On July 19, during Aldergrove Fair Days, local celebrities testing their learned fast Draw skills in a version of the long-running TV show Beat The Clock.
They were using new JJTimers (Chicago, Illinois) which are calibrated in thousandths of a second in order to record the fast-drawing competitors’ reaction and draw times.
And beat the clock they did, at this year’s Celebrity Shootout, held in conjunction with the first sanctioned World Fast Draw Open Championships held in Aldergrove since the Fast Draw events began there in 2008.
“With most of the celebrities dressed in old west style clothing, it was interesting for spectators and world fast draw Association members alike to witness the celebrities’ camaraderie to each other and the devotion they gave to their six-gun skills, as they wound themselves down the Trigger Trail to try to become the fastest gun in the West,†WFDA
Area 20 vice chairman Den Robinson said. “West B.C. that is.â€
The top five men’s and ladies Celebrity Shootout contestants were:
Ladies’ Division
1st Cornelia Naylor, reporter, Burnaby Now
2nd Cathy Gibbs, aide to Mary Polak, Minister of Environment
3rd Bev Dornan, Deputy Mayor, Langley Township
4th Brenda Giesbrecht, Citizens Service Specialist, Abbotsford
5th Angie Quaale, business representative
Men’s Division
1st Kenny Hess, western singer
2nd Ted Schaffer, Langley City Mayor
3rd Kenny Jones, radio personality, 96.9 JACK FM
4th Mark Warawa, MP, Conservative Party
5th Rudy Storteboom, representing MacDonald Realty
Fastest shot trophies went to Cornelia Naylor, Ladies Division, with a .562, and Kenny Hess, Men’s Division, with a .430.
After the Celebrity Shoot finished, members of the World Fast Draw Association treated the crowd to their Six-gun Salute of 100 shots to the Tractorfest Theme of this year’s fair.
“Thanks here to the Canadian Military’s Ian Newby for his ‘rocketing’ ending to the Salute,†Robinson said.
But a highlight was the rocketing-fast draws of Langley’s own Nicole Franks, who came from behind to take the lead after the last two-target event on Aug. 20 – just as she did the year previous.
The top 14 men and top seven ladies won trophies and cash prizes at this World Fast Draw Association Sanctioned event, which was hosted by the Thunderbird Fast Draw Club.
B.C. winners are members of the Langley Rod and Gun Club’s Thunderbirds.
Ladies’ winners
1st Nicole Franks, Aldergrove
2nd Diana Rosen, Minnesota
3rd Anita Burnham, Colorado
4th Judy Lawton, South Dakota
5th Juliana Bateman, Oregon
6th Carla Howell, Oregon
7th Paula Murphy, Langley
Men’s Winners
1st Brian Colwell, Colorado
2nd John LeBlanc, Abbotsford
3rd Bob Nielson, Colorado
4th Shawn Murphy, Langley
5th Jon Rivera, California
6th Dan Qualls, California
7th Connor Darby, Calgary
8th Joe Colwell, Colorado
9th Jon Wilson, California
10th Den Robinson
11th Mike “Yukon†Avetikian, Calgary
12th Frank Lawton, South Dakota
13th Alex Watson, Coquitlam
14th Glenn Renney, Delta
Fastest Shot Ladies by Nicole Franks, with a 310
Fastest Shot Men’s was a tie by Jon Rivera of California and Howard Darby of Alberta. Each fired a .256.
“There were more shooters this year than ever, and spectators were treated to even more ‘gun fun’,†Robinson said, adding that “the World Fast Draw Open Championships have been picked up by Aldergrove Fair Days for next year. Thanks to everyone for your support.â€
More information can be found at the Thunderbird Fast Draw Club website: www.thunderbirdfastdraw.com or phone by calling Robinson at 604-540-6394.