He had assumed many of the major SASS business responsibilities for the past few years.  Coyote Calhoun was the SASS National Programs Director and Marketing Director.  He was a co-founder of the Shootout at Mule Camp, the first SASS Regional Championship, and, as a member of the Magnificent Seven, received the SASS Spirit Award in 1999.

Coyote began working for SASS in 1999, bringing consistency and enthusiasm to the SASS National Shooting Program.  He was part of the development of the SASS Range Operations Safety Courses and served on the SASS Range Operations Committee.  He was an outspoken advocate of the “B” Western shooting category.

In 2004, Coyote received the prestigious “Top Hand” award and was inducted into the Cowboy Action Shooting™ Hall of Fame in 2009.

Coyote’s enthusiasm, energy, and creativity have been vital to SASS and will surely be missed.  The Wild Bunch and SASS staff offer sincere condolences to the family.

Funeral arrangements are pending at this time, but will be announced as soon as available.

This announcement runs in tandem with Action Target being named the official target manufacturer for the world’s largest Cowboy Action Shooting competition, End of Trail. SASS and Action Target have been working together for many years. Action Targets have been used with increasing frequency at regional, state and club Cowboy Action Shooting matches. They have also been the preferred choice for various other CAS events.

This prompted Action Target to work with SASS World Champion Evil Roy (aka: Gene Pearcey) to develop the industry’s most portable, economical, durable and independently reviewed steel target, the Evil Roy Practice Target. The Evil Roy target has been through some of the most grueling and comprehensive torture tests, but it performs each and every time. It is because of this reliability the SASS has chosen Action Targets for its Founders Ranch events.

“When World Championships are on the line only the best will do and Action Target is the best.” commented Coyote Calhoun (aka: Lamar Shelnutt) Marketing Director of SASS and Co-Match Director of END of TRAIL.

SASS’ newest shooting sport Wild Bunch Action Shooting®, with costuming and firearms based on the period just after the turn of the 20th century, depicted by the 1969 Sam Peckinpah’s movie “The Wild Bunch” will use the more extensive line of reactive Action Targets. The sport employs the use of a 1911 pistol rather than single action revolvers, SASS legal pump shotguns and lever action rifles. All pistols and rifles used in Wild Bunch Action Shooting require 40-to-45 caliber ammunition.

For more information on SASS®, the End of Trail®, Cowboy Action Shooting® or Wild Bunch Action Shooting®, please contact Lamar “Coyote Calhoun” Shelnutt or Misty “Misty Moonshine” Miller at (505) 843-1320. For more information on Action Target’s line of Cowboy Action Shooting Targets, their variety of Portable Steel Targets, or their full line of products and services visit their website, www.actiontarget.com. To purchase Action Target products for drop shipment direct to your U.S. range or facility, shop online at www.shopactiontarget.com or visit the SASS Mercantile at www.sassnet.com/mercantile.

Top Overall Winners Randi Rogers and Spencer Hoglund

FOUNDERS RANCH, EDGEWOOD, NM. The 30th annual END of TRAIL World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting and Wild West Jubilee was held June 19-26, 2011. END of TRAIL remains the Granddaddy of all Cowboy Action Shooting™ events. This year END of TRAIL offered 32 Cowboy Action Shooting™ categories in which World Championships were contested.

Taking Top Overall honors to claim his third Overall Cowboy Action Shooting™ World Title was Spencer Hoglund aka Lead Dispencer, SASS #27115, from Chatsworth, California. Lead Dispencer hadn’t made it to END of TRAIL in several years, and he certainly made the best of his visit this year finishing 57 rank points ahead of his nearest competitor. Randi Rogers aka Holy Terror, SASS #15362, from Smyrna, Georgia finished as Top Lady and seventh place overall, winning the Cowgirl Category for her astonishing ninth World Championship in ten years! Holy Terror shoots on the Glock Team but has her shooting roots firmly planted in Cowboy Action Shooting™.

Other Category winners were:

Buckarette – Sweet Sister Kit, SASS #79916, from Arkansas,
Buckaroo – Olin Winchester, SASS #83099, from Georgia (Olin also placed in the top 50 Overall!),
Junior Girl – Slick’s Sharp Shooter, SASS #77967, from Georgia,
Junior – Jersey Town Kid, SASS #88434, from Pennsylvania,
Cowboy – Lead Dispencer, SASS# 27115, from California
Cowgirl – Holy Terror, SASS# 15362, From Georgia
Lady Wrangler – SASS #59089, from Tennessee,
Wrangler – James Samuel Pike, SASS #53331, from Connecticut,
Lady 49′er – Stormy Shooter, SASS #57333, from Arizona,
49′er – Long Hunter, SASS #20389, from Texas,
Lady Senior – Lefty Joe, SASS #18830, from Colorado,
Senior – Hells Comin, SASS #56436, from Arizona,
Lady Silver Senior – Two Sons, SASS #12636, from Indiana,
Silver Senior – Tex Fiddler, SASS #10127, from California,
Grand Dame – Ramblin’ Rose, SASS #2811, from Colorado,
Elder Statesman – Rosita Gambler, SASS #41377, from Colorado,
Lady Gunfighter – Rocky Meadows, SASS #18501, from Texas,
Gunfighter – Max Montana, SASS #23907, from Indiana,
Senior Gunfighter – Cripple Creek Kid, SASS #10614, from Ohio,
Lady Duelist – Dixie Bell, SASS #5366, from Utah,
Duelist – Risin’ Outlaw, SASS #64767, from South Carolina,
Senior Duelist – J.M. Brown, SASS #27309, from North Carolina,
Frontiersman – Split Rail, SASS #24707, from Ohio,
Lady Frontier Cartridge – Honey B. Quick, SASS #47009, from Ohio,
Frontier Cartridge – Silver City Rebel, SASS #38607, from Georgia,
Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter – Jess Ducky, SASS #4275, from Washington,
Lady Frontier Cartridge Duelist – Mist Chance, SASS #1539, from Arizona,
Frontier Cartridge Duelist – Billy Boots, SASS #20282, from Texas,
Classic Cowgirl – Half-a-Hand Henri, SASS #9727, from New Mexico,
Classic Cowboy – Dragon Hill Dave, SASS #59561, from Texas,
Lady B-Western – Louisiana Lady, SASS #34986, from Louisiana,
B-Western – Slick McClade, SASS #69490, from Louisiana,

Cowboy Action Shooting™ still remains the fastest growing of all shooting sports. With well over 90,000 members in the Single Action Shooting Society the sport has something to offer men, women, and juniors shooters of all ages. There are now over 600 clubs world wide in which to participate. Go to www.sassnet.com to find one near you.

From left: Chance Koch, Heather Kresser, Terri Galpin and Jim Finch

FOUNDERS RANCH, EDGEWOOD, NM. The 3rd annual World Championship of Wild Bunch Action Shooting® shook things up during the 30th annual End of Trail. The Single Action Shooting Society send its congratulations to the World Champions outlined below.

Chance Koch, aka Last Chance Morales, SASS# 67180 of Redmond, Oregon proved his grit at the age of 17 during End of Trail, earning his World Champion finish shooting in the Wild Bunch Modern category. Chance began shooting Cowboy Action Shooting at the age of 12 and has been shooting Wild Bunch since its inception. Armed with a 1911 STI by PARA Ordinance, an 1873 Winchester Rifle by Navy Arms, and an 1897 Winchester Pump Shotgun, Chance over took the legendary Evil Roy to claim his first World Championship title and become the Top Overall finisher.

Jim Finch, aka Long Hunter, SASS# 20389 of Amarillo, TX earned his World Champion finish shooting in the Wild Bunch Traditional category at End of Trail. SASS Wild Bunch and Cowboy Action Shooter Long Hunter headed into the final stage of shooting with an astounding 22.23 seconds lead from his closest competitor, despite the strong competition from the lineup of international shooters. Long Hunter took stage 12 in 39.05 seconds, resulting in a phenomenal rank points win. Long Hunter put in an impressive performance at End of Trail, later in the week also claiming a World Champion 49er title in the World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting. The SASS Wild Bunch PARA 1911 was the handgun of choice for Long Hunter as he put in an impressive performance at End of Trail, along with a 1873 Winchester Rifle, and a 1897 Winchester Pump Shotgun.

Terri Galpin, aka Texas Tiger, SASS# 74829 of Tijeras, NM earned her World Champion finish shooting in the Wild Bunch Ladies Traditional category at End of Trail. SASS Wild Bunch and Cowboy Action Shooter Texas Tiger maintained an impressive lead throughout the match, finishing an astounding 362 rank points ahead of her competition. Going on to also place 3rd in the Ladies Wrangler Category in the World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting, Texas Tiger is true competitor and performer in shooting sports.

Heather Kresser, aka Half-A-Hand Henri, SASS# 9727 of Magdalena, NM took home the World Champion Wild Bunch Ladies Modern title this year at End of Trail. A proven winner and competitor in Wild Bunch and Cowboy Action Shooting, Half-A-Hand Henri beat out the competition by a staggering 172 rank points in the World Championship of Wild Bunch Action Shooting. She also later in the week went on to claim an additional trophy as the World Champion Classic Cowgirl in the World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting.

The 3rd annual World Championship of Wild Bunch Action Shooting® was held in conjunction with the 30th World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting and SASS Mounted Shooting at Founders Ranch in Edgewood, NM.

Wild Bunch Action Shooting®, quickly gaining in popularity, continues to pick up speed and is regarded as the “Hottest Game” around. A combination of SASS Cowboy Action Shooting and Action Shooting with 1911 Pistols, the sport uses 1911 Pistols, Lever Action Rifles, and 1897 Pump Shotguns. Range set-up is comparable to a normal Cowboy Action Shooting Match. SASS Wild Bunch Action Shooting® is now sanctioning matches around the country.

For more information about the Single Action Shooting Society, visit www.sassnet.com

Photo Credit: www.sassnet.com

Founder’s Ranch, New Mexico – Action Target announces the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) has made them the official target manufacturer for their group of Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) enthusiasts. This announcement runs in tandem with Action Target being named the official target manufacturer for the world’s largest single action shooting competition, End of Trail.

Action Target has been working with SASS for many years. Their targets have been used with increasing frequency at regional, state and club shooting matches. They have also been the preferred choice for various other CAS events. This prompted Action Target to work with SASS World Champion Evil Roy (aka: Gene Pearcey) to develop the industry’s most portable, economical, durable and independently reviewed steel target, the Evil Roy Practice Target. The Evil Roy target has been through some of the most grueling and comprehensive torture tests, but it performs each and every time. Some of the most respected independent reviewers in the industry, such as Nutnfancy, that have the consumer in mind, have tested and evaluated the Evil Roy.

Evil Roy has been instrumental in the creation of the target named after him. He has also been working with SASS in the development of rules, shooting stages and weapon characteristics to include Wild Bunch Action Shooting, which will be the opening stages of the 2011 End of Trail.

The Media Contact and dedicated SASS member, Coyote Calhoun (aka: Lamar Shelnutt) commented, “Wild Bunch Action Shooting will employ the use of a 1911 pistol rather than single action revolvers, SASS legal pump shotguns and lever-action rifles. The idea for the equipment and dress used in the sport is based on the 1969 movie, “The Wild Bunch”. SASS is proud to have such a great relationship with Action Target that goes much deeper than just their high quality targets.”

The End of Trail Main Match will take place Thursday, June 23rd through Saturday, June 25th. The competitors participate in twelve individual stages shooting four stages per day Thursday, Friday and Saturday. End of Trail is a four gun event. That is, the shootist is required to perform using two six-guns, rifle and shotgun in each of the main match stages. Shooters can expect to fire ten pistol, up to ten rifle and up to six shotgun rounds for each stage and should be prepared to bring enough ammunition for the warm up and main matches.

For more information on SASS, the End of Trail or Wild Bunch Action Shooting, please contact Lamar “Coyote Calhoun” Shelnutt or Misty “Misty Moonshine” Miller at (505) 843-1320.

For more information on Action Target’s line of Cowboy Action Shooting Targets, their variety of Portable Steel Targets, or their full line of products and services visit their website, www.actiontarget.com. To purchase Action Target products for drop shipment direct to your U.S. range or facility, shop online at www.shopactiontarget.com. For other shooting and range-related needs, visit the Action Target subsidiary, Law Enforcement Targets.

Slipnoose, the new SASS Clubs Administrator.

It’s a New Year, and along with it comes a bit of a change. SASS Clubs are the backbone of SASS, and we currently have over 600 clubs worldwide. Keeping up with those clubs is a major undertaking, so to service clubs and members, we are making a few changes in 2011.

First, we are making some changes to the club renewal process. In previous years renewal for your club’s affiliation has been on January 1st. Beginning this year, the renewal date will be the anniversary date of your insurance. For many clubs this will still be January 1st, but it will spread out some of the renewals over the course of the year. The renewal form can be found on line, and all you need do is to complete the form and click submit. What could be easier? This process should make it a little easier on us as well. I say “us,” but it will make it easier on Slipnoose, our new SASS Clubs Administrator. Slipnoose has been with SASS almost a year, working in customer service and in our SASS Mercantile department. She will now take on the duties of the SASS Clubs Administrator. She is responsible for maintaining all the SASS club affiliation paper work and keeping the databases up-to-date. She is also responsible for getting prize packages and buckles to Championship Matches. Clubs Administrator is really a do-everything position, and she can handle the job.

Secondly, we have updated our SASS Clubs Web Page. It now has more information than ever before, and navigation is a snap. With all this information at hand, we need your help in keeping it updated. There’s a Web Update Form on the Clubs page where the Club Contact or Territorial Governor can email us changes to their club’s information. We especially need to know the date of annual club matches as soon as they are determined for the next year.

Speaking of Annual Matches, work is under way on the web pages that display the Annual Matches. As of late, they have been sorely out-of-date, and hopefully by the time you read this, we will have the new pages installed and ready for viewing.

On January 1st, we begin sending out applications for the 2012 SASS State Championships. You may request them by emailing the SASS Office at sassclubs@sassnet.com or by calling the SASS office at 877-411-SASS (7277). The process runs from January 1st until May 1st, and any club may apply. If only one club from the state applies for the State Championship, that club is awarded the SASS State Championship, so long as the club’s affiliation is up to date and the club is in good standing.

If more than one club applies for the State Championship, the Territorial Governors of the state are asked to vote for the club they feel would do the best job. The winner gets the match. This year SASS is sanctioning SASS Action State Matches, SASS Mounted State Matches, SASS Blackpowder State Matches, and SASS Wild Bunch State Matches. Again, the process is very simple, and there are only a few simple requirements to meet.

Last but not least, we always have a few questions about how we handle our Regional Matches and National Match. These matches cannot be applied for and are awarded by the Wild Bunch. We award them to clubs that have a track record of putting on successful SASS Matches, and they are also clubs we know have the best interest of Cowboy Action Shooting™ and SASS at heart. These matches rarely change from year to year, and they are the some of the brightest spots in our Shooting program.

So, please take a look at our new SASS Clubs web page, I think you will like what you see!

The SASS International Shooting Program is made possible by you, the shooters. SASS just recently welcomed its 90,000th member, and with over 600 clubs worldwide, this makes for a very stable base upon which to build our International Shooting program. This shooting program starts with a foundation of some 200 annual club matches. Any SASS Club can put on an annual match, and SASS supports these annual matches through prize donations, advertising in The Cowboy Chronicle and the SASS Web Site, and a post match article in The Cowboy Chronicle, if submitted.

The next step in the program is the SASS State Championships. Clubs can apply for State Championships beginning in January for the following year (i.e., in January 2011 one can apply for the 2012 state match). Any club meeting the requirements may apply for a SASS State Championship. Contrary to popular belief there are very few requirements for putting on a State Match. Clubs have the option of running their state match under total time or rank points, and although a match is required to offer all SASS categories, they only have to actually provide those categories where there are five or more in the category. Also, state matches and above may offer any category they deem appropriate and for which they have sufficient shooters to fill the category. So, Senior Gunfighter or Senior Blackpowder Duelist, along with others, are acceptable additions.

After State Championships come the Regional and National Championships. One cannot apply for Regional Championships or the National Championship. The Wild Bunch awards them. Once they are awarded, they don’t move very often. The Wild Bunch, when choosing a host for a Regional match, looks for a club with a great track record of putting on successful matches and looks for a club with good, strong leadership. These matches are the jewels in the program, and they will be some of the largest and best run matches around.
Last, but not least, is the World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting™, END of TRAIL. Here you are likely to see winners not only from the US National Championship, but from all over the world. Unlike other shooting competitions, anyone may shoot END of TRAIL or any of our other Championship matches. You do not have to earn any number of points or win any number of matches. All you need is to be a SASS member in good standing, have a good attitude, and be comfortable with the game.

So, who can win a state, Regional, or National match you ask? Well, SASS recognizes the highest placing male and female residents of the state, Region, or country as the SASS Champions. These people receive the SASS buckle and entry to the next match in the chain. The overall match winners are just that—“The Overall Match Winners,” and they should be recognized for winning the match along with all the glory that goes with it. As for category winners, there is no set SASS policy, but many matches are recognizing the overall category winners as well as the resident category winners. Multiple winners can result in many trophies, although often certificates work just as well. We are not giving away an expensive new Cadillac, and it is good public relations to recognize as many folks as you can. Everyone likes his or her 15 seconds of fame, and if they walk away with a smile on their face, they will most likely come back. I expect there to be considerable discussion regarding this at the TG Summit this year!

In past years we have referred to national championship matches outside the US as Regionals. Beginning in 2011 they will be referred to as National Matches. The winners of these matches have to be from the country or Region where the match is held. An example is the European Championship—Days of Truth, the SASS Champions must reside in Europe. By making this change, we clear up several recent issues.

As SASS continues to grow, so will our International Shooting Program, and 2011 is shaping up to be another great year of shooting. I hope ya’ll have a great holiday season and a blessed New Year!

First, we are proud to announce NRA President, Ron Schmeits, will give the opening Keynote Speech at the 9th Annual SASS Convention and Wild West Christmas. Ron is a long time member of the Single Action Shooting Society and is known by SASS members as Judge Banks, SASS #40000. Ron, a New Mexico resident, is a NRA Life Member and a Benefactor Member since 2005. In addition, he serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees for the NRA Whittington Center, a 33,300-acre premiere shooting and hunting facility in Raton, New Mexico. The Keynote Speech will be delivered during the Convention’s Opening Ceremonies Thursday morning at 8:30 in the Top of the Riv Ballroom.

Next in line is the Riders in the Sky Concert. For thirty years Riders In The Sky have been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers. While remaining true to the integrity of Western music, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos and buckarettes to live life “The Cowboy Way!” On Friday December 10th, SASS welcomes the first ever appearance of Riders in the Sky at the SASS Convention and Wild West Christmas. The doors will open at 6:30 to a floor full of western exhibitors and vendors offering everything that is cowboy. Along with the concert, what could be better? You can save on tickets by purchasing early through the SASS Office or at sassnet.com.

The SASS Convention is also proud to have Chris Enss as a seminar presenter this year. Chris Enss is an American author and screenwriter. Enss has written more than 20 books on the subject of women in the Old West, and has collaborated with producer Howard Kazanjian on four books, including two about Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.
Join Chris for a special seminar entitled “10 Love Lessons Learned from Wild West Women.” Many adventurous frontier women arrived on the other side of romances with words of wisdom on the subject. Others let their lives serve as an example of what to do, or not to do, to win the hearts of that special someone. You won’t want to miss this special seminar with the foremost authority on women in the Old West.

Chris will also be signing her books at the SASS Mercantile on the convention floor during the Friday night concert.

And speaking of seminars, one of our favorite historians, Jim Dunham, Kid Rio, SASS #2741, will once again be at the SASS Convention presenting seminars. Jim Dunham has spent most of his life pursuing his love of the American West. Although born in Illinois, Dunham grew up influenced by the art of Charles M. Russell, Frederick Remington, and the books of Will James. Jim was a boy when the Westerns dominated both TV and the movies. As a teenager he was active in the sport of Fast Draw and became accomplished at gun spinning and fancy gun handling. He studied acting and Fine Arts at the University of Colorado and began performing a show about the Gunfighters of the Old West for service clubs and church groups. Jim is employed as the Director of Special Projects for the Booth Western Art Museum in Georgia.

The theme for the SASS Convention this year is Tombstone, and Jim Dunham is one of the foremost authorities on Tombstone. Jim will be presenting three seminars based on Tombstone. They are:
“Tombstone—Too Tough to Die,” a riveting presentation on the history of the West’s most famous town from the discovery of silver to the Earps and Clantons.
“The Street Fight Near the OK Corral,” a fun and informative presentation on the origins of the fight, the trial, and The Vendetta Ride.
“The Movies about Tombstone,” a historical cinematic journey through the movies about Tombstone, from the 1931 Law and Order through the 1993 Tombstone and the 1994 Wyatt Earp.

Other seminars will include a complete series on Wild Bunch Action Shooting, How to Cowboy Fast Draw, as well as a plethora of seminars on various subjects that are sure to please any SASS member.

Also, in keeping with such fine Victorian offerings as our Tombstone Ball on Saturday Night, we have added a Victorian Tea to the Convention Schedule. Victorian Teas are an elegant and forgotten pastime that will afford you the opportunity to renew your spirit and refresh your mind. Please join us at the Top of The Riv and enjoy some light refreshments and a look at the history, the fashions, and the pastimes of Victorian Teas. Lady LaSalle, Greeneyed Gypsy, and Shotglass will be your hostesses for this new and exciting event. It will be held Friday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Tickets are only $15! This will be the social event of the season, and you will want to get your tickets early because seating is limited.

Last but not least, the Wild West Performing Arts Society will hold its World Championships at the SASS Convention, along with workshops and “how to” sessions on Rope Spinning, Gun Twirling, Whip Cracking, and Knife throwing being taught by the best performers in the world. All these things and many more make this year’s SASS Convention an unforgettable experience. Hope to see you there!

For more information about SASS and the SASS convention, visit www.sassnet.com .

This shooting sport started in Southern California in 1982 with the first END of TRAIL, the World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting™, and SASS membership has steadily grown ever since. “Today there are over 600 clubs across the country and around the world holding annual and monthly shooting competitions,” said Coyote Calhoun, SASS #201, SASS Marketing Director. “Our competitions are meant to be fun … they’re competitions, of course, we keep score, but we want our competitors coming off the shooting line with a smile on their face—we’re actually in the entertainment business!” he continued.

“We have 10-year-old Buckaroos, 90-year-old Elder Statesmen, moms, wives, and girl friends, as well as cowboys of all ages and shooting styles competing,” said SASS President U.S. Grant, SASS #2. There are over 30 different shooting categories so everyone is competing against their peers … and our members like that!” he said

SASS shooting competitions are reminiscent of scenes right out of the old B-Western movies where one protected the water hole, rescued the rancher’s daughter from the bad guys, or protected the town from the outlaws—and sometimes, the cowboys get to play the bad guys as well! The game requires the use of a pair of six-guns, a lever-action rifle (in pistol caliber), and an old time shotgun. A competitor’s score is determined by how long it takes to finish the scenario with five seconds added for each missed shot … and the targets are big and close!

Contact Misty Moonshine at SASS’ World Headquarters in Edgewood, NM. Telephone: 505-843-1320. Web site: www.sassnet.com.