The 2007 SASS Convention in Las Vegas

Part 2

December 9, 2007

Sunday

SASS Convention, Last Day

The exhibition hall didn't open till 10, which ticked off The Redhead, who was taking THE Dress back to Civil War Lady so the alterations could be done properly. She had a poker tournament at 10. THE Dress went back to the car until after the tournament. When they finally let us in I went to Brims & Trims with a black 30X Resistol Cattleman I wanted converted to a hat I'd wear . Rick Lee must've spent an hour working on it. It looks great now, and I started wearing it. Several people didn't recognize me. It's an every day wear hat, not a hat to shoot in. It's a 1920s style, confirmed by Rick's 1926 Stetson catalog. I waited until today because Sunday is always quiet on the floor.

Picked up a lot of stuff from Thunder Ridge Muzzleloaders. Linneus A. Puffbuster is owner now. also of Great Basin Cartridge Company. I picked up some "Store bought" BP ammo for an upcoming gun test/comparison, and some smokeless. Bought some 125 gr. bullets from Great Basin Cartridge Co. I had tested their bullets before and liked them. They're round nose flat points. I normally use truncated cone bullets of the same weight (from Bullets By Gil). With luck we'll see which one groups best with BP subs.

I'll have to call Richard Pumerantz, of Ten-X Ammunition, for some of his. I did get to talk to him this week. They're using the new, still not released BP sub from Hodgdon. Triple 7 Cowboy is the working title. With luck I'll get a gun test and an ammunition test out of this. I talked to Birdshot. He said it isn't out because he's not satisfied with it yet. Thus he didn't do the $10,000 of tests to get a DOT permit to ship 1 lb. containers. He has one to ship in bulk to Ten-X. Richard was very high on the ammunition. It loads well in his automated machinery. APP doesn't. Too much dust.

Talked to the folks at the EMF booth. We'll work out a gun to test in the winter. They're in the tuned SAA battle, too with several choices.

Bought some watch chains from Jeweler's Daughter. She put together a double chain with a T-bar and a hanger chain for my diamond studded horseshoe from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

Speaking of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, they had a booth well disguised on the far side of the hall. Jan Jones, the Membership Director, who we had met at the museum, was there. She asked me if we were coming for the state championship there. This is an event we've wanted to enter for years. But going there would make it virtually impossible for us to do End of Trail,. We go to EOT the weekend before. I'll retake the Evil Roy Shooting School and shoot the warm up match. If I went there, it would take two or three days to get the bus back to Founders Ranch, and we'd be lucky to make it by side match day. Yes, that's a long one day drive in a Mercedes, but in a 43,000 lb., 65 ft. rig, 250 miles a day is good.

She said several people had told her they couldn't go because of that. The organizers might not care as they usually sell out, but it's a shame for those of us who want to shoot it. There's EOT, and there's everything else. Sorry. I really wanted to do a big match at Cody.

Spent some time talking to Katie Bar-the-Door at Katie's Millinery Clothing & Hair. Nice person. Good looking merchandise.

Didn't get any pictures, but talked to West Fargo a lot. His right foot was amputated recently. He's taking it very well, at least publicly. He didn't even make a fuss when a lady sat on his lap, hurting his injury. I'm impressed. He just wants to get to the point of shooting again. He can at least work on guns, but can't get to his computer easily.

Rick turns my Resistol Cattleman into a hat I'll wear a lot.

Guns of the Old West, Roughshod and Bottom Dealin' Mike

Baron Hats does a lot of movie hats and replicas of same. This is their new Yuma, Russell Crowe's hat from 3:10 to Yuma.

Katie's Millinery, Clothing & Hair

Jeweler's Daughter

Tonto Rim had the biggest display. Another clothing store had canceled for health reasons, so they were asked to expand at the last minute. I stood in a long line to buy something and noted they were always ringing up sales, so I'll wager it was a successful expansion. Every vendor I talked to was pleased with the convention.

T-Bone Dooley and Ringo Fire gave out the awards for the World Indoor Shooting Championship. T-Bone was first Classic Cowboy and first overall. Nuttin' Graceful was first Duelist and second overall. Hmm, first and second overall shot duelist. Congratulations to all.

Finally, at 4 PM it was over. I always hate it when it's over. Depressing. But this time we don't have to fly back to work. In fact, we don't have to go to work at all. So it's not so bad. The Redhead is still high from THE Dress. I can understand. Getting THE Dress makes up for not getting the gown you wanted for the prom. Anyway, she looks great in it and will be looking for chances to wear it again instead of, "Oh, well, gotta go to another awards banquet."

Had drinks at the SASS Bar, er Splash Bar with Tequila and his wife. They want to retire and full time, so we answered a lot of questions. Then they had to fly out. We were worn out and went back to the bus after dinner. Tiring week, but a lot of fun. Probably the best convention yet. Certainly was for us.

We've decided to leave Tuesday, maybe do the Cowboy Christmas Monday.

You may return to the December Blog now.

December 8, 2007

Saturday

SASS Convention, Day 4

Taught the last of my classes, Authentic Men's Costumes. When I got there, the previous class, Jim Bowie's lever gun class, was going strong and didn't quit until past the starting time for mine. Apparently it had started late. Jim had connected the projector to a video camera in order to show what he was doing. I called for AV expertise. Wild Shot (newly inducted into the Hall of Fame) and a computer tech worked for 30 minutes. The computer was replaced. The projector was replaced. I lost a good part of the class before we started, and others had to leave an hour into it. The old me would have been furious. The new me is on heavy medication.

Left at 2:30 in order to get The Redhead into THE Dress. Wasn't enough time. She spent an hour trying to put the curly hair thingie on the back of her head, with my help. Neither of us knew what we were doing.

I was trying to get ready, too. Tried on more than one vest with the frock coat. She said just go with the black one. No one would be looking at me. She's right.

Artie Fly told us to get to Major Photography before 4 to get our pictures taken, one of her, and one of us. That wasn't going to happen. Everything to do with THE dress took too long. We called Joy several times with no answer. Left messages. Got to Artie's just before 5 with The Redhead unlaced and corset visible from the back and hair and head ribbon not in place. I had to go to the Top of the Riv to be a Costume Contest judge. I left her in line at Major Photography.

I have no photos of the Costume Contest because The Redhead was downstairs getting beautiful for the photo--make that more beautiful, and I didn't have time to photograph and judge, too.

I got to the room and saw several spectacular military uniforms. I had seen several at the vendors. I thought, "Wow, military will be difficult this year."

Allie Mo arranged the entrants by category, which was good. The first four or 5 contestants were really good. I heard one judge saying, "Would be nice to start with someone mediocre."

There were several couples, and some were really good. The ladies, as usual, were very difficult to judge. Most of their scores were very close together.

Only 2 Best Dressed Gentlemen entered. This is a shame, and I don't know why. One who is always well dressed, Bat Masterson has won so many costume contests he probably doesn't have a costume still eligible. I know he's won here at least twice.

Another perennial entrant, Solomon Star, entered as a cattle baron, a 1950s cattle baron. He had every detail down, with several very expensive items from his collection, such as a one of a kind belt buckle. He wore a leather western cut sport coat, a cattleman Stetson, and 1950s style fancy boots. When it came time for the judges to compare their scores and agree on winners, Mad Mountain Mike was adamant that he wasn't going to vote for him. The rest of us did, and he won. Nothing in the rules said 19th century, and I reminded him that the best dressed couple at the 2006 End of Trail, Calvin H' Hobbs and Barbary Coast, went as Tom Mix, the 20s movie star, and one of his wives, in flapper gear. So if you were in the audience and wondered how a modern cowboy won, that's why. If you didn't like it, you should have entered.

Cowtown Scout, as a Confederate Staff Colonel of a Texas unit, broke the Confederate jinx and won best dressed military. I was second several times with Confederate uniforms, including the General Lee that won at EOT. The winner was always a U S officer or NCO.

Anyway, Cowtown Scout gave me a bribe of good Confederate money.

With all of those good uniforms in attendance, only 3 entered.

The judges' meeting to decide the winners was a knock-down, drag-out battle. Hugh O'brien came by and asked what it cost to get into this game. I was too stunned to answer, and the rest of the judges were arguing too fervently.

It was very close in the couples and lady categories. If you didn't win, keep working on your costume and keep trying. Little things separated the three winners in Best Dressed Lady. The lady judges, all quite knowledgeable, made cases for their favorites, and Mike and I capitulated. I knew enough to ask the lady next to me questions as to the authenticity of various costumes.

Eventually we determined the winners, and I went down to find The Redhead. It was easy to see she had found Joy. She was standing in the hall glowing. The rest of the hall was dim.

When you walk to the ball there is a panel of SASS people sitting on one side. As you approach, they hold up signs like Olympic judges. She, needless to say, got a bank of 10s. I did too. That was fun.

Our table at the Cattle Baron's Ball. As I was having Margaritas instead of taking notes, I've forgotten everybody's alias except Bottom Dealin' Mike (right of The Redhead) and Roughshod, 2nd from right

Civil War Lady and The Redhead

Civil War Lady asked if we wanted a foursome

The Redhead and friend

As soon as I get the JPEGs from Major Photography, I'll put them in. Great photos.

The Cattle Baron's Ball

The food was great and served to the tables by polite, efficient waiters who took good care of us. The promenade was opened to everyone, not just costume costume contestants and was quite impressive. The Wooly Awards were given out. Miss Tabitha led several Victorian Era dances. All in all, it was an excellent Saturday night ball, and if you missed it, you missed it.