coordination

[Trap]

  There are at least 4 was shoots going on that I know of in the eastern half of KS on the weekend of Memorial day. That makes it difficult to go to more than one of them. There should be a way that we could better coordinate our events, all would benefit by better attendance. Any ideas out there?

[Tame Bill]

Agreed!  For the record the Powder Creek Cowboys will hold the 2008 Prince of the Pistoleers May 23-25, 2008.  Next years banquet will be held at Old Shawnee Town.

[Chantilly]

Seems like a meeting of all of the different club officers would be possible and perhaps beneficial to the Kansas CAS participants.  I've often wondered if co-sponsoring some of the annual shoots wouldn't be a workable idea, spread out the work among more people, draw in more sponsors and vendors AND draw more shooters.  Frankly, I'd love to see the Kansas State SASS Championship run in that way - all the clubs working together for an incredible and unforgettable state shoot.  There have been some hurt feelings when a weekend that has hosted a club's annual shoot for several years is double or triple booked later. 

I like the idea of working closer together - all those bright minds in one place might even spark some new and exciting ideas for Kansas CAS!

Count me in!

[Advertising]

[Tame Bill]

Chantilly:

Maybe a meeting of all the Kansas SASS Territorial Governors and NCOWS Territorial Representatives would start the process. 

I, for one, would attend and work for a schedule that benefits all.

TB

[Major Matt Lewis]

Now I am not a Club rep, but would like to attend as many Kansas events as possible.  Next year, I was planning on shooting the Hutchinson event regardless.  Wanted to do it this year, but a conflict arose.  I gotta be honest.  The pie is big enough for everybody.  September used to be very crowded.  Now, the only major is the T-Town.  October is Border Wars and Hill City.  November is the State Match at Chapman.

Spring has become too crowded.  Spring Round up and Hutchinson have been there for a while.  So has the KVC 2 Gun Shoot.  Seems to me, that September holds opportunity for a club to an annual.  Sometime around Labor Day would be good.

But that's just my 2 cents...

[Grizzle Bear]

Two thoughts:

1.  We ought to be able to get a representative from each WAS group right here on CAS-City, and do our coordinating on-line.

2.  Each group ought to get ONE weekend a year when their function is the only thing happening in the state.

Grizzle Bear

[Chantilly]

Now I am not a Club rep, but would like to attend as many Kansas events as possible. 

Major - I think a lot of Kansas shooters agree - we like to attend as many Kansas events as possible as well!  What better way to spend your time than shooting with your friends around the state and getting the opportunity to shoot at so many wonderful ranges?  I bet we can come up with a schedule that will benefit everyone. 

I agree Grizz - each group ought to be able to have one weekend a year when their function is the only thing happening in the state.  There are a lot of weekends ..... 52 I do believe.

[Chantilly]

Oh yes, I meant to say not all 52 weekends are conducive weather wise in Kansas.....so that is one of the challenges. 

Capital City Cowboys has held its annual the 4th weekend of September for as many years as I am aware except one year we tried the 4th weekend of June - oh boy, was it hot that year, EOT moved to June also and so we went back to September.  Although September isn't completely booked, there are a number of shoots about 2 weekends apart - T Town the 4th weekend of Sept, Hill City about the 1st or 2nd weekend of October, then Free State Rangers the 3rd weekend of October and this year the Butterfield Gulch Gang is hosting the Kansas SASS Championship the 1st weekend of November.  That's quite a few annuals in the fall for no more shooters than Kansas has - our clubs overlap with the same shooters somewhat as there are only so many that travel around and there are some that do not travel outside their own club at all - they're happy shooting locally - which is fine also.  Last year Powder Creek Cowboys did have their annual the 2nd weekend of September and I assume they moved to another time of the year to increase attendance - to try to better meet shooters requests.  That's an assumption - I don't know for a fact.  I'm sure Hill City would like to see some more of the Kansas shooters from the east attend their shoot but generally they end up with more shooters from Eastern Colorado and Nebraska because of their location and the eastern Kansas shooters tend to hang in the east with T Town and Free State Rangers annuals that are closer.  While some folks have plenty of funds for all those registrations, hotels, and travel expenses, ammo, etc., many have limited play money.  Sponsors and vendors feel the same.  That does need to be a consideration, which is why CCC tried to move to the 4th weekend in June, it just didn't work well that year.  I don't have the answer but I do know that many Kansas shooters have mentioned that their funds are limited and they are wanting to support the Kansas annuals around the state but are finding it harder to do so.  That's why I was just throwing out the idea of co-sponsoring some of these shoots (wouldn't have to be the SASS State Shoot) - combine work forces and hold 1 larger match that might rotate between two ranges - annual shoot would go on but the range would rotate bi-annual with a combined work force.  Maybe that isn't workable - just a thought for mulling over.  After all, the shoots are for the shooters and if the shooters are getting frustrated...well then what?  Maybe not as many shooters are as frustrated as it seems, but I do seem to be hearing from more shooters than ever before.

There are more annuals in Spring also .... KVC 2 gun is 1st weekend of May, Spring Round Up is the 3rd weekend of May but it has been held in April as well, Fast and the Furious and Powder Creek Cowboys are both Memorial Day Weekend this year.  CCC did have a GAF Muster the 4th weekend of March but I don't know that CCC would claim any kind of dibs on that weekend.  Butterfield Gulch has previously held their annual the 1st weekend of May also - this year's move to the 1st weekend of November is new....they were trying to avoid the duplicate dates.

Trap - you mentioned 4 annual shoots on Memorial Day Weekend and I can't think what other Kansas annuals are on that weekend except The Fast and The Furious and Powder Creek Cowboys.  Who else is shooting that weekend?

I'll just throw out that we (Newton and I) would be happy to take the idea of co-sponsoring with combined work forces with another club - rotate the range bi-annual and share in everything to the Capital City Cowboys organization for consideration.  I have no idea how well it will go over but I suspect that it would be seriously considered.  if anyone is interested in this idea, just let me know.  That would put one annual shoot in Sept co-sponsored with 2 clubs - everything shared - work, etc.  Details would have to be worked out - I know the devil is in the details - but I think it could work.  Anyone interested?  Of course, if you consider that annual shoots are primarily for those shooters than normally shoot at the range and other people are a bonus - then all of these shoots is not a problem. 

PS - when there were only 2 spring and 2 fall annuals, that seemed workable.  When that increased to three and then four in both the spring and the fall is when the grumbling seemed to increase.  Just my perspective and I've been known to be wrong before!  Of course, we could just leave the 4 or so for both Spring and Fall but attendance is likely to drop - we'll see if that is true this year.  Maybe not for those that are "old timers" but I do think it provides an extra challenge for newer or smaller clubs.

I was only going to give my 2 cents but appears ya got the dollar instead!  LOL  Hope I don't offend anyone because that certainly is not my intention.  Just throwing out some food for thought.

[Trap]

  Chantilly, The two you mentioned, Hutch F&F and PCC  PoP. The KVC was going to have one but we cancelled it after I first posted this. There is a shoot in Neodesha I believe that wknd also.
  I think the idea of each "club" getting one weekend a year is a good one. Each club would have to pick one (easy) then ALL other "clubs" would have to agree to have NOTHING that weekend (possible??)

[Major Matt Lewis]

Nothing would be ideal, but you may have to live with a local monthly shoot.  I do know that PCC, The Free State Rangers and Capital City Cowboys do cooperate generally and from an outsider's perspective it works pretty well.

[Trap]

  If a club can't give up a monthly shoot to cooperate we might as well forget it.
   It shouldn't be necessary for any one club to give up over 1 or 2 at most

[Chantilly]

  Chantilly, The two you mentioned, Hutch F&F and PCC  PoP. The KVC was going to have one but we cancelled it after I first posted this. There is a shoot in Neodesha I believe that wknd also.
  I think the idea of each "club" getting one weekend a year is a good one. Each club would have to pick one (easy) then ALL other "clubs" would have to agree to have NOTHING that weekend (possible??)

Trap - that might work.  I know Topeka - Capital City Cowboys holds monthly shoots the 4th Sunday of every month and we cancelled our May monthly to encourage folks to shoot at one of the other annuals.  This was no big deal at all for CCC - unanimous vote to cancel.  We have no problem with cancelling one or two monthly shoots a year but more than that might cause a problem as some of our shooters just don't travel.  I think all the clubs do an excellent job trying to schedule around everyone else best they can - sometimes it just gets tight as more clubs pop up like Neodesha.  Probably at least working within "regions" should be doable.  IE with POP in Lenexa and FF in Hutchinson - those shoots are large distances apart and probably the only people affected are those that like to travel to as many shoots as possible.  Their main body of shooters are not going to overlap much.  POP will draw from Missouri and FF could draw from OK just as Hill City draws from Eastern CO and NE.  POP cancelled their monthly shoot last October in cooperation with the state SASS shoot in Parker.  We do all get along which is just way cool.  With a bit of planning - I bet that each club dibsing ONE weekend they hold an annual could be worked out.

That said - CCC dibs the 4th weekend of September.     We'll hold the GAF Muster the 4th weekend of March but we would not expect other clubs to cancel a planned shoot for that - as you know, its a bit different and has its own kind of following.

[Trap]

   Well, No one has responded to this for a month. Should we pronounce this issue dead?              jt

[Tame Bill]

Trap:

This issue is not ready for a dirt nap yet! 

I believe we can coordinate some manner of meeting either in person or on-line to plan for the remainder of 2007 and all of 2008.  How about a personal email notice to all parties of when you would like to meet on line and discuss the Kansas WAS calendar.  I travel so extensively for work that I often fail to check the SASS Wire and CAS City regularly. But if I know in advance I can add it to my planner and attend.  Just my thoughts.   

TB

[Trap]

   Our Natl. shoot is comming up next week , will get back 25th ,more then.

[Tame Bill]

Anybody still interested in coordinating match dates for 2008?

[Grizzle Bear]

Okay, after consultation with the membership, the Kansas Vigilance Committee has the following plans for 2008:

We are going away from rotating weekends, and planning on holding all our functions on the first weekend of the month.  Those weekends will be:

January 5/6

February 2/3

(NCOWS National Convention is February 15/16/17)

March 1/2

April 5/6

May 2/3/4  This will be our Two-Gun Shoot, and is the weekend I would like reserved for us.

June 7/8 No shoot for us, we'll all be going to Fort Des Moines Rangers shoot.

July 5/6 

August 2/3

September 6/7

October 4/5  1880's Town  secondary reserved weekend

November 1/2

December no shoot Dinner at the Golden Ox the 13th




Comments are welcome.  I do not know of any other group in eastern Kansas shooting on the first weekend.  If I am wrong, please let me know.

Grizzle Bear

[Trap]

  One thing we might add to the above post. For those of you who are not NCOWS members, the NCOWS National Convention will be held this year in Kansas City KS. at the Reardon Convention Center. You do not have to be an NCOWS member to attend. The Convention consists of an old west show and sale, which will have everything from guns, leather, clothing, research materials, reloading components and all those little necessities of 19th C. life. There is a banquet Sat. eve which will include dinner and a Victorian ball.
There will be ongoing seminars on any number of old west topics from Q&A about NCOWS to Bellydancing. There is a convention fee of , I believe $35, which will get you in all three days, any seminar and the banquet. You will also be able to buy a one day pass to the show & sale. Obviously our goal is to impress you enough that you will want to be a member of our little band that we believe is the best if not the biggest WAS group out there. Whether you decide to join us or not, it will be worth you time to put it on your calender to at least join us for a day of Old West fun.    jt

[Books OToole]

It looks like weekends can be staked out with the minimum of conflict.

1st weekend - KVC

2nd weekend (Saturday) - Powder Creek Cowbotys

3rd weekend (Sunday)- Free State Rangers

4th Wednesday - Powder Creek Cowboys

4th weekend - Capital City Cowboys   

5th weekend (Sunday) - Free State Rangers

[Updated to reflect new information. Thanks MM & TB]

Books

[Major Matt Lewis]

It looks like weekends can be staked out with the minimum of conflict.

1st weekend - KVC

2nd weekend -

3rd weekend - Powder Creek Cowboys

4th weekend - Capital City Cowboys

Is this accurate?

Books

No, Powder Creek is the 2d Saturday and the Parker based Free State Rangers are the 3 and 5th Sunday.