Moog train wreck on day 2, I am happy to disappoint. I cleaned it up on day 2 with good times for me and clean again. I did not even have a shotgun make up for the whole match. Shelleen came in and dropped the hammer on stage 4 earning him a P. Just kidding, you really cannot drop a virtual hammer, however, he did put the hammer down on day 2 finishing up with good times and clean.

The rest of the posse worked and shot a good day 2 Savvy Cindy and Dealing Justice, Santa Rosa Slinger, Cody Witt, and the rest all had smiles on their faces at the end. Everyone got an extra special celebration after shooting stages 4, 5 and 1. I may have had some expendable energy and hooped and hollered for everyone after the stage. I think it was contagious because Johnny Blackhouse, Bogus Jim, Cowboy Jon and Deadly Don even joined in on the excessive celebration.

Awards!

Greta D and I did the last sync of the tablets and printed out the score sheets. Figured out who the state winners were then off to get gussied up for the dinner. With everyone looking their best we all had dinner. During which I learned that I do not like knowing. As I did the scores with Greta, I knew who the winners were, and the Moog was not letting it out. Sure, you kind of know when you get to the dinner who the winners are, but I did know, and that was tough. This was the first time that I had been involved with Ides of March and the state match. I held my steely resolve though, and did not let it slip. The hardest was with the Lady Wrangler category with the reigning champ Madame Moog and Her contenders Chickie Winsome and Foxy Filly and Sassy Hammer.

So here we go. If you have shot on the same posse or sometimes even the same range with Madame Moog and Chickie Winsome, then you know these ladies show up and duke it out every time. Well Chickie Winsome got it done this year dethroning the 3-time Lady Wrangler Champion. Madame Moog was the first one to congratulate Chickie Winsome for taking the State Championship title for Lady Wrangler. This is what this game is about, reigning champs cheer on, help and advise their competition. Heck most would even offer backups if one of their guns broke. It is the cowboy way. Way to go Chickie Winsome from Madame Moog, Shelleen and I.

I finished 24^th overall, 3^rd in my category and squeaky clean. I have not had a match like that in a while. I really focused on keeping my head in the game and it paid off. Madame Moog was 77^th overall and 2^nd in her category. Shelleen brought it with him! He finished 4^th in his category, 9^th overall and he was also clean. I am proud of Cowboy Jon as well for getting Young Gun State Champion “find your sites” way to go Jon.

The Florida State overall lady champion Midwest Hale!  And the men’s overall champion Bucky Buckskin! Congratulations you guys and all the category state champions. Keep it up and we will back at again in March. Midwest Hale is the cohost on ASN Posse Up and we will once again have Bucky Buckskin join us for the championship break down so keep an eye out for that. You can also find Score sheets and stage winners on actionshootingnetwork.com/lcp. What a match!

Cracker Crew

There were some new cowboys and cowgirls inducted into the Cracker Crew at this state match. Firewater Bandit and Midwest Hale were joined by Rooster Ray for the honor of being a card-carrying member of the Cracker Crew. As well as Madame Moog who somehow fell through the cracks and was not given an official induction. One of the things that defines the Cracker Crew is we try to do the right thing and if we do not, we try to make it right. Welcome and here is to many more years of fun, meeting future new members.  

Shootout

You did not think I was going to wrap this up without talking about the shootout, did you? This was the first time Madame Moog and I made the shootout and did not have to buy into one or join one open to everyone . So, I was happy about that. Got a cool badge too! We got there Sunday morning and the targets were nicely painted but that was about to change. The young guns kicked us off with Levi Wrangler taking home a last young gun standing trophy. Then the ladies. Madame Moog pulled Pearly Heart on the first round and got knocked out. She pointed out at least she lost to the Lady Shootout winner. Congrats Pearly Heart for shootin’em up in the shootout. The top 32 shootout was stacked. I was lucky enough to pull Arcadia Outlaw on the first round and went out early. As madame said “at least I lost to the winner”. Congrats Arcadia Outlaw, I swear that was the happiest I have ever seen him. Oh, Shelleen had some nice runs in the shootout and got knocked out in his 3^rd round.

Let us know in the comments how you did at The Ides of Marvember. So, until next time keep practicing, find your sites and a bad match is still better than a good day at work!