This is from the Mountain View Telegraph:
It seems appropriate that the state where Billy the Kid and his ragtag bunch of outlaws scoffed the law would hold a match to settle who is best with a shooting iron: cops or cowboys.
That shootout was held Saturday at the Founders Ranch near Edgewood, and the cowboys won.
The Buffalo Range Riders, a local chapter of the Single Action Shooting Society, put the match together and invited SASS members and law enforcement from all over to participate.
The cowboys could only use single action pistols and old-fashioned rifles and shotguns against local law enforcement, who used modern weapons.
There are also penalties for missed shots, so the winning combination is one of speed and accuracy in loading guns, switching from one weapon to the next and accurately shooting metal targets in order.
Torrance County Sheriff Clarence Gibson, who can shoot a rifle with gusto, gave the cowboys credit for their skills.
“These guys are very fast and very competitive,” he said, adding that they had skills that would make them valuable as sheriff’s deputies, if he needed a few good cowboys. “I don’t know about their driving skills, but they’re handy with weapons.”
About 30 cops entered the match, coming from departments all over New Mexico, including departments in the East Mountains and the Estancia Valley, and even from California and Texas. They pitted their skills against 55 cowboys from across the state and beyond in timed shooting matches. Good thing this was a show and there was no need for bail bondsman. Jason Harmon of Falcon Industries in Moriarty sponsored the first 50 cops to enter the match.
The top 10 posted times from each group, cops and cowboys, were compared and the cowboys came out about 1,000 seconds ahead. However, officer Jared Milinazzo, did make second place in the entire match.
First place went to Jim Finch, aka Long Hunter, and Heather Kresser, aka Half-a-Hand-Henri, who is reputed to never, ever wear shoes, came in third.
The proceeds of the match, about $2,000 collected from registration fees, will be donated to the Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation, according to Misty Reilman, assistant office manager for SASS. She said the success will almost definitely make the shooting match an annual event.
