CANADIAN RIVER REGULATORS’ HISTORY

The Canadian River Regulators started their organization in 1993 at a location a few miles south of the Canadian River just north of Amarillo, Texas. Because nearby residents became concerned about the increased traffic the club’s shooting activities were bringing to the area, the Regulators had to locate a new range. The City of Amarillo Shooting Complex just southwest of the city allotted the Regulators a small piece of land to build their range.

A long horizontal area typical of the West Texas Panhandle with cactus, yucca, and a few shade trees was designated to the Regulators and served as their home until June, 2001. At that monthly shoot the club members were told they had just held their last shoot at the City of Amarillo Shooting Complex.

The Regulators were devastated because prospects of a new location were not good at the time. Luck was on the Regulator’s side though as Frank and Terri Hommel, owners of the Bar H Dude and Game Ranch at Clarendon, Texas learned of our demise and invited the Regulators to try out the Bar H for a new home.

July and August of 2001 was spent getting a range developed that followed along a winding creek bed in the pasture of the Bar H Ranch. The shooting area couldn’t be more perfect. The road into the ranch winds around through the pasture filled with mesquite and cactus. The ranch has a herd of Brangus livestock and buffalo as well as turkeys and other wild game. Generally on shoot day the shooting area is shared with the livestock and the buffalo until they tire of “cowboys and cowgirls” and meander off into another area of the pasture.

There’s one rule given to the Regulators by the Hommels: “Don’t shoot my livestock, my buffalo, or my turkeys!”

A lot of Regulators got into the building of the range buildings that includes a cabin stage, livery stage, and saloon stage. The other three stages are versatile stages that accept many creative setups. Future plans are to set up the jail that was located on the old range and perhaps a few other facilities. The old club house was moved in for storage of range supplies and equipment. A new club house was built so that the officers could be out of the elements while signing up shooters and calculating scores.

At the new range following a safety meeting at 10 a.m. the Regulators start shooting. At noon there is a lunch break to enjoy big mesquite-grilled hamburgers prepared by the Hommels. Regulators finish off their lunch by devouring homemade cookies and chocolate cake made by Cynthia May that we have come to affectionately refer to as our “Mom.” When former guests show up to shoot with the Regulators, the first question asked is “Does Mom still make those good cookies?”

There are generally 30 to 45 Regulators and their guests that show up the second Saturday of each month. The monthly shoots offer the Bar H guests that come from all over the world an opportunity to share in our sport of cowboy action shooting. Those guests take home some great stories of their experiences in cowboy action shooting with the Canadian River Regulators.

In October the Regulators host a two-day club shoot in which there are no prizes awarded but just lots of fun and camaraderie.

The Regulators love their new “home on the range.” The relaxed atmosphere and the lunch break gives an opportunity for everyone to become better acquainted while sharing their stage experiences. Some of the Regulators come in on Friday evening and stay at the Bar H (two bunkhouses and four small cabins) and enjoy a mesquite grilled rib eye steak dinner complete with biscuits and peach cobbler. The next morning the guests are greeted with a cowboy breakfast before they head out to meet the bad guys on the range.