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WILD, WILD HORSES

Yup, horses come in many different sized and colors, and we trouped them all out for you to play with.  Thought you could use a little break from all that turkey and football. As the holiday season comes upon us, we find we have a lot to be thankful for this year, and a lot to wish for in the year to come.  Our cowboy family reaches far a-field. Our prayers are with those members who are fighting illness, and others who are defending their flag and country so far away. The Indian River Regulators would like to wish all of you peace, happy trails, a keen eye, a steady hand, and the love of family and friends, which we have in abundance.

The Indian River Regulators would like to say howdy and 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!  Thank you to Cypress Sam who took over Cowboy Ambassador for a Day duties and spent some time with the orientation group from the mother club, PMR&PC.

Muchas gracias to the posse marshalls who kept things moving.  A big tip of the Stetson to Utah and Lawdog for setting up, and to everyone who pitched in to help tear down.  Many hands do make light work.

Congratulations to all the Central Florida cowboys who put on such a good show in South Carolina-we brought back a lot of trophies for the home team!  Some very special awards, too. To the “Middleton” gang – thanks for hangin’ and havin’ such a great weekend!

COWBOY CLASS & R/O CLASS

We have resumed the monthly cowboy classes on the first Saturday of the month. If you have never done action shooting cowboy style, and would like to give it a try, these are the folks to talk to.  If you need a little practice, or polishing of those very important shooting skills, this is a good time!  Please contact Utah at (321)951-1223 or Burt Blade at (321)242-8163.

The next Level I course at Port Malabar will be announced.  If you have a hankerin’ to take it, call Turkey Creek Red at (321)728-7928.

FROM THE PONY EXPRESS

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 our 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!

Visit us at our NEW website at http://www.indianriverregulators.com.  You’ll find scores, directions to the club, the monthly newsletter and exciting pictures to entertain you between matches.  Web Master Burt Blade has been instrumental in ramroding this enterprise and we hope it has made things a little more convenient for you.

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.

Take a tip from Night Train Kate: life’s too short to shoot ugly guns!  With the holidays coming up fast you might want to check out Pistol Grips by John Ledgerwood in Daytona Beach. You can get him at (386)254-8889 or jrlgrips@aol.com. We ran into this really nice gent at the Melbourne gun show, and he does some wonderful custom grip work with fancy inlays, swanky engraving, and exotic woods and such.  The perfect gift for the cowboy of your dreams, or a super way to dress up your own rig!

Next time you’re out on the Malabar range you might want to check out Rawhide’s guncart.  He and his beautiful bride do custom woodwork and such, and if you’re looking for that one of a kind cart, you might want to chat with him a bit.

Got comments? Suggestions? Criticisms? Got an idea for a stage?  WE WANT YOUR INPUT!  This is YOUR shoot and we feel this truly is an interactive sport!  You can write us, call us at (321)242-8163, or e-mail us at Ccoll28198@aol.com – even if you want to remain a “Ghost Writer”.  We members of the press know how to protect our sources.  And now you can visit us on the web at http://www.indianriverregulators.com.

GOD BLESS AMERICA  &  HAPPY TRAILS

Next Shoot:                   December 27, 2003 – A Cowboy Christmas Carol

                                    January 24, 2004 – Good Grief! It’s a New Year!

                                    February 28, 2004 – Queen of Hearts

                                    March 27, 2004 – More March Madness

                        Don’t Forget:  THE LAST STAND January 8-11, 2004

        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).

                   Visit our NEW website at http://www.indianriverregulators.com

Ghost Writers of the Purple Sage

P O Box 100861

Palm Bay   FL   32910