Old West returns to Ben Avery Shooting Facility
Contributed Article/Courtesy AZGFD
PHOENIX — It’s time to dust off those boots, pull that cowboy hat on straight, and climb into the saddle.
“End of Trail” will soon be riding into town, turning the Ben Avery Shooting Facility (BASF) into a festive scene from the Old West with the jingling of spurs, the mouth-watering aroma of chuck-wagon cooking, and the hootin’ and hollerin’ of cowboys vying to see who’s quicker on the trigger.
The festivities begin on Feb. 22 and continue until March 1.
More than 750 competitors from across the nation and around the world are expected to take part in the 45th annual Single Action Shooting Society’s (SASS) world championship of Cowboy Action and Wild Bunch Shooting. Cowboy Action Shooting is one of the nation’s fastest-growing shooting sports and requires competitors to take their best shots with single-action revolvers, lever-action rifles, and period shotguns.
Competitors also must adopt a shooting alias suitable to a character or profession of the late 19th century — like a Western movie star, a hard-bitten lawman, or a flirty saloon girl — and then dress in costume accordingly. In addition to the competitive events, End of Trail will feature exhibitions of Old West skills and crafts, roaming balladeers, and vendors purveying period clothing, hats and wigs, antiques, reproductions, and more.
A variety of food services will be available, including hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, and ice cream. Admission is free (parking is $10, to be donated to charity). BASF is located on Carefree Highway, just west of Interstate 17. Additional details can be found at www.endoftrail.org.
Watch this video to learn more about what “End of Trail” is all about.
