Cowboy Fast Draw aims for the targets

The 12th annual Fastest Gun Alive — World Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw is being held again in Northern Nevada the first weekend in October.

The Cowboy Fast Draw Association (CFDA) is holding its World Championship Oct. 2-4 at the Churchill County Fairgrounds. Outdoor Channel’s Shooting USA will be here covering the Fastest Gun Alive for a national TV audience.

Cowboy Fast Draw is a western themed shooting sport which features wax bullet ammunition allowing competitions to be held almost anywhere. Safety is always the highest concern. Guns and holsters are from the old west time period and the competitors dress in period clothing and theme as well. It’s a very colorful sport with shooters adopting an alias in the spirit of the old west.

The event has been covered by Northern Nevada Media, The History Channel & Outdoor Channel. The youngest person to ever win the Overall Title of Men’s Fastest Gun Alive (at age 14) and now 18 years-old, Todd Vonfeldt Jr. a.k.a. Oregon Ranger from Portland, Oregon, is returning, along with Outdoor Channel’s Impossible Shots Star 2009 Fastest Gun Alive Gil “Cisko” Guerra Jr., a.k.a. Master Gunfighter. Current “Men’s Fastest Guns Alive” Bob Meyers a.k.a. Marshal Cooper from Fresno, Calif.; and “Ladies’ Fastest Gun Alive” Annette Coffman a.k.a. Miss B. Haven of Caldwell, Idaho, will both be defending their titles.

More than 200 competitors from over 30 States, Canada, Australia and Switzerland have competed annually on Cowboy Fast Draw’s biggest stage for the coveted title of Fastest Gun Alive TM. This event has turned into a major tourist attraction for Fallon. Held at the Churchill County Fairgrounds and will also feature Craft and Art Vendors, Great Basin Pistolero Cowboy Mounted Shooting, and a Classic Car Show (Saturday Only).

The competition is a man vs. man elimination format with matches drawn by “luck of the draw” round by round. However, it should be noted that about 1/3 of the shooters are women who compete in their own division. Guns are never pointed at anyone; instead, both shooters stand side by side with each having a 24” metal disc target 21 feet downrange. A digital timer signals a start light on each target simultaneously and both shooters react to the light, draw, fire and hopefully hit the target. The shooter that hits the target first wins the shot, with both times being recorded to the thousandth of a second; the winner is indicated by a blinking light. White grease is applied to targets which shows shooters and spectators where the targets are hit. It’s very visual and exciting to watch, sometimes a match can be decided by a thousandth of a second. It takes 3 winning shots for a competitor to win a bout, the loser receives an “X” and when 4 – Xs are received they’re out of the running for the coveted title of, “The Fastest Gun Alive”.

The wax bullet ammunition allows the event to be conducted in the Churchill County Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena, where spectators have an excellent view to see the all the times fired on audience displays which are highly visible from the grandstands.

On Thursday t 2 p.m., a celebrity charity shoot will be held at the location featuring elected and appointed officials, law enforcement and members of the Northern Nevada media. Proceeds will benefit the (Fallon) Mayor’s Youth Fund. In other associated fund raisers proceeds benefit The CFDA Shoot for the Stars Scholarship Program, which provides for young CFDA members to further their education.

The main event preliminary elimination rounds will be held will be held Oct. 2-3 between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The final day will feature the Championship Finals with the Magnificent 7 World Championship Shootoffs beginning with Youth Division starting at approximately 11:30 a.m. and the Lady’s and Men’s Fastest Gun Alive Shoot-offs beginning at approximately High Noon.

Admission is $5, $4 military and senior, $3 under 18 and free under 12. Admission includes a free pass to try 10 shots of Cowboy Fast Draw at the Town Folk Alley! Fifty percent of admissions benefit Roy Roger’s Happy Trails Children’s Foundation.

For more information on the sport, including informational videos please go to: www.cowboyfastdraw.com. Or, call CFDA National Headquarters (Fernley, NV) at 775-575-1802, note that the CFDA office will be closed the week of the event.