It started with a bang, naturally, as the contestants were all using guns and blank ammunition (only).

And while it may have finished with some "tears and jeers" from any losers, it sure looked like everyone had fun at this year's Canadian Open Fast Draw Championships, part of the Aldergrove Fair Days festivities.

In conjunction with hosting this World Fast Draw Association-sanctioned event, the Thunderbird Fast Draw Club held its annual celebrity challenge shootout at high noon.

This year, two old hands at winning this event came through as Langley MP Mark Warawa hit his mark, taking away the title that was held for the past two years by Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender.

Langley MLA Mary Polak, who won this event the first two years but not last year, came back with a vengeance, taking first place in the women's division.

She fired the fastest shot as well - a blazing .530 of one second, edging out last year's winner, Langley Township Councillor Bev Dornan.

Both the celebrity contestants and WFDA competitors fired the very same event, five shots total.

Balloons were at an eight-foot distance from the shooters.

Warawa's average score would have placed him seventh overall against the WFDA competitors after that first event.

Local celebrities following close behind were Langley Township Mayor Jack Froese in the first contest, then Mac Realty's Rudy Storteboom, Aldergrove Business Association president Bruce Heslop, and Deputy Mayor of Abbotsford Les Barkmann.

Heslop fired the fastest time among men, a .528. Winners of the Canadian Fast Draw championships were:

First place women's - Nicole Franks, Thunderbird Fast Draw Club; 2nd Sarah Pantano, Kansas; 3rd Karen Robinson, Thunderbird; 4th Peggy Franks, Thunderbird; 5th Carla Howell, Oregon.

First place men's - Mike Pantano, Kansas; 2nd Den Robinson, Thunderbird; 3rd Howard Darby, Alberta; 4th Jon Wilson, California; 5th Bob Franks, Thunderbird; 6th Bill Duff, Alberta; 7th Steve Newell, Washington; 8th Glenn Renney, Thunderbird; 9th Mike Avetikian, Alberta; 10th Bob Nielson, Colorado.

Fast shot trophy and $200 went to Bob Nielson of Colorado, who shot a .294. He won a $500 custom holster from Tombstone Leather.

Kayln Miles and Josh Rice from the new reality TV shot Get Stuffed competed against each other in both the fast draw and farmer's challenge events during Aldergrove Fair Days. They were trained by the women's world champion Nicole Franks and Den Robinson, who placed fifth in the men's world all-around top gun category.

For more on fast draw and the Thunderbirds, visit www. thunderbirdfastdraw.com.