3 days ago, we had 166 registrants for the 2024 Illinois State Championship. Since then, we’ve received 11 more registrations bringing our total to 177 – just 3 shy of our 180-shooter limit. We’ll hit the limit soon after which we’ll start a waiting list.

If you want to come, now’s the to snag one of those last three spots. I suggest you use our online registration.

I’ll post a message on our website when we hit our limit.

I don’t know if it’s me or if it’s just that I’m paying more attention to it, but it seems like I am seeing more matches collapse categories. We don’t collapse categories at the Illinois State Championship. In fact, had we done so we very well may have lost out on four registrations this year. I explain why in the video below.

The two anecdotes I relate caused me to wonder if the perceived benefits of collapsing categories outweighed the risks of doing so. To explore this, I used our 2024 registration data to create two matches, a 140-shooter match and a 70-shooter match, then calculated the impact collapsing categories would have for them on:

• The number of buckles given out at the awards ceremony;
• The “competition” within the match; and
• The cost savings from having to purchase fewer buckles.

As you will see in this video, collapsing categories would NOT have had any meaningful impact for us on these measures, but would absolutely have exposed us to the risk that some shooters would not have registered for the match. To me, there’s a better way, which I explain in the video.

I have to add that this applies only to Illowa Irregulars and the Illinois State Championship, and may not be applicable elsewhere. Each club needs to do what’s right for them and their members.

It’s almost time for our May, 2024 match, and it’s looking like it will be a spectacular day! It’ll be a unique match as we’re introducing a long-range option and a new category for those that shoot it – Open Range. We’ll also be welcoming a few of our NCOWS friends. It’ll be a day to remember.

Click here or on the Download link below to download the stages.

Online registration is now open for May 19, 2024 match. After our successful first test of our new online registration, we’re again offering it to those that would oike to use it. it’s easy and simplifies your arrival. The online option will be removed sometime after 6:00 p.m. Saturday, May 18.

Of course, you’re always welcome to register on site. Your choice. It doesn’t get any easier than this!

See you Sunday.

Of course, if you’re available Saturday to help with setup please come on down. Plan to arrive about 8:45 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. setup start time.

As of 6:00 p.m. Sunday, May 12, we’re up to 166 registrants from 14 states and one foreign country, and we’re shooting in 42 different categories. We’ve just 14 openings left with 95 days still remaining.

Category Characteristics: Forty-niners have the most shooters registered (15), with Elder Statesman remaining in second place (11), followed by Cattle Baron with 10. Classic Cowboy, Lady Silver Senior, and Senior have 8 entries. See the table below for the entire list.

Yr to Yr Comparison: The chart to the right compares how registrations compare to the last two years with 195 days to go. 2024 is the Green line, 2023 is the Orange line and 2022 is the Blue line. We’ve just 14 spots remaining.

If you’ve not yet registered and plan to do so, now’s the time. Click here for more information on how you can register.

Who’s Coming List (Scroll down to see the Category Count list. Don’t see your name? I’ve ordered this week’s list in Category order. Click here to your name to the list.

Count	Alias	State	Category
1	Julie Bean	MO	Buckarette
2	Fatboy Harley	IA	B-Western
3	Blind Hog	IL	B-Western
4	Dakota Tim	IL	B-Western
5	Grey-Eyed Rider “The”	IL	B-Western
6	Turquoise Tony	IL	B-Western
7	Lightning Bill Carson	MI	B-Western
8	Blue Eyed Drifter	OH	B-Western
9	Shanghai Sam	IA	Cattle Baron
10	Sly Dog	IA	Cattle Baron
11	Whiskey Rick	IA	Cattle Baron
12	3 Deuce Cowhand	IL	Cattle Baron
13	Hoss Johnson	IL	Cattle Baron
14	Silver Spurs Charlie	IL	Cattle Baron
15	Stogie Jack Daniels	IL	Cattle Baron
16	Tulsa Tex	IL	Cattle Baron
17	Turkey Bob	IL	Cattle Baron
18	Two Rig A Tony	MI	Cattle Baron
19	Rootin Tootin	IA	Cattle Baron Duelist
20	Appaloosa Doc	IL	Cattle Baron Duelist
21	Marshal Magoo	IL	Cattle Baron Duelist
22	Crooked Creek	NE	Cattle Baron Duelist
23	Ambush	WI	Cattle Baron Duelist
24	Dimpled Darlin	IA	Cattle Baroness
25	Deadwood Kitty	IL	Cattle Baroness
26	Liberty Walsh	IL	Cattle Baroness
27	Arizona Buffalo Joe	IL	Classic Cowboy
28	Dirty Swede	IL	Classic Cowboy
29	Mackinaw Jack	IL	Classic Cowboy
30	Asa Smith	KS	Classic Cowboy
31	Bulldog Brown	KS	Classic Cowboy
32	Young’s Angel	KS	Classic Cowboy
33	Slow Poke Gear	MO	Classic Cowboy
34	Star Shooter	NE	Classic Cowboy
35	Rattlesnake Renae	IA	Classic Cowgirl
36	Dolittle B Ernest	IL	Cowboy
37	Kid Koo	IL	Cowboy
38	Rough Rider Ron	IL	Cowboy
39	Colorado Tex	TX	Cowboy
40	Flaming Star	IN	Cowgirl
41	Buckaroo Bonnie	TX	Cowgirl
42	High Lonesome Drifter	IL	Duelist
43	Ramblin’ Ringo	IL	Duelist
44	Cornbread Lawman	MO	Duelist
45	Smiling Irish Mike	WI	Duelist
46	Stagecoach South	WI	Duelist
47	Dry Fire	IL	El Patron
48	Granville Stuart	IL	El Patron
49	Joe Breed	IL	El Patron
50	Marshal RD	IL	El Patron
51	Senor Boben Weev	IL	El Patron
52	Sundance	IL	El Patron
53	KanDoKen	MO	El Patron
54	RePeeter	IL	El Rey
55	Badlands Charlie	IA	Elder Statesman
56	Billy Badland	IL	Elder Statesman
57	Bob Wire	IL	Elder Statesman
58	Boyd Pearsall	IL	Elder Statesman
59	Don Jorge	IL	Elder Statesman
60	Henry Remington	IL	Elder Statesman
61	Justice James Newton	IL	Elder Statesman
62	Sawbones Cooper	Il	Elder Statesman
63	Tinhorn Timmy	IN	Elder Statesman
64	Muley	MO	Elder Statesman
65	G W Ketchum	TX	Elder Statesman
66	Pit Mule	IA	Elder Statesman Duelist
67	Comstock Charley	IL	Elder Statesman Duelist
68	Outrider Outlaw	MI	Elder Statesman Duelist
69	Ugly	IL	Elder Statesman Gunfighter
70	Cripple Creek Kory	IL	F/C Duelist
71	Cowboy Rick	IA	F/C Gunfighter
72	Hairless	IL	F/C Gunfighter
73	Jean Duke	IL	F/C Gunfighter
74	Riverboat Red	MN	F/C Gunfighter
75	Brushy Creek Bill	TX	F/C Gunfighter
76	Appleknocker	IA	Forty-niner
77	City Slicker	IA	Forty-niner
78	John Wesley Hardin	IA	Forty-niner
79	Father Fib	IL	Forty-niner
80	Last Call Saul	IL	Forty-niner
81	Lightning McQueen	IL	Forty-niner
82	Long Fingers	IL	Forty-niner
83	Mountain Man Champ	IL	Forty-niner
84	Neo	IL	Forty-niner
85	Darrenger	IN	Forty-niner
86	Duke Skywalker	IN	Forty-niner
87	Dandy	KS	Forty-niner
88	RC Steelringer	MO	Forty-niner
89	Rusty Hammer	MO	Forty-niner
90	Pea Eye Parker	TX	Forty-niner
91	Chancy Shot	IA	Frontier Cartridge (F/C)
92	Arkansas Lew	IL	Frontier Cartridge (F/C)
93	Lead Poison Lar	Il	Frontier Cartridge (F/C)
94	The Revenuer	IN	Frontier Cartridge (F/C)
95	Marshal Fire	WI	Frontiersman
96	Mar Sioux	IA	Grand Dame
97	Cheyenne Cinder	IL	Grand Dame
98	Smilin D	IL	Grand Dame
99	Special K	IL	Grand Dame
100	Miss M	IN	Grand Dame
101	GI Jake	IA	Gunfighter
102	Billy The Avenger	IL	Gunfighter
103	Zip Xander	MO	Gunfighter
104	Buffalo Chip Jed	MO	Junior Boy
105	Clara Belle	IL	Junior Girl
106	Cooncan	KS	Lady B-Western
107	Vix-n	OH	Lady B-Western
108	Gunslinger Gal	IL	Lady Duelist
109	Turkey Legs	IL	Lady Duelist
110	Mean Mary	IL	Lady F/C Gunfighter
111	Mar-Lynn	TX	Lady F/C Gunfighter
112	Miss Shot	IA	Lady Forty-niner
113	April Mae	IL	Lady Forty-niner
114	Daisy Ann	IL	Lady Forty-niner
115	Mae B. Trouble	IL	Lady Forty-niner
116	Bandit Belle	NE	Lady Forty-niner
117	Tangerine Stone	Poland	Lady Forty-niner
118	Eleanor Dumont	IA	Lady Senior
119	Elida Orga Nnizer	IL	Lady Senior
120	Mogollon Molly	IL	Lady Senior
121	Insanity Jane	KS	Lady Senior
122	Dixie Deadeye	LA	Lady Senior
123	Bertie Winchester	KS	Lady Senior Gunfighter
124	Savannah Starr	IA	Lady Silver Senior
125	Lady Lou	IL	Lady Silver Senior
126	Lady Pearl	IL	Lady Silver Senior
127	Miss Kissy	IL	Lady Silver Senior
128	Leftys Lucky Lady	IN	Lady Silver Senior
129	Kylie Coyote	KS	Lady Silver Senior
130	Gypsy Jo	MO	Lady Silver Senior
131	Jackie Diamond	MO	Lady Silver Senior
132	Hoot’n Annie	IL	Lady Wrangler
133	Irish Sunshine	Il	Lady Wrangler
134	Lady Leia	IL	Lady Wrangler
135	Whiskey Belle	IN	Lady Wrangler
136	No H Sara	KS	Lady Wrangler
137	Lady Laura	MO	Lady Wrangler
138	Miss Weev	IL	Patroness
139	Capt Jim Midnight	IA	Senior
140	Lucky Shot Sassman	IA	Senior
141	Deadly Dakota Dale	IL	Senior
142	Shawnee Hills	IL	Senior
143	Toranado	IL	Senior
144	Willie Mescal	MO	Senior
145	Medicine Creek Johnny	SD	Senior
146	Shooter Scott	WI	Senior
147	Blastin’ Brad	OH	Senior Duelist
148	Lanky Frame	IA	Senior Gunfighter
149	Wicker Nash	IA	Senior Gunfighter
150	Average Joe	IL	Senior Gunfighter
151	San Antonio Seymour	IL	Senior Gunfighter
152	Sgt Hampton	MO	Senior Gunfighter
153	Alabama Bill	AR	Silver Senior
154	Dangerous Dan McGrew	IL	Silver Senior
155	JW James	IL	Silver Senior
156	Posey County Lefty	IN	Silver Senior
157	Copperhead Carson	KS	Silver Senior
158	Wolf Gang	WI	Silver Senior
159	Duke City Deadeye	LA	Silver Senior Duelist
160	Trigger Hawkeye	Poland	Silver Senior Duelist
161	Bailey Creek	IL	Silver Senior F/C Duelist
162	Texas Red	IL	Silver Senior F/C Duelist
163	Rev Willy Dunkum	IL	Silver Senior Gunfighter
164	Broomtail Betsy	IL	Working Cowgirl
165	Foyster O’Rippy	IL	Wrangler
166	Hoot’n Danny	IL	Wrangler

Category Count list

Here’s the Category Count list. Scroll down to see the Shooter Count by State list below.

#	Category	Cout
1	Forty-niner	15
2	Elder Statesman	11
3	Cattle Baron	10
4	Classic Cowboy	8
5	Lady Silver Senior	8
6	Senior	8
7	B-Western	7
8	El Patron	7
9	Lady Forty-niner	6
10	Lady Wrangler	6
11	Silver Senior	6
12	Cattle Baron Duelist	5
13	Duelist	5
14	Frontier Cartridge (F/C)	5
15	Grand Dame	5
16	Lady Senior	5
17	Senior Gunfighter	5
18	Cowboy	4
19	F/C Gunfighter	4
20	Cattle Baroness	3
21	Elder Statesman Duelist	3
22	Gunfighter	3
23	Cowgirl	2
24	Lady B-Western	2
25	Lady Duelist	2
26	Lady F/C Gunfighter	2
27	Silver Senior Duelist	2
28	Silver Senior F/C Duelist	2
29	Wrangler	2
30	Buckarette	1
31	Classic Cowgirl	1
32	El Rey	1
33	Elder Statesman Gunfighter	1
34	F/C Duelist	1
35	Frontiersman	1
36	Junior Boy	1
37	Junior Girl	1
38	Lady Senior Gunfighter	1
39	Patroness	1
40	Senior Duelist	1
41	Silver Senior Gunfighter	1
42	Working Cowgirl	1

Shooter Count by State

Here is the Shooter Count by State list. We’ve shooters coming from 14 different states, plus one foreign country. Illinois, of course, has the most shooters, with Iowa now solidly in 2nd place with 23. Missouri just mkoved solidly into into 3rd followed by Kansas, Indiana, Texas, Wisconsin, and so on.

#	State	Cout	%
1	IL	82	49%
2	IA	23	14%
3	MO	14	8%
4	KS	10	6%
5	IN	9	5%
6	TX	6	4%
7	WI	6	4%
8	MI	3	2%
9	NE	3	2%
10	OH	3	2%
11	LA	2	1%
12	Poland	2	1%
13	AR	1	1%
14	MN	1	1%
15	SD	1	1%

Join us for the 2024 Illinois State Championship. 3 days of Cowboy Action Shooting, 10 Championship-caliber stages, an optional Saturday evening Riverboat dinner cruise, and more. Our range is conveniently located near the juncture of Interstates 80 and 74, along the Illinois/Iowa border. This area offers plenty of nearby hotels and restaurants all within a few minutes’ drive of the range. Click here for more information.

Popcorn Kelly

Online registration is now open for our May 19, 2024 match.

Illowa Irregulars are excited to announce we are accepting online registrations and payments for our May monthly Cowboy Action Shooting match. This will be a special match and will include a long-range pistol and rifle option. We’ll still offer 6 stages using the traditional target placement of 12-15′ pistol and 30′ rifle targets, However, for the for those brave or perhaps foolhardy enough to try, we’ve created a special category for those wanting to shoot their pistols at 30′ targets and their rifles at targets set to 60 to 70′. We’ve created a special category for shooters electing the long-range targets – Open Range – so they’ll be judged in their own category.

We’ll also be welcoming our NCOWS friends who will be joining us. It’ll be a day to remember.

Register online to simplify your arrival if you want to do so. Of course, you’re always welcome to register on site. Your choice. It doesn’t get any easier than this!

The online option will be removed sometime after 6:00 p.m. Saturday, May 18.