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Zack Parnham: Gunslinger at age 10
Posted by Junior Shooters
By: Zack Parnham, aka Little Hoss
(Junior Writer) For Kids By Kids
My name is Zack Parnham and I am 10 years old. I enjoy cowboy fast draw shooting. One day my mom asked me if I would like to shoot with her, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. Like the saying goes, “Try it, you’ll like it,” and I did.
The first think I did was learn what to do and what not to do. Jerry Kirschling, a friend of our family, taught me never to point a gun at anyone. He also taught me to always think so that my actions are always safe, and to keep my gun down range at all times. A gun is not a toy, it is a weapon. I also learned to respect my gun and to never take it out to show my friends. The only time I can take my gun out is when my mom, dad, or an older adult is around.
W
hen I started shooting, I was shooting 1.980 seconds. Now I am shooting in the seven tenths and eight tenths of a second. That is a little over half a second. Shooting has built my confidence and concentration levels.
Jerry Kirschling is a Marshal for cowboy fast draw. He has a lot of patience with me. Jerry encourages me to take my time. He tells me that speed will come, but I need to hit the target first.
I am going into fifth grade at McKinley School in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. My fourth grade teacher was having parent-teacher conferences and told my mom that I had been telling her all about shooting. The teacher could not believe that I was nine years old and shooting a .45 caliber gun. She said, “Sure, you are.” My comment was, “Yes, I really am shooting a .45 caliber gun.” 
When mom went in, the first thing out of my teacher’s mouth was, “Does Zack really shoot a .45 caliber gun?” My mom said, “Yes, and he does quite well.”
I like to write papers and tell the other kids about what happens on the weekends when we shoot. My mom also likes to shoot. She is pretty good at it. My dad doesn’t want to shoot, but that’s ok. My older brother, Ben, want out shooting with us the other day and I beat him!
Shooting well takes a lot of practice. Whatever you do for practice means you need to do it everyday. I hope someday to have my own targets at my house so I can practice more and someday be able to be the number one cowboy fast draw shooter in the world.
Editor’s note: The sport of cowboy fast draw is one of the fastest growing shooting sports with interest coming from people of all ages from around the world. The ruling organization is the Cowboy Fast Draw Association (CFDA).
Copyright & Published By: Junior Shooters & Junior Sports Magazines Inc. April 2009
This is a great blog. I visit you frequently and we get always valuable updates, Thanks!
Thank you. I appreciate the comments.
Andy
my name is also jordan parnham and i like shooting we only have rifles 2 lever actions and a bolt action rifle im from pertth western australia