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Shoot News

The California Range Riders hosted the 1st WSSA shoot in California on June 18th.

12 new members signed up at the match

The 1st western states shooting assoc competition took place at Novato Horsemens on June 18th. Everybody seemed to have a good time, especially folks that won the money.

Doug Harrison won overall and Scott Owens took reserve. Patty Blomquist won women’s overall. Jackie Hill, Jon Fix and Ken Tucker also made money.

Thanks to everybody that showed up. WSSA has twelve new members now. This organization was formed because the costs of shoots are high and returns are low. It doesn’t seem smart to pay for tracking points that most people will never use. WSSA is only ten dollars a year and that keeps the website open for checking standings and other information.

The World Championship or final will always be held in one of the Western States and will be affordable.

We are working out the bugs this year. but WSSA is off to a great start and hopefully we will be having bigger shoots with larger payouts in the future. You only have to come to 1 shoot to qualify for the finals. No POINTS required.

Again thanks to all that attended and a special thanks to Steve aka Buck for his help. It would never have been able to have run, even as well as it did, without his help. Thank you Steve!!

Dan Millikin

Cowboy Mounted Shooting Starts Them Young

By: Amanda DiLenge

Generations of little boys have grown up captivated by Cowboys, guns and horses. Running through the house on stick horses shooting guns at imaginary bad guys. They watched hours of “Hop Along Cassidy,” “Rawhide,” “The Cowboys,” and “Tombstone”. All the while dreaming of one day being a real life gunslinger. Who can blame them for wanting to tame the wild west?

For Quinton DiLenge, also known as “Doc Holiday” those dreams have become a reality through Cowboy Mounted Shooting. Riding his horse, “Gator” he is taking the competition by storm. With an unwavering determination, he sets his mind on the course and nothing distracts him from what he has to do. At just ten years old he rides at top speed while maneuvering his horse through a series of courses. These courses have challenged even the best shooter and have caused countless riders to make mistakes.

Quinton is still to young to carry a gun while in the saddle but, that doesn’t mean he can’t shoot. He is a balloon’s worst nightmare when you hand him a Colt .45 loaded with blanks. Shooting in the Wrangler division he will shoot as many as a dozen balloons in a day. These balloons might be spinning on a wheel, racing by on a rope or placed on stakes at various heights. These balloons are easily whipped from side to side in even the slightest breeze and it is always hard to hit a moving target. He makes it look easy as he takes aim and squeezes the trigger, he rarely misses.

The competition in this sport is tuff. These kids are the future of cowboy shooting and they take that seriously. Each generation must ride faster, shoot straighter and work harder to be better than those ahead of them. As they get older they move up to compete against riders who have been dominating these events for years. They learn what it takes to be number one by watching the best shooters this sport has to offer and ask anyone of these kids who the best is, they will give you the same answer, “ me of course”. That’s not to say there isn’t someone older that they all long to beat someday, but these kids exude confidence and self esteem.

For Quinton riding in these events adds to the amazing person he already is. School is always his main focus because he knows an education is priceless. As an honor roll student, an accelerated reader, an outstanding actor, a top athlete, and a down right polite young gentleman he is well rounded and set for a big future. Cowboy shooting has built up his self-confidence through competition, it has taught him to overcome defeat and feel the pride of winning. He has learned to always do his best and he has gained the ability to be comfortable in front of a audience. These skills will carry him through his life easing the challenges he faces in school and at future jobs. The future is filled with endless possibilities for this young shooter.

With the summer season looking to be a busy one “Doc Holiday” has already set his goals high. With his boots, chaps, guns and his best friend “Gator” loaded in the trailer he sets off for his next competition. The anxiety and excitement that he feels are a welcomed set of emotions because he knows that with those emotions come the adrenaline that propels him to go out there and win it all.