SW Regional "Thank You's"

[Cole Bluesteele]

It is a great honor to inform our NCOWS community that the Third Annual Southwestern regional Match was the largest and most successful match to date, setting records for attendance, net income and FUN!

The match would not have been possible without the help and support of Judge Sandy Berger, the range owner, and Ethan Hejke, the range manager.  You would be hard pressed to find better people, period. 

The match was the result of the collective efforts of numerous members of the Berger Sharpshooters: 

Door prize and sponsor donations were rounded up by Lucy Valentine, Kay Ray, Tom Jack, Hoss Jack, Close Shave and others. Enough prizes were gathered that everyone receive at least one when they signed up and then had a chance for another at the banquet.  In addition to 3B Shooting Supply, other corporate sponsors were River Junction, El Paso Saddlery, Dixie Gun Works, The Audie Murphy & Cotton Museum, Gripmaker, Hamiltion Dry Goods.

Kay Ray and Bonnie Jackson sewed all of the haversacks given to shooters with the shooters' booklets and sponsor info. Tom Jack made a great set of saddlebags and sheaths to go with knives his father-in-law made. Homer Brown made a sword belt with a Texas Star buckle.

I would be remiss if I did not recognize Oklahoma Tom, owner of 3B Shooting Supply, who donated our Grand Prizes, a new Uberti 1858 Remington pistol with cartridge conversion cylinder and a Iver Johnson pocket pistol.

Heading up the effort of preparing the range for the match was Hoss Jack, who in addition to mowing the grass, had to deal with a last minute repair to a flat tire on our target trailer. Others who helped Hoss in painting and building repairs were Frisco Banker, 3x8, Tascosa Joe, Colt Fanning, Tom Jack, Lady Hoss Jack, Snake Doc, Close Shave and Reb Cannon Man.

Pancho Peacemaker made all the side match and main match awards again this year.  Pancho also set up our website and photographed the event.  Johnny Thundergun is in the process of editing all of the footage he shot of the event, including yours truly trying to fire a spent shotgun round!

Frisco Banker again did an excellent job with registration, match scoring and keeping track of our expenses and income.  Kay Ray staffed the packet pickup and door prize drawing.

Last and definitely not least, I want to acknowledge the efforts of my wife, Lucy Valentine.  She handled soliciting corporate sponsors, catering, and banquet room/hotel accommodation.  She also had the most difficult task of all, that of putting up with me!


Ted