Two Langley RCMP officers were the quickest guns at an Aldergrove fast draw competition.
Cpl. Julie Bion won the women’s division, and Cst. Phil Colter won the men’s, at the Aldergrove Fair “celebrity shootout” held on Saturday, July 15 at high noon, with competitors firing blanks at balloons.
Bion wore western garb for the event, while Colter, who claimed the fastest overall shot of .505 of a second, competed in his RCMP uniform.
A smiling Bion credited her “excellent RCMP training” for the win.
Both Cpl. Julie BION and Cst. Phil COLTER competed in the Celebrity Fast Draw competition at the Aldergrove Fair on Saturday!
— Langley RCMP (@LangleyRCMP) July 17, 2023
Cpl. BION took first place for the women & Cst. COLTER received first place for the men & claimed the fastest overall shot of .505 of a second. pic.twitter.com/xCa0F7U1Nl
Event organizer Den Robinson remarked the RCMP “entrants lived up their group’s initials and proved they Really Can Move Pistols – and fast!”
It was part of the World Fast Draw Association (WFDA) championships, hosted at the fair by the Aldergrove-based Thunderbird Fast Draw Club.
Aldergrove’s Nicole Franks, a champion shooter who underwent back surgery a year ago, managed an impressive comeback, winning the women’s divisions in the overall competition as well as the provincial “thumb-bust” event, where competitors use a one-handed draw style (Frank Lawton from Sturgis, North Dakota, won the men’s thumb-bust).
Current U.S. wax bullet champions Paula Murphy and Shawn Murphy from Walnut Grove did well, with Paula taking second in the overall women’s division and Shawn second in the men’s, which was won by Dan Qualls from Jerome, Idaho.
READ ALSO: Langley couple win U.S. fast draw competition
The Aldergrove competition is now the “longest continually running event in the world of fast draw,” Robinson reported.
This year, Robinson said the new federal government handgun freeze resulted in a smaller turnout, leaving many foreign shooters “with a hesitancy to bring their handguns across our border” because of the national freeze on the sale, purchase, and transfer of handguns that took effect in October of 2022.
”One American actually came and borrowed one of our handguns, all of which are only single-action six-guns [or] ‘old west’ style.” Robinson remarked.
READ ALSO: New handgun ban law bad news for Langley fast draw club
READ ALSO: Langley couple are the fastest guns in the world
Top shooters, men:
1. Dan Qualls, Jerome, Idaho
2. Shawn Murphy, Langley
3 Garry Porteous, Surrey
4. Den Robinson, Burnaby
5. Don Alger, Surrey
6. Frank Lawton, Sturgis, S. Dakota
Top shooters, women
1. Nicole Franks, Aldergrove
2. Paula Murphy, Langley
3. Karen Robinson, Burnaby
4. Judy Lawton, Sturgis, S. Dakota
5. Carla Howell, Stayton, Oregon
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
