Shooter Spotlight : Johny Blackhouse

Alias

Johny Blackhouse

Where do you live? (what state or country)

I live in Parrish, Florida

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

I started shooting in 2015. I lived in Ohio and was looking for a gun range closer to the farm, I found Piqua Fish & Game was only 10 minutes away. I drove over one day to check it out. As I walked down a path to the range, the clouds suddenly parted, rays of sunshine fell from the sky illuminating about a dozen old west facades! There was bank, train station, jailhouse and yes a saloon! The theme song from Stage Coach started playing in my head, I was hooked! At the far end of the range Mean Gun Mark and his wife Hunny Bunny were practicing. I had to find out about this Cowboy thing so I went down and talked with them. In cowboy fashion they were extremely eager to tell me about CAS, the guns, their club the Miami Valley Cowboys and invited me to come watch a Wild Bunch Match they were having next weekend. I went to the match and of course everyone was very welcoming and eager to talk about the sport, their guns and offer advice on getting started. Boaz, much like a good drug dealer, offered to let me shoot a stage using his guns and the rest is history.

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

I would say Mean Gun Mark, he took me under his wing and really helped me get started. Boaz, Lassitor, and Ole Short Tom were always giving me advice and pointers. I only shot about a year in Ohio and moved to Florida where life happened and I didn't shoot again until October 2019, I contacted Shelleen, dusted off my guns and went to shoot in Ruskin. I was back in the saddle! Shelleen has helped me a lot since I started shooting again. Moog, Bogus Jim, Cowboy John and many others have been very helpful as well. I value and appreciate all the help and advice I can get.

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

I dry fire practice about 20 minutes at least three times a week, Like most everyone else these days I save my primers for matches.

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

None yet, but I will!

Tell us about your most memorable match:

My most memorable match was the Guns of August in 2016. It was a Regional Championship and my first big match. I was just getting started and had bought a jogging stroller on Craigslist to make a gun cart, I wasn't quite finished with it but it was serviceable for the match. The range is located on a large hill with the stages going up the hill on both sides, at the bottom of the hill there is a town façade with storefronts that was used for registration and refreshments. I shot well the first day and was excited to get the last day started. The posse schedule for the day was posted on a hill located just above the town. I took my cart/stroller and went to the top of the hill to see what stage I would be starting on. As I mentioned earlier, my gun cart was serviceable but not finished, I had not yet got to installing brakes on it. As I was checking the posse schedule I heard a strange noise behind me, I turned around and watched in horror as my cart careened downhill, gaining speed, bouncing out of control directly towards town where many cowboys and cowgirls were gathered! Realizing there was no way for me to stop it the only thing that came to mind was to shout "STAMPEED!" I began the walk of shame, feeling all eyes on me as I followed my cart down the hill, cringing as it slammed in the hotel, narrowly missing a couple that was standing nearby. I was apologizing profusely as I retrieved my cart. It turns out the couple it almost took out was Deuce Stevens and his wife! Deuce just looked at me and said "well on the bright side you didn't loose your guns" and laughed! I ended up having dinner with him and his wife at the banquet that night talking about CAS, his guns, how he practiced, and the invention of brakes.

What is your favorite aspect of CAS?

By far the people

Is there a story behind your alias, and what is that story?

My alias Johny Blackhouse is a combination of my past hobbies/passions. I had a once in a lifetime mare named Rebel Ridge Ellie, we won three RMHA International Grand Championships together. Her sire was a horse named Johny's Pride. Prior to horses I explored caves for about 20 years. A group of us discovered, surveyed, and mapped a cave system in the Blackhouse Mountains near Pall Mall Tennessee where Sergeant Alvin Yorks homestead is located. We called ourselves the Blackhouse Mountain Gang.

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

I haven't done a lot of traveling to matches but I would say Moog. I got a late call to attend EOT this year and Moog constantly reached out to make sure I wasn't asleep at the wheel many times covering the 2600 mile drive!

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

I would say Piqua Fish & Game in Ohio where I started, but I really enjoyed Paradise Pass and EOT this year, it was a great set up and ran really well.

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

I have only shot traditional which is still a work in progress!

What is you posse job of choice?

I really enjoy spotting a lot. I like to see how people chose to shoot the stages

What is the time of your fastest clean stage?

19.97 is my fastest clean stage.

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

I think it would be "shoot your game" I discussed this with OTJ and it really made me start thinking about what my game really is. It has been very helpful for me. It is very similar to "ride your horse" when I was showing horses and it is the same with CAS, most mistakes are mental. Be positive and focus on what you can control, everything else will fall in line.

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

Have fun!

What keeps you playing this game?

The people for sure, and the competition.

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

Spending time with my family and taking the dogs out for a jaunt in the wetlands.