40 Years of SASS - 1986-2026

Forty and Fabulous!

Celebrating 40 Years of SASS (1986-2026)

By: Misty Moonshine, SASS #83232

In 1986, a small spark was struck. Harper Creigh had an idea. An idea that history could be more than something we read about in books or watch on the screen. The Old West, with all its grit, honor, camaraderie, and larger-than-life characters, could ride again—not as a reenactment, but as a living, breathing sport built on fun, fellowship, and safe competition. That idea turned Harper Creigh into Judge Roy Bean, SASS #1.

Forty years later, that spark remains- only now, it is a roaring campfire. In 2026, SASS proudly celebrates four decades of friendships that have been forged, families bonded, legends born, and stories that get a little better every time they’re retold.

From the very beginning, SASS was never just about shooting. Sure, the firearms are iconic. The stages are clever. The steel rings sweetly. But what truly sets SASS apart is the people standing shoulder to shoulder on the firing line—and laughing together long after the last shot is fired. Over the decades, SASS has become a second home for tens of thousands of members around the world. It’s where nicknames stick for life and where complete strangers can meet on a posse- and leave as lifelong friends. It’s where newcomers are welcomed with open arms and veteran shooters are treated like the living history books they are. It’s where the phrase “come on over, we’ve got room” still means something.

SASS has proven that fun and safety are not opposing forces; they are partners. Cowboy Action Shooting™ has shown the shooting world that you can honor historical firearms, dress the part, run exciting stages, and maintain the highest standards of safety and sportsmanship. For 40 years, SASS members, Range Officers, Match Directors, and countless volunteers have carried that responsibility with pride. That commitment is one of the reasons SASS has endured.

SASS did not become what it is today by accident. We honor that SASS was built – match by match, club by club, year by year- by the members themselves. By the founders who dared to dream. By the early day participants who showed up when there were no roadmaps. By the club officers who haul steel, set stages, organize events, work tirelessly, and still manage to smile at the end of a long day. By the costume makers, the stage designers, the gun cart builders, the brass pickers, the storytellers, and the mentors who patiently guide newcomers through their first match. Every monthly match, state, regional, annual match, every National championship and END of TRAIL event has been shaped by countless hands and generous hearts. SASS is not a top-down organization- it is a living community, and its strength has always flowed upward from the posse line. We’re proud of that- and of you, our members.

One of the great successes in the evolution of Cowboy Action Shooting is how well it has grown with its shooters. We’ve seen competitors join as young adults and continue well into their senior years. We’ve seen families shoot together, sometimes across three generations. We’ve seen members step away for a season of life, only to return and find the same welcome waiting for them. SASS doesn’t rush you. It doesn’t leave you behind. It meets you where you are. That adaptability—paired with hard work, creativity, humor, and respect for tradition—has allowed the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting not just to survive, but to thrive.

Ask any SASS member about their favorite memory, and chances are it won’t be about a perfect run on a stage. It’ll be about the day the rain turned a stage into a mud pit—and everyone laughed anyway. Or the costume malfunction that became a running joke. Or the posse that stayed together year after year, even as life pulled them in different directions. It’s about the laughter echoing between the berms, the tall tales told around tailgates, the quiet moments of mentorship that changed someone’s life without ever making headlines.

These are the moments that don’t show up on score sheets—but they are the heart of SASS.

As we celebrate this milestone, we do so with gratitude—for the past, the present, and the future. The future of SASS is bright because it rests on a foundation that has already proven its strength: camaraderie over ego, safety over speed, fun over formality, and community over competition.

To every member who has ever worn a cowboy hat, chosen an alias, volunteered at a match, or welcomed someone new—thank you. You are the reason SASS is 40 years strong.

Cheers to 40 years - and here’s to the next 40. We’ll save you a spot on the posse.

A note from the Judge, SASS #1 – Misty Moonshine (a sentimental softie at heart) reached out to the Judge, just home from the hospital and feeling good. Asked if he had a message he’d like to pass along to our members for SASS’  40th anniversary, he said:

““Who in the world would’ve thought a simple little game like Cowboys and bad guys would go worldwide? Well hell, it is the age of miracles. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody.” – Judge Roy Bean, SASS #1 (12/17/2025)