Gunslinging Kentucky family shares passion for shooting, competitions

GLASGOW, Ky. — For most people, the style and gun tricks of the Old West are synonymous with classic television shows and westerns that air on weekends.

But when Jim Montgomery, his wife Deborah and his son Jake leave their family business, the south-central Kentucky family straps on their holsters and becomes The Vaqueros.

In the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting, Jim Montgomery said shooters use unique, registered aliases.

“You know most of the shooters by their aliases,” he said. “You don’t know a lot of them by their real names.”

So when Jim, Deborah and Jake participate in competitions, they go by the names Shaddai Vaquero, Perfecto Vaquera and Vaquero Jake, respectively.

Montgomery, 45, said he started shooting in April 2006, with the rest of his family joining a month later. To prepare for competitions, he said they get out and shoot almost every weekend.

“They had me be the guinea pig,” he told the Glasgow, Kentucky Daily Times with a laugh. “They wanted to go watch me shoot and then they decided, ‘OK, we’ll do this.’”

Jim said the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) is the governing body for the sport, which was formed in 1987 and is an international membership organization “to preserve and promote the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting,” according to the organization’s website.

During competitions, which are held throughout the year, shooters wear clothes reminiscent of the Old West, Jim said.

“You have to dress 1800s,” he said. “Your jeans are fine, but you have to wear long-sleeve shirts. You don’t have to have a hat, but most people want to wear one.”

He added that they also wear boots; some competitors choose to add other accessories as well.

The Vaqueros recently traveled to Edgewood, New Mexico, where they competed in the End of Trail World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting, an event hosted by SASS. Jim said there were about 620 competitors from all over the world, with 44 different male and female categories.

While her husband and son shot at steel targets, Deborah Montgomery joked that she shot video, as she was just a spectator this time around.

“I enjoy shooting, but I like watching them,” she said.

Jim Montgomery competed in the Frontiersman category, which he said means that all of the guns must use black powder as opposed to smokeless powder.

“When you’re shooting, the smoke is coming out,” he said, adding that the cloud of smoke disguises the targets, “so sometimes it takes you a little longer to shoot than when using smokeless powder.”

Montgomery is no stranger to the World Championship. He won the Duelist Category in 2013.

At this year’s competition, Jim was able to take away top accolades again. After competing in 12 stages over four days, he was named the 2017 Frontiersman World Champion.

Deborah and Jake said they were so proud of him when it was announced. Jim said while he knew he had won in 2013, this time around, he was surprised.

He added that his next goal is to win all four of the open duelist style shooting categories.

“I’ve got two so far,” Montgomery said.

In the footsteps of his father, Jake Montgomery finished this year’s World Championship with second place in the Gunfighter category and finished 13th overall.

Jake, 20, who started shooting when he was 9, said while he was happy with his overall finish of 13th, he really wanted first place in Gunfighter.

“Maybe next year,” he said.

Jim Montgomery said it feels great to see his son compete and that he is always proud of Jake’s accomplishments. He added that spending time with his family makes the sport more enjoyable.

Deborah Montgomery said her favorite part about shooting is being able to spend time with her husband and son.

“And dressing up,” she added with a smile and laugh.

Jake Montgomery said he enjoys family time and the fact that Cowboy Action Shooting isn’t easy.

“It’s difficult,” he said. “Not a lot of people can take two pistols and alternate them and keep a sequence going and do it right, let alone do it fast.”

Perkins writes for the Glasgow, Kentucky Daily Times