Old North State Posse
Club History and Evolution

The following page is summary level ONSP history. For those looking for a bit more detail of the events, the following is offered - Detailed ONSP History


Old North State Posse Early Years

The Old North State Posse (ONSP) had its beginnings late in 1993 at the PHA (Piedmont Handgunners Assoc.) range in the Lexington, NC area.   This began as an informal group using donated materials to build some props and targets for some initial cowboy matches.   With increasing interest, the Old North State Posse club was formally organized in 1994 with an annual membership fee and monthly shoot fees to raise money for operating expenses.   As the posse grew, the needed props, targets and target stands began to be accumulated.


The Old North State Posse Charter Members

Bad Hand - Calamity Allie - Carolina Ranger - Coachman - Dexton Fox
Doc Barnes - Firestick - Grizzly Greg - Hangfire - Harry II Late
Horse Soldier - Jess Wade - Kidd Blackhawk - Klearwater Kate - Longeye
Mississippi - Oklahoma Charlie - Pecos Ranger - Polecat Landis - Richard Egan
Royal Barnes - SassyFrass - Stinky Jim - Tall Dark Stranger - Woodeye
Cajun Kid - Calamity Jane - Charles Sirringo - David Neagle - Dirtwater Duke
Doc Tetons - Gray Rider - Gun Shye - Marshal Harland Wolff - Hole in the Head Kid
Just Plain Lucky - John Hardin - Kit Wilkins - Lone Scout - Mace Bowman
Nathan Hawkes - Packin Penelope - Pistol Packin Possum - Rawbone Bill
Sam Carp - Showdown - Sundance - Thomas P. McCall - Wyatt E
Josh Barton - Rick II Feathers - Rebeckah Barton

Note: The above list was taken directly from a certificate that was created recognizing the charter members.   Signed by Firestick (Chairman of the Board), Oklahoma Charlie (Club President) and Cajun Kid (Vice-Chairman & Treasurer). Keep in mind that the above certificate was created about the time ONSP moved to RCWA. There were some key contributors to the original founding of ONSP that were not included on this certificate. Some of the PHA range members that helped found ONSP did not stay with ONSP when they moved. A small group of those PHA members remained at PHA for many years as the Piedmont Gunslingers.

Photo of some of the origninal gang at PHA: ONSP PHA Photo


SASS NC Championship History

The first "big" match for the ONSP club was Frontier Days in 1995.   After this successful event, ONSP next hosted the first NC State Championship match at the PHA range in 1996.   In 1997, a decision was made to move ONSP to its current home at the Rowan County Wildlife Assoc. (RCWA) in Salisbury, NC to better accommodate the larger club participation and the annual state championship match.   The second ONSP annual match (the first held at RCWA) in 1997 was the first ever SASS sanctioned state championship match in the country.   The early founders of ONSP started a SASS state championship process that became a model for many other SASS state championship matches now held around the country.   After sponsoring and hosting the 9th annual SASS NC State Championship in 2005, ONSP decided that they no longer had the man power to try to run both the normal ONSP club operations and the increasingly popular SASS NC State Championship match.   In 2006, an independent group, the North Carolina Cowboys, Inc. (NCCI), was formed to organize and run the annual SASS NC State Championship.   The SASS NC State Championship has subsequently remained very popular under the leadership of the North Carolina Cowboys which includes representation from many of the other NC cowboy action shooting clubs.   Although still involved in supporting the SASS NC State Championship, ONSP has subsequently turned its primary focus back to providing fun monthly matches for the ONSP membership and promoting and increasing interest in Cowboy Action Shooting.

The SASS NC State Championship Match - Overall Champions History


The ONSP Hall of Fame - Some of SASS's Finest !

Old North State Posse (ONSP) has been in existence since the early days of SASS as noted in the ONSP history above. As a result, there have been many local (primarily NC and border states VA and SC) cowboy action shooters who have shot monthly matches at ONSP in their SASS shooting careers/travels over the years of ONSP's existance. ONSP thought it would be fun to recognize some of those talented cowboys/cowgirls who have wandered through ONSP during its existence. Having exposure to all of these talented shooters at ONSP monthly matches has provided some excellent sources for improvements and motivation in our local/personal cowboy/cowgirl games.

The ONSP Hall of Fame Cowboys and Cowgirls - Champions All !


The North Carolina Cowboy/Cowgirl Top Hand Award

The Top Hand Award for recognizing NC cowboys/cowgirls who have made major contributions to cowboy action shooting activities in NC was started by ONSP in 1999.   Since this award had evolved along with the SASS NC State Championship matches, it was turned over to NCCI in 2006 when they started running the SASS NC State Championship matches.   The following provides some details around this program :
Top Hand Award Guidelines

Top Hand Award Recepients
1999 - Cajun Kid and Firestick
2000 - Marshal Harland Wolff and Lone Scout
2001 - Oklahoma Charlie and Royal Barnes
2002 - Stinky Jim and Buckshot Bowers
2003 - Layden Payde and Splinter Hauser
2004 - Marshal Nate Tyler and Lobo Mac
2005 - Red Cent
2006 - Sliphammer and Whitehair Trigger
2007 - Camille Enoich and JM Brown
2008 - Carolina Jack and Wicked Wanda
2009 - Wireman
2010 - Tracker Mike
2011 - Dingo Dave and Huckleberry Mike
2012 - No Award
2013 - No Award
2014 - KTown
2015 - R J Gatling
2016 - Sandhills Slim and Paden Emmett Cobb
2017 - Three Cut
2018 - Penelope Petticoat
2019 - Red River Ray
2020 - No Award
2021 - Brown Summit Kid and Rubicon Ryder
2022 - Candice B Real and Noah Fitz
2023 - Duc McCandless


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