The Wild West lived again this weekend at the Williams Lake Sportsmen’s Association’s fourth annual Cowboy Action Shoot.
Ranchers, gun lovers and wild west enthusiasts of all ages and stripes came from across B.C. and even from America to take part in what proved to be a friendly, if fierce, competition to see who was the fastest shot in the Cariboo. The names of these gunslingers were as colourful as their outfits including the likes of No Nails Woody, Doc Nolan, Wyoming Will, Chicken Merango, Highland Whiskers and Miz Josie to name but a few.
All of them made use of period-appropriate weaponry from the 1870s to 1890s, guns often said to have won the west including Colt Revolvers, Winchester Repeaters and ever-reliable double-barrel shotguns. While most were Italian replica’s, made for Spaghetti Westerns and events like this, there were a few guns amongst the group that still used black powder and over 100 years old.
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For gunslinger Doc Nolan, better known in the lakecity as Kelley Bennett a director of the WLSA, the Cowboy Action Shoot is just a fun chance for himself and other vintage gun owners to get together for a weekend and “act kids again.” Bennett was inspired by events hosted by the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) where hundreds of people turn out to compete in this sport. However, the main goal of the Cowboy Action Shoot in Williams Lake is to have fun while being safe, he said, not to compete as fiercely as they do.
The event gives Bennett and others a chance to visit with one another and catch up at the same time, making the competition truly secondary. Generally, they have about 20 people show up and while they were down this year to about 12, he said it was likely the weather and the proximity of hunting season that thinned their numbers.
“One thing about Williams Lake and 150 Mile we’ve got some of the oldest history and oldest cowboy history (in the area),” Bennett said.
As such, they theme their shooting ranges after stories from the Cariboo area including that of Red Bluff Charlie, a real-life outlaw in Williams Lake. However, Bennett said Charlie was one of those outlaws who could never get it right as he was arrested on Dog Creek Road two days after robbing $45 worth of gold off of a stagecoach.
Bennett encourages anyone to swing by the WLSA and see what they have to offer the community which includes events like the Cowboy Shoot, archery and other community events.
“Just come out and have some fun,” Bennett said. “It’s the cowboy in all of us.”
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