The Fastest Gun Alive draws more than 200 competitors annually to its three-day event, which begins on Friday at the county fairgrounds.
The Cowboy Fast Draw Association will host the 14th annual The Fastest Gun Alive World Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw, Friday through Sunday at the Churchill County Fairgrounds.
The main event’s preliminary rounds will be held on Friday and Saturday, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday will feature the Magnificent 7 World Championship Finals featuring the Top 7 Youth, Ladies, and Men, beginning from noon to 2 p.m.
Admission is free on all days.
On Saturday only, spectators can even try Cowboy Fast Draw.
Cowboy Fast Draw is a western-themed shooting sport that features specially produced wax wad ammunition allowing competitions to be held almost anywhere. Safety is always the highest concern. Six-guns and holsters are from the old west time period and the competitors dress in period-themed clothing as well.
This FGA was moved from Deadwood, South Dakota, to Fallon in 2008 and is sponsored in part by The Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority. It normally attracts more than 250 of the fastest guns from across the United States, Canada and Europe; however, this year due to COVID-19, International Travel Restrictions have prevented international shooters from competing.
“We would have broken our record,” said Cal Eilrich a.k.a. Quick Cal, the CDFA director and event host. “We would have been over 300 shooters if not for COVID. We had 25 cancellations in the last week due to COVID. This would have been our biggest year ever. Our sport continues to grow with over 6,000 members. Next year will be the 20th year of the organization and we expect 300-plus year event.”
This Cowboy Fast Draw World Championship has been covered by national television shows such as the Outdoor Channel's Shooting USA, The History Channel and Outdoor Channel.
Men and ladies compete in separate divisions, as do youth shooters. About one-third of the competitors at the Fastest Gun Alive are women and youth shooters. Educating as many people as possible in the safe and proper use of firearms is one of the Cowboy Fast Draw Association’s primary goals. CFDA the sport’s sanctioning and rules authority has established Range Officer Training, and a Youth Safety Training Programs.
One of the most interesting aspects of Cowboy Fast Draw is that it is almost immune to the age differences of its competitors. Once a youth shooter reaches age 12 and passes a series of training, they can then earn a Level 4 Youth Card and compete in the adult divisions in the Junior Boy or Girl sub-category. This means they can win the Overall Championship, which has been done twice. It is not uncommon to see a 75-year-old competitor shooting the Final Championship Match with a teenager as an opponent.
In 2011, the Overall Title of Men's Fastest Gun Alive (FGA) was won by Todd Vonfeldt Jr. a.k.a. Oregon Ranger, a six-time champion, from Portland, Ore., at age 14. In 2019, Kael Yothers a.k.a. Flying Cowgirl, from Harbor Springs, Mich., at age 12. Both are expected in Fallon this year to defend their titles.
“The Fastest Gun Alive, has turned into a major tourist attraction for Fallon,” said Elrich, a Shooting Sports legend and 17-time World Fast Draw champion who moved the event from Deadwood to Fallon in 2008. “Hundreds of competitors and vendors from across the nation spend most of a week in Fallon. Plus, spectators travel from Northern California, Nevada, and several other states to watch a great competition and learn about our sport.”
The Competition
The competition is an elimination format. The six-guns that must be reproductions of single action revolvers that historically correct from the 1800s. Firearms are never pointed at anyone; instead, both shooters stand side by side with each having a 17-inch metal plate target 15-foot downrange.
Digital timers record the times down to one-thousandth of a second. Hip shooting these targets, using the provided wax wad ammunition, at competitive speeds is very challenging, as speed and accuracy are equally balanced.
According to the Quick Cal, “It’s not always the fastest shooter who wins, but rather the shooter who keeps a cool head and a hot hand.” It takes "3 winning hits" for a competitor to win each round, the loser receives an “X” and if given a 4th-X they’re out of the running for the coveted title of, “The Fastest Gun Alive.”
The Magnificent 7 Finals, on Sunday, will be exciting to watch.
For information, visit www.cowboyfastdraw.com.
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