2017 SSAA Qld Single Action State Championships

It was High Noon all weekend in Mareeba over the Labour Day break as the local SSAA Queensland Branch hosted the Single Action State Championships. About 75 shooters from across Queensland rode into town for the competition, which ran from April 28 to May 1.

Single Action shooting is a popular discipline as the focus is on having a good time and being dressed up in period costume from the Old West era, with competitors also adopting a Wild West-themed alias.

Event organiser Cheryl Plozza – known as Dakota Dawn when competing – said the championships had gone well, with a higher turnout than expected. “Fine weather with warm sunny days and cool nights had many gathering around the campfire to catch up with friends for a chat or to reminisce about the day’s shooting,” she said. “Given Mareeba is quite a drive from the southern part of the state, we were pleased with the turnout – everyone had a fantastic time and really got into the spirit of things.”

The overall winner was Russell Behrens (alias RC Shot), second was David Spooner (Hoss Rustler) and third was Andrew Denyer (Rooquero), while Ann Faith (Alvira Sullivan Earp) was named the Top Lady shooter.

Firearms used in Single Action matches are from the Old West and Frontier era of American and Australian history. They include the sort of guns typically seen in cowboy movies, such as single-action revolvers, lever-action rifles and double-barrelled or lever-action shotguns.

The first disciplines, held on the Friday, were long-range rifle and cowboy clay competitions, while the main categories, comprising 12 stages, ran smoothly over Saturday and Sunday.

“Presentations were held after the shindig on Sunday night, with many campers staying on for Survivors’ Breakfast on Monday morning,” said Dakota Dawn.