Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 10:41:45 -0500
From: Revrun Doc (old e-mail deleted)
Subject: First Shoot Experience
YAAAAAHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Alright, now for the details. My 12 year old son, Jessamine Creek Jack, and I, Revrun Doc, finally shot our first actual match this Saturday, after weeks of practise on our nice, but traditional local shooting range. Between the two of us, we had guns for one shooter, I had an okay leather rig, and my son wore a holster improvised from a "display replica" sold by Smokey Mountain Knife Works for $25. To that we added a cheap Hunter plain leather, but not very western looking, holster. Our outfits could hardly be called costumes. Instead of Wah-Maker, I wore Wahl-MART gear. A pair of boots that, with eyes half-closed, at least don't look NON-Cowboy. My son wore an old vest and a leather hat, but sneakers. His Bandalero loaded with about 100 45 cartridges, though, distracted most folks from worrying too much about his shoes.
We arrived at the range owned and operated by Tough Riders, in Elkton, Kentucky, after a 4 hour drive (had to get up at 5:30 AM!). Crossing the hill to park, my son erupted. "DAD! IT's A WHOLE WESTERN TOWN!!" Sure enough, those fellows have a long stretch of streetfront, with plank sidewalk, awning, and all the trappings of one side of a western street, with two more open shooting bays on each end. Of course, the folks gathered to shoot there were a class act. All the talk about friendliness at local club shoots is too understated. We were welcomed as experts, but helped along by folks who seemed to know we were needing some coaching.
The shooters on the whole looked great. Their costuming and leather, the latter mostly made by a local saddle maker and rivaling anything I've seen anywhere for beauty and quality, their accessories, etc. really added to the experience. Lacking that would have been about like shooting a metal targets from little tables without that storefront. Nobody driving by could have missed what was happening.
This really inspired me to work more on our costumes, because those fellows put too much time and effort into theirs to have the effect watered down by slacks and sneakers. With all that fun and fellowship, the day's Range Officer Kid Colt also gave my son that added bit of extra attention and encouragement, that arm around the shoulder, that at one point brought a tear to the eye of this loving dad.
Our last stage, which involved shooting from a saddled drum painted up to look like a horse, was also a "heckling" event and my son and I about wet our drawers laughing. Naturally, you couldn't wait to shoot just to be object of all that splendid, high-end mockery. Those Tough Riders really know how to make a stranger feel like he's welcome at the fire.
On the way home, as my boy dozed off to sleep, he said "Dad, can you think of a single downside to this day? I sure can't!"
When I showed the video footage to my wife, the whole thing was captured in the smile on my son's face as he mounted that "horse," and a moment when Kid Colt was standing with my boy, arm over his shoulder, just saying some words of encouragement. My wife's turn to roll a tear. Pards, anybody what is good to my kids, scores high in my book, and the Tough Riders made me go out and buy a brand new book. They raised the bar on the definition of "friendly" and "fun." And they claim they are going to make it better. A few years from now, you are going to hear from these folks. Thanks one and all, and especially Bud Baxter, Kid Colt, and the Tough Riders, for giving us the best day we've had in longer than we can remember.
We will be back.