Introducing the State Record Stage and Illinois State Record Holder Award – Both at the Illinois State Championship

Merry Christmas from the frigid upper-Midwest and home of Illowa Irregulars. This post describes a special gift for your cowboy action shooting enjoyment.

Illowa Irregulars are excited to announce a new award at the 2023 Illinois State Cowboy Action Shooting Championship: The Illinois State Record Holder award. We are excited about having the opportunity to establish a list of Illinois State record holders and hope you will be as well. The State Record Stage is a fun, fast stage and is a pleasure to shoot.

This award will go to the Illinois shooter in each category who has the fastest time on the State Record Stage during the 2023 Illinois State Championship (i.e., sets the state record). Award winners will receive a pin, similar to what’s shown here, for having set the Illinois State Record and will hold the state record until their time is bested at a future Illinois State Championship. We believe this will add a new, fun dimension to our State Championship.

We modeled the State Record Stage after the World Record Stage, but with the following key differences:

1. The State Record Stage uses closer target distances to better reflect today’s target distances and to make it suitable for use at a State Championship match. For example, the World Record stage sets rifle targets at 54 feet, pistol targets at 21 feet, and shotgun targets at 30 feet, distances we felt would be inappropriate to use in a State Championship. Instead, the Illinois Standard Record Stage sets rifle targets at 27 feet, pistol targets at 12 feet, and shotgun targets at 18 feet – distances much more appropriate for a State Championship.
2. Each shooter is allowed to select the gun order they feel allows them to shoot their best time (rifle must not be last). This is a change from the World Record stage which requires gun order to be Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun.
3. Unlike the World Record which allows shooters several attempts, the State Record Stage will be set up as a stage during the 2023 Championship match. This means shooters have one opportunity to set the state record – when they shoot the stage at the Illinois State Championship match. This is consistent with most sporting events (e.g., Olympic records can only be set during Olympic competitions, etc.). This also eliminates the need to video record the shooter as required for the World Record, since each attempt will occur at a State Championship, observed by a Timer Operator, and witnessed by three Spotters.  
4. Just as only Illinois residents are eligible to be an Illinois Champion, only Illinois residents will be eligible to set the Illinois State Record. However, non-Illinois Residents will be eligible to set a new Illowa Irregular Club record during the Championship match.

Several Illinois cowboys/ cowgirls will go home from the 2023 Championship recognized as holding the state record in their shooting category.  It could be you and/or someone you know. We also believe there will be some unexpected surprises along the way.

As mentioned above, Illowa Irregulars will use this stage to establish our local “Club” records. We encourage you and other Illinois clubs to do the same.  Click on the download links below to get a copy of the State Record stage.

If you’ve not done so already, it’s never too early to get your State Championship registrations in. The Illinois State Championship is scheduled from August 18-20, 2023. Click here for more information and to download a registration form. We are pleased to announce we are now offering an on-line payment option in addition to our regular paper form.

Click here to download the State Record Stage.

See the video below to learn more about the State Record Stage.