Cowboys beat cops in SASS shooting competition

It seems appropriate that the state where Billy the Kid and his ragtag bunch of outlaws scoffed the law would hold a match to settle who is best with a shooting iron: cops or cowboys. That shootout was held Saturday at the Founders Ranch near Edgewood, and the cowboys won. The Buffalo Range Riders, a local chapter of the Single Action Shooting Society, put the match together and invited SASS members and law enforcement from all over to participate. The cowboys could only use single action pistols and old-fashioned rifles and shotguns against local law enforcement, who used modern weapons. There are also penalties for missed shots, so the winning combination is one of speed and accuracy in loading guns, switching from one weapon to the next and accurately shooting metal targets in order. Torrance County Sheriff Clarence Gibson, who can shoot a rifle with gusto, gave the cowboys credit for their skills. "These guys are very fast and very competitive," he said, adding that they had skills that would make them valuable as sheriff's deputies, if he needed a few good cowboys. "I don't know about their driving skills, but they're handy with weapons." About 30 cops entered the match, coming from departments all over New Mexico, including departments in the East Mountains and the Estancia Valley, and even from California and Texas. They pitted their skills against 55 cowboys from across the state...read more