For the first time in the history of Canadian fast draw, four provinces were represented as Brian Shukin of Saskatchewan along with “Nick the Quick” and the “Quebecois Kid” joined competitors from B.C. and Alberta.

It was in the Celebrity Shootout that there were some surprises as past Women’s Celebrity winner, Langley MP Mary Polak, was unable to attend due to commitments to the BC Summer Games, and Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman, also a former celebrity winner himself, was scheduled to be elsewhere at the time.

Their absences paved the way for some newer competitors, some of whom had never shot fast draw before. In the winner’s circle this year was reporter Jennifer Moreau of the Burnaby New newspaper, who took top gun in the ladies event.

Close behind was newcomer Chantelle Bowles of the Aldergrove Star who took second place women’s.

Brenda Parmiter-Cooper of Black Press finished a respectable third place just ahead of Langley Township Councillor Bev Dornan.

Another newbie, representing the International Pistol Shooters Confederation, was Kerry Lathwell, who finished fifth place overall but fired the fastest time of both the men’s and women’s division – .582 of a second. That time also beat the fastest times show by at least two of the professional fast draw shooters in the men’s division.

The sport of fast draw is a fast-moving sport with the shooters having to peel their pistols from their holsters at a rapid rate – well under one hundredths of a second.

In the men’s celebrity shootout, Langley City mayor Peter Fassbender won first place, as well as firing the fast time’s men’s, a .590 to take that award as well.

Without any practice time, Langley Township Mayor Rick Green found himself tied with last year’s second place finisher,m Langley City Councillor Rudy Storteboom. In a rare sudden-death, one-shot-each tiebreaker, Storteboom ended up in second place once again, and Green took third place overall. Missing the mark a little more than usual this year was Langley MP Mark Warawa, who has actually won more of these events than anyone in the Celebrity Division.

Warawa finished in fourth place, and had his fastest time of .594 edged out by Mayor Fassbender’s second-to-last shot.

Newcomer Andrew Fleming, representing the Royal City Record newspaper, finished up with the fifth-place award but it getting closer and closer to learning about winning in fast draw.

A shooter’s draw was held at the Station House Bar and Grill on Saturday night, and the big winner of the Alfonso Of Hollywood custom holster was Calgary’s Bill Duff. The “Josey Whales” and “Doc Holliday” custom belt buckles donated by Chisholm Trail’s Old West Leather Co. of Georgia, U.S. were donated by Judy Lawton of South Dakota and Brooke Ackers of Colorado.

Crescent Knifeworks of Surrey donated a set of three quality throwing knives which were won by Utah’s Tom Blasgen. Local author Doug Abbott donated a copy of his book “Fifty Years of the Television Western” and every shooter, including the celebrities, received copies of Guns of the Old West Magazine.

In the World Fast Draw Association-sanctioned Canadian open championships, it was back to business as usual for Aldergrove’s Nicole Franks, who regained her women’s Canadian title.

Her chief rival at the Aldergrove Fair Days event was once again Colorado’s Anita Burnham, last year’s winner.

In third place was Anita’s daughter Sheryl Short, also from Colorado.

Judy Lawton from South Dakota took fourth place, with Debbie Burnham from Colorado rounding out the top five women. The fastest time fired in the women’s division was Franks’ .323.

In the men’s division, Bob Edmiston of Maple Ridge managed to overtake the present World’s Open Index Fast Draw champion Del Burnham of Colorado to win the Canadian title.

Den Robinson of Burnaby came in at third place. Fourth place went to Frank Lawton from South Dakota, who is currently the world’s all-around top gun.

In fifth place stood Chuck Burnham, rated No. 2 in the world.

He was followed by Aldergrove’s Jim Weatherby in sixth place, and Calgary resident Bill Duff in seventh position.

Eighth place among men was Tristen Burnham of Clifton, Colorado., He fired the fast shot of the event, .299 of a second, to edge Glenn Renney, who finished ninth overall.

A most surprising shooter came all the way from Quebec to take part in his first ever fast draw contest. With a borrowed gun and ammo, Ioan Nica, a.k.a. “Nick the Quick”, finished off the top 10 shooters in the men’s division.

As per World Fast Draw Association rules, all competitors had to wear “old west” attire while using “old west” style revolvers to shoot at balloons which, when hit, would stop the random electronic timers that were used to keep track of each shooter’s lowest average times.

For the first time in the history of Canadian fast draw, four provinces were represented as Brian Shukin of Saskatchewan along with “Nick the Quick” joined competitors from B.C. and Alberta.

For more on fast draw, the World Fast Draw Association, the Thunderbirds, or the Langley Rod and Gun Club, call D. Robinson at 604-540-6394.