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This month’s match certainly made a BIG BANG! The star of the show was definitely the gattling gun on Stage One. Some of the stages may have only been two guns (or two and a half if you count the pocket pistol) but no one seemed to mind much. The Texas Star of Death tested more than one cowboy’s mettle, and the rest? Why, it was just good ol’ fashioned cowboy shootin’!

The Regulators would again like to express our deepest thanks to Charlie S Auld for providing the gattling gun and all the ammunition for this match.

The Indian River Regulators would like to say howdy and welcome to the new shooters, Bonnie Jean, Boris, and Wildcat Wilson. Welcome to our pistol packin’ friends from across the state-you folks came a far piece to try your hand at this gunfight-hope y’all come back soon! It was nice to see all the spectators-hope we have some future cowboys out there!

Tip of the Stetson goes to Quicksdraw Connie for the brownies-even if y’all don’t stick around to receive your exciting prize and the adulation of your compadres, ya gotta have one of these! Muchas gracias to the posse marshals Bad Hombre (thanks for totin’ down the Star), Quicksdraw Connie, Utah, and Weary Willie. A big thank you to Utah who helped set up, and to Burt Blade who helped tear down.

Cowboy Birthday Congrats for July: One Time O’Brien, Stinkweed, Two Gun Tuscarora, Calendar’s Girl, Patsy Klein, and Maverick’s Rose

You’ve waited for it! The August match is "Tonto in Tiki Land". All we can say about this is, if you have a Hawaiian shirt, wear it. Jay Silverheels will be making a guest-er-ghost appearance, too!

We hope September brings us a little cooler weather. We will go back to six stages this month. Don’t forget! The Haunted Mesa is coming up in October! It should be a "spirited" time.

The next leg of the Club Match will be the fifth Saturday of August, sponsored by the Martin County Marshals. Hope to see you there!

Want to win a pistol? We are raffling off a beautiful, brand-new 1851 Navy .44 cal cap and ball pistol. A ticket at the meager price of $5.00 could win you this pistol, wood presentation case, bullet mold and powder flask. Drawing will take place at the Haunted Mesa or when we have sold 30 tickets. You do not have to be present to win. Proceeds will go to buy new steel for the range. Do you feel lucky?

The monthly cowboy classes are suspended for the summer. We will resume classes in September as the weather allows. If you have special needs please contact Utah at (321)951-1223 or Turkey Creek Red at (321)728-7928.

The next Level I R/O class will be in September. Kid Hawkins and Turkey Creek Red will also have another Level II class later this year, and will keep you posted.

Safety is always first and foremost. Please remember Port Malabar Rifle and Pistol Club is a private range, and we have a lot of people shooting in areas you can’t always see. Please do not handle your guns unnecessarily at your vehicle when transferring them to gun carts. Be mindful of your muzzle direction. Resist the urge to show off that new fancy rig until you are inside the action area in a designated safe area. Observe the 10mph speed limit. Please park in the open lot across from the registration area and NOT along the bullseye line. Additional parking is available in the pistol practice area just south of Bay 1. Parking inside the action area is limited to handicapped vehicles without trailers and Indian River Regulator Cowboy Council members. Your support and consideration in these areas will make us better neighbors with out other shooting disciplines.

You know, it takes a lot of work for a fun, safe shooting day. Everyone has something they can contribute. Don’t let your posse marshal be the only one running the timer all day. They are out here to have fun, too. If you don’t know how to run a timer, we’d be happy to show you how they work. The loading and unloading tables need attendance, times and scores need to be recorded, there is always brass to pick up, and there needs to be at least three spotters for each shooter. Pitch in! It’s the cowboy way!

The poll results are in. The majority of shooters voted to continue shooting through the day and catch a snack as they go rather than take a break for lunch. We’ll do a recount in December. The Indian River Regulators are pleased to announce our new web site! Web Master Burt Blade has put together a spot for us at http://home.earthlink.net/~irregulators/. You’ll find scores, directions to the club, the monthly newsletter and exciting pictures to entertain you between matches.

Remember, at the Port Malabar Rifle and Pistol Club, all juniors shoot free of charge. This is an excellent way to get more young people involved in our wonderful sport. If you know someone who might be interested in cowboy action shooting, please encourage them to attend the cowboy class and come join the fun!

Need cowboy stuff? Bullets, clothes, hats, reloading equipment? John’s Precision Bullets and Byrds Western Wear have the solution to your problem! By supporting them and other cowboy vendors, you support cowboy action shooting locally. Plus, they are really nice folks!

Next Shoot: August 24, 2002 – Tonto in Tiki Land

September 28, 2002 – Is it Cool Yet?

October 26, 2002 – The Haunted Mesa

November 12, 2002 – Turkey Trot

December 28, 2002 – Happy Holidays

January 25, 2003 – Revenge of the Red Sash Gang

The Last Stand January 9-12, 2003 State of Florida SASS Championship

Registration opens at 9:00am, mandatory shooter’s meeting at 9:30am, shooting starts at 10:00am. Cost is $10.00 per person. All first time shooters with the Indian River Regulators must check in with safety officers prior to the shooter’s meeting (please register early so you can join your posse on time).