The Valley Regulators are hosting the annual 2016 SASS Canadian National Championship around the Labour Day weekend at the Courtenay and District Fish & Game Protective Association, after a four-year hiatus.
More than 100 cowgirl and cowboy competitors of all ages will don colourful Old West apparel and try to shoot their way to a championship title. Black-powder and smokeless powder shooters alike will strap on their six-guns, grab their rifles and shotguns, and head into the Bustup at Boomtown for some noise, smoke, fun and friendly competition.
Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) members share an interest in preserving the history of the Old West and competitive target shooting. Every SASS member selects a shooting alias based on a character or profession from the Old West or western films. Another requirement is to adopt a shooting costume and most shooters develop a western wardrobe for day and evening wear. Buckskins, Victorian ball gowns, period military uniforms, saloon girls and gamblers in their finery are all part of the fun. This year, we are also putting on the first-ever Canadian Wild Bunch Championship, which uses costumes and guns made popular in the movie "The Wild Bunch".
Thousands of volunteer hours have gone into the ongoing construction of "Boomtown" and we want to show it off. We now have 19 permanent structures, making Boomtown the most impressive Cowboy Action range anywhere in North America. Our newest buildings include a train station and trestle in addition to the bank and barbershop, livery, mine shaft, several saloons, general store, jail, fort, and house.
When the smoke and dust settles, count on witnessing some great shooting from competitors from all across Canada and USA. Not surprisingly, some of the best (and youngest!) shooters in Canada come from our very own Comox Valley.
Admission is free and the spectators are invited on Wednesday and Thursday Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 from 9am to noon to see the Canadian Wild Bunch Championship. Then Saturday and Sunday Sept. 3 and 4 from 9 a.m. to noon spectators will watch the full SASS competition with 10 action-packed and historically accurate Old West stages. Contact Phil Peterson at 250-334-3479 or keanauto@shaw.ca for more information.