View From The OTJ’s Saddle - Ides of March 2022

2022 Single Action Shooting Society Florida State Championship

What a great time this was! I spent it with my second family, the Cracker Crew, and my third family the Carolina Gang! This weekend did not disappoint with lots of fast shooting, jokes, big belly laughs, good-natured banter, life lessons, and memories we will cherish forever. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend my St Patty’s weekend.

I had so much fun running the shootoff and man vs man challenge. I hope to run it again next year. Thank you to all of the participants, but especially to all those who came to watch and help us pick brass and set steel. Thanks to you, we had a very smooth Sunday of some of the top shooters in the game matching up head to head. We hope you had fun. We have videos of all the action coming soon.

An extra special thank you goes to Rocky Creek Shooter for all of his help these past 3 weekends hauling knockdowns halfway around the peninsula and back. Without him, the shootoff would not have taken place. The biggest thanks go to Jane Deere for organizing the whole shootoff on Sunday. Thanks to her superb system we had 43 head-to-head matches up in just over 2 hours. The weather was absolutely perfect and it was well attended. What more could you ask for?

Congrats to Top Gun Shootoff winner, Fireball; the Ladies Top Gun Shootoff Winner, Side Saddle Sue; and the Juniors Shootoff Winner Terrible Tyler who came all the way from North Carolina.  Huge Congratulations to one of my mentors on his 10th Overall Florida State Championship, (the most ever in the state) Santa Fe River Stan.  It was educational watching him shoot this match, even if he did switch to the boring double.  Another good friend and Cracker Crew member Hawkeye Gin won her 5th Florida State Overall Top Lady this weekend as well as the Cowgirl State Championship.  The cracker Crew was well represented in the awards with Dominator taking the Cowboy State Championship, Dang It Dan winning the Senior, Toothpick the Gunfighter, and his son Stingray winning the Young Gun buckle.

I finished Ides this year 3 seconds faster than last which was good enough for third place in Wrangler behind two top-notch shooters and even better friends, JP Law, and Bucky Buckskin. What an excellent category we have down here in Florida and I thoroughly enjoy competing against these guys week in and out. I’m fortunate to have friends like these to shoot with and spend the off-range time with this weekend. Congrats to Bucky for his well-deserved Wrangler Florida State Championship. I placed 10th Overall for the second year in a row and made the Top Gun shootoff where I was knocked out in the second round and had a whole lot of fun!

I had a first-round matchup against a shooter who epitomizes the “Spirit of our Game” and a great friend, Realtree. He got the crowd hyped up in typical Tree fashion. And then in the second round, there was a showdown of outlaws when I drew someone we shoot with every weekend and who is constantly pushing me to get better, Arcadia Outlaw. He won this round with some lightening fast shooting but he knows there will be more to come. 🤠 I can’t wait!

Chickie was second in Lady Wrangler and big congrats to Tilly Two Spurs for her Lady Wrangler Florida State Championship in her very first state match and clean! Chickie made the Top Ladies Shootoff again and advanced to the semifinals.

The Lake County Pistoleros awarded me a spirit of the game trophy and a free match for my dedication to Cowboy Action Shooting! I was shocked and humbled by this honor.

SASS Florida sponsored Stage 10 and the Cracker Crew sponsored Stage 9, both next to the shootoff. It couldn’t have worked out any better!

All in all, this weekend lived up to all the anticipation. It was lots of work but after seeing everyone enjoying themselves all weekend, it was all worth it. The only regret I have is that I didn’t get to visit with everyone for longer.

Until I see you on the trail, take care my friends.

The OTJ