Chapter 6 – Centaures the Glorious Shooting Irons and then Some

6.4 FROCS – FRiends Of the Centaure Society

 

6.4       6.4.1 6.4.2   6.4.2.1   6.4.2.1.1   6.4.2.2   6.4.2.3   6.4.2.3.1 6.4.2.4     6.4.2.4.1   6.4.2.5 6.4.2.6

FROCS – FRiends Of the Contaure Society (by Michael „Socks“ Mayer, translation Jörg „Magic Joe“ Ullrich) The FROCS Community The Annual Meetings of the FROCS and Centaure Aficionados The First Annual Meetings of the FROCS between 2010 and 2013 The Centaure Hall of Fame Award Program The Annual Meetings of the FROCS of 2014 and 2015 The Memorable Annual Meetings of the FROCS of 2016 and 2017 The Magnificent Three The Annual Meetings of the FROCS of 2018 and 2019 and „The Unfinished“ one of 2020 The Magnificent Three Going Strong in 2018 and 2019 The Last Show? A New Hope – the 2022 Annual Meetings of the FROCS

 

6.4.1

The FROCS Community

 

Today nobody recalls who brought up the idea to establish the FROCS community. It is a fact, however, that a suggestion to that extent came from a Centaure owner in the U.S.A. shortly after the Centaure research project got started between Hofheim and Lubbock. This pard recommended forming some sort of syndicate or otherwise acting as a special interest group in order to support this research into the Centaures‘ history. In addition, a catchy name for the group was considered desirable. This was might having been inspired by the acronyms used over at the forums of www.cascity.com. There you will find names like „The SoCiety Of Remington Revolver Shooters – SCORRS” or „Shooters of The Opentop and Richards-Masons – STORM” etc.

Be that as it may, as early as September 2007 already the FROCS short for “FRiends Of the Centaure Society“ were born as the international, nonprofit special interest group of Centaure collectors, sport shooters, civil war reenactors and other enthusiasts, that we know today.

Requirements for a FROCS membership are:

• Ownership of at least one Centaure percussion or conversion revolver,
• Support of the Centaure research by completing a questionnaire aka data sheet, and by providing your Centaure’s data preferably with photos. The questionnaire is currently available in English, French and German. It can be downloaded from this Centaure & FROCS website https://wp.1960nma.org/, go over to chapter 7.1., and scroll down to 7.1.4.

Those who don’t own a Centaure themselves (yet), but are willing to contribute knowledge or else to the research project, can well be awarded an honorable membership by FROCS #1 James Panhandle Paden Frugé and/or FROCS #2 Wolf D. Long Johns Wolf Niederastroth. These two gentlemen are the founding members.

 

6.4.2

The Annual Meetings of the FROCS and Centaure Aficionados

 

Annual meetings of the FROCS & Centaure aficionados have been organized in Germany for several years now. Over the years participants from Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, the United States of America and, of course from Germany have attended. Requests for such a meeting were frequently expressed from all over Europe and by U.S. pards and pardettes, too.

Thanks to the initiative of FROCS #44 Erik Erik Fridjoffson Schelenz we proudly arranged the 1st Meeting of the FROCS in 2010. Most all the meetings took place at or in close neighborhood to shooting ranges providing multi distance shooting facilities and a club house for the relaxing gatherings.

Recurring topics during the meetings are:

• Lectures on recent findings from the Centaure research program,
• Shooting match with Centaure percussion and conversion revolvers,
• On site members‘ Centaure repairs by the attending gunsmith fraction,
• Information on sourcing of original and newly fabricated spare parts,
• Centaure Hall of Fame awards,
• Exhibition of Centaures and Conversions, since 2018 extended to Neo-Classikers of Western guns,
• Centaure auctions,
• Talking shop and cozy get-together.

 

6.4.2.1

The First Annual Meetings of the FROCS between 2010 and 2013

 

6.4.2.1_1 2010 in Hofheim: A few of the participants of the 1st Meeting of the FROCS

 

6.4.2.1_2 Group picture of FROCS and Centaure aficionados of 2nd Meeting in Hofheim in 2011

 

As early as 2011 at the 2nd Meeting of the FROCS in 2011 in Hofheim at Schützenverein 1938 e.V. http://www.svhofheim.de/ we felt it feasible to get ourselves some political clout from the Regional, District or State administration. All these politicians assisted with the meetings, like cutting through red tape, providing organizational and financial support and delivering welcome addresses. Patrons of the first two meetings were Michael Cyriax, then designated Chief Executive of Main-Taunus District (2011) and Hans Drexler, Mayor of Hirshau (2012). One patron even spiced up his highly appreciated speech with the theme of Once Upon a Time in the West. Incidentally, most loved to show their marksmanship with the Centaures. Some were even pretty talented at it.

 

6.4.2.1_3 Impression of Centaure exhibition at 2nd Annual Meeting of the FROCS in 2011

 

6.4.2.1_4 2012 at SG Diana in Hirschau https://sgdiana-hirschau.de/: Centaures in action at 3rd Meeting of the FROCS

 

The 4th Annual Meeting of the FROCS took place in 2013 at Schützenverein Diana 1910 e.V. Jügesheim in Rodgau-Jügesheim https://www.sv-diana.de/. Oliver Quilling, Chief Executive of the Offenbach County District accepted the patronage.

 

6.4.2.1_5 Relaxed gathering on first evening of the 4th meeting at Schützenverein Diana in Rodgau-Jügesheim

 

6.4.2.1_6 2013 in Rodgau-Jügesheim (from left): Host FROCS #155 Ballwanz of SV Diana, Patron Chief Executive of Offenbach County District Oliver Quilling showed his marksmanship, FROCS #2 Long Johns Wolf

 

6.4.2.1_7 2013 in Rodgau-Jügesheim: Match briefing on the range by Match Director FROCS #30 Socks aka yours truly (far right)

 

The Patrons of our FROCS Meetings 2011, 2012 and 2013

Year	Meeting	Patron	Function	FROCS	Alias
2011	Hofheim	Michael Cyriax	Chief Executive Main-Taunus District	165	Chief Rub
2012	Hirschau	Hans Drexler	Mayor of Hirschau	n.a.	n.a.
2013	Rodgau-Jügesheim	Oliver Quilling	Chief Executive Offenbach County District	#222	Tall Rider

 

Even though the FRiends Of the Centaure Society (FROCS) are legally an international special interest group they are no registered club (eingetragener Verein or e.V. as part of the name in German). The latter would require kind of an advanced organizational structure, bylaws, keeping books and possibly be taxed. Keeping this in mind and working mostly out of Germany the tax legislation implies the FROCS cannot and must not earn money or else. Whatever we receive as financial or contributions in kind, what we generate as a profit through our meetings always was and will be donated to our hosting clubs. In other words, we are not only an international special interest group but since 2003 evolved or branched out into a charity organization as well.

Hosts between 2010 and 2017 and in 2019 were shooting clubs – profits were donated to support their youth teams – or the Karl-May-Museum in 2018 where proceeds were given for the maintenance of their collection.

 

6.4.2.1.1

The Centaure Hall of Fame Award Program

 

At the 4th Meeting of the FROCS in Rodgau-Jügesheim the Centaure Hall of Fame Award program has been introduced with two annual awards, namely the

• Shooting Star Award: For the FROCS who particularly excelled at shooting competitions with Centaures since the previous meeting,
• Lifetime Achievement Award: For outstanding contributions to the FROCS cause or publications on Centaures.

 

6.4.2.1.1_1 FROCS #86 Cougar winner of the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award

 

There exist few simple rules regarding the awards only:

a) Previous year award winners put their heads together a couple of weeks before the next meeting to submit proposals for approval of current year nominees to FROCS #2 Long Johns Wolf.

b) A previous winner of a Shooting Star award might be accorded a Lifetime Achievement award but not the other way round,

c) Neither FROCS #1 Panhandle Paden nor FROCS #2 Long Johns Wolf is available for the nomination for one of the two awards.

d) Nominee (s) for the award (s) must be present at the meeting where he or she is to be honored.

e) Appointed spokesperson (s) for the current year laudatio (s) will be the previous year category winner (s).

 

6.4.2.1.1_2 FROCS #99 Magic Joe winner of the 2013 Shooting Star Award

 

6.4.2.2

The Annual Meetings of the FROCS of 2014 and 2015

 

In 2014 the invitation called for Hofheim again as location of the 5th meeting. Back to Schützenverein 1938 e.V. http://www.svhofheim.de/ was the order, their club house and their range. That is where the meetings started five years ago. This was our first meeting where we strived to acquire financial support from local businesses. A special Thank-You-Sponsors-Shoot was organized as part of the program.

 

6.4.2.2_1 2014 in Hofheim: Group picture of a couple of FROCS, Centaure aficionados and sponsors

 

6.4.2.2_2 2014 in Hofheim: Patron Michael Cyriax (center) did well at the Sponsors‘ shoot, got promoted to FROCS #165 Chief Rub (hon.) in return

 

6.4.2.2_3 Winner of the 2014 Shooting Star Award FROCS #56 Archangel (left) received his kudo from previous winner FROCS #99 Magic Joe (right)

 

6.4.2.2_4 Honors for 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award winner FROCS #44 Erik Fridjoffson (right) were done by last year’s winner FROCS #86 Cougar

 

For the 6th meeting our good cowboy friend and boss of SchützenClub Klein-Umstadt 1968 e.V. https://sc-klein-umstadt.de/ Sigi Dog Dancer Bechert aka FROCS #185 invited the FROCS and Centaure aficionados to use his club for the event. SC 1968 e.V. Klein-Umstadt is one of the few German clubs providing a multi-distance indoor shooting range approved for dynamic shoots and black powder guns.

Minister of State and Head of the Hessian State Chancellery Axel Wintermeyer accepted the patronage for the meeting.

 

The Patrons of our FROCS Meetings 2014/2015

Year	Meeting	Patron	Function	FROCS	Alias
2014	Hofheim	Michael Cyriax	Chief Executive Main-Taunus District	#165	Chief Rub
2015	Klein-Umstadt	Axel Wintermeyer	Minister of State and Head of Hessian State Chancellery	n.a.	n.a.

 

6.4.2.2_5 2015 in Klein-Umstadt: FROCS #185 Dog Dancer, boss of the hosting club was awarded the framed official poster, autographed picture of Patron Axel Wintermeyer, his printed welcome message on Hessian State letterhead

 

6.4.2.2_6 2015 in Klein-Umstadt: Some participants of 6th Meeting of the FROCS at SC 1968 e.V. in the field opposite side of club house

 

6.4.2.2_7 Winner of 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award: Happy yours truly after honors from FROCS #44 Erik Fridjoffson

 

6.4.2.3

The Memorable Annual Meetings of the FROCS of 2016 and 2017

 

The 7th Meeting of the FROCS in 2016 was a particularly memorable one for several reasons. One was because the SC 1968 e.V. Klein-Umstadt was our host the second year in a row. Why? The FROCS very much enjoyed the unselfish hospitality during the previous year. In addition, we can blaze away with smokeless and black powder loaded guns at their indoor range. Our patron during the years of 2016 and 2017 was Klaus Peter Schellhaas, Chief Executive of the Darmstadt-Dieburg District, chain-smoker and talented shooter as was discovered later. This earned him the honorary FROCS membership as FROCS #195 Smokin‘ Gun Pit.

 

6.4.2.3_1 2016 in Klein-Umstadt (from left): Patron Klaus Peter Schellhaas aka FROCS #195 Smokin‘ Gun Pit cowboying, watched by FROCS #185 Dog Dancer, FROCS #2 Long Johns Wolf

 

The Patrons of our FROCS Meetings 2016/2017

Year	Meeting	Patron	Function	FROCS	Alias
2016	Klein-Umstadt	Klaus Peter Schellhass	Chief Executive Darmstadt-Dieburg District	#195	Smokin‘ Gun Pit
2017	Klein-Umstadt	Klaus Peter Schellhaas	Chief Executive Darmstadt-Dieburg District	#195	Smokin‘ Gun Pit

 

6.4.2.3_2 2016 in Klein-Umstadt: Briefing of the Centaure match at the SC 1968 e.V. indoor range

 

6.4.2.3_3 Cute Centaure trophies: Awards of the 2016 match

 

6.4.2.3_4 Camera-shy FROCS #76 Gunfire earned the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award

 

6.4.2.3_5 2016 in Klein-Umstadt: FROCS #176 Bernie gave a talk on tuning options for Colt 1860 pattern pistols, Gunfire far left picture

 

6.4.2.3_6 2017 8th Meeting in Klein-Umstadt: Impression of conversion display at the Centaure exhibition

 

6.4.2.3_7 Elected Winner of 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award FROCS #50 Luger Master, kudo by FROCS #2 Long Johns Wolf

 

6.4.2.3.1

The Magnificent Three

 

In his 2016 (!) welcome address patron Klaus Peter Schellhaas bounced off a challenging thought which triggered a couple of important developments. Schellhaas suggested the FROCS may want to organize a Cowboy shoot for all their previous patrons. To have it shot out among the patrons determining the best shot. This should include proper press coverage and all. He would love to take part and his staff were available to help with the administrative chores. This sounded like an interesting idea when you consider the public’s perception of shooting in Germany and many other countries is still ranging from kind of generally unapt to totally politically incorrect. Looking at it from that angle and having politicians shooting cowboy actively in bright view of citizens makes a lot of sense to further promote not only our sport; but, also legal gun ownership.

One big stumbling block almost killed the start of the project, though: Getting these busy political leaders together at the same time for a match of ca. 2 hours at the same location is next to impossible. But thanks to the unwavering help of the staff of these patrons and gentlemen this match dubbed The Magnificent Three could take place in February of 2017 at the Klein-Umstadt range https://sc-klein-umstadt.de/ at last.

 

 

It was frigging cold on match day of February 10, 2017, on the Klein-Umstadt indoor range. But our three shooters fought hard, and the match was big time fun for all attending, competitors, visitors of the three districts and the press.

 

6.4.2.3.1_1 Our three patrons after the match on Feb. 10, 2017 (from left): Tall Rider, Smokin‘ Gun Pit, Chief Rub

 

Host of the shoot Smoking Gun Pit won, Chief Rub made 2nd and Tall Rider 3rd place. The patrons begged to arrange future shoots during summer. For the 2018 match Chief Rub invited the competitors to a range in his Main-Taunus District and sponsored an engraved Colt 1861 Navy replica as challenge trophy.

The annual shoot of the Magnificent Three developed its own dynamics growing into one of the spin-offs of the Annual Meetings of the FROCS.

 

 

 

 

6.4.2.4

The Annual Meetings of the FROCS of 2018 and 2019 and „The Unfinished“ ones of 2020 and 2021

 

For the 9th meeting the FROCS and Centaure aficionados were invited to attend the event at famous Karl May Museum https://www.karl-may-museum.de/de/ in Radebeul close to the State capital of Dresden, Saxony in the very east corner of the country. Bert Wendsche, Lord Mayor of the city and on the board of the museum, volunteered as our patron. Worth mentioning are our very special guests with the longest journey to attend the meeting, namely FROCS #202 Jacobite Jack and his lovely wife Wendy. They flew in all the way from Amarillo, Texas, U.S.A.

 

6.4.2.4_1 Neo-Classikers exhibition at the 2018 meeting in Karl May Museum of Radebeul: Factory engraved Centaures and other Western guns in peaceful harmony

 

FROCS #140 Cheyenne Wolf and FROCS #56 Archangel had teamed-up to organize this outstanding event which including a guided tour through the museum. Another first at this 9th meeting was the exhibition: Not just Centaures like in the past years, but they extended scale to comprise Neo-Classikers of the period 1836 through 1900.

 

6.4.2.4_2 Winner of 2018 Shooting Star award FROCS #140 Cheyenne Wolf, honors by FROCS #56 Archangel

 

6.4.2.4_3 Winner of 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award FROCS #158 MacGloy, honors done by yours truly

 

6.4.2.4_4 A couple of the Shooters of the 2018 Centaure match at Pulverfass shooting range in Radebeul

 

6.4.2.4_5 FROCS 2018 at ease at Radebeul Country & Western Club (from left): #63 Fir Mountain Ranger, #77 Sliding Horse, #158 MacGloy, #114 Quax, #44 Erik Fridjoffson

 

The 10th Annual and Anniversary Meeting of the FROCS took place in Hofheim again in 2019. During the last couple of months our friendly hosts of the 2010, 2011 and 2014 events of Schützenverein 1938 e.V. Hofheim, had reconstructed their indoor range. Now it was certified for multi distance shootings with smokeless and black powder. Steel targets suitable for cowboy style shooting were available, too. Patron was again Michael Cyriax aka FROCS #165 Chief Rub. Like in 2014 a Sponsors‘ Shoot had been arranged 2019 because several of the local businesses contributed nicely to the event.

 

6.4.2.4_6 After Radebeul the 2nd Neo-Classikers exhibition 2019 in Hofheim: CSA pistol display

 

6.4.2.4_7 Unique exhibit in Hofheim: Colt 1855 Root Dragoon .44 cal. built from scratch by Austrian master gunsmith Karl Nedbal aka FROCS #50 Luger Master

 

6.4.2.4_8 Getting the Centaures ready for some smoke!

 

6.4.2.4_9 Three smiling winners of the sponsors‘ shoot (center) posing for the press

 

6.4.2.4_10 FROCS, Centaure Aficionados and sponsors enjoyed the 10th Anniversary Meeting in Hofheim

 

List of our Patrons 2018 – 2021

Year	Meeting	Patron	Function	FROCS	Alias
2018	Radebeul	Bert Wendsche	Lord Mayor Large City of Radebeul	n.a.	n.a.
2019	Hofheim	Michael Cyriax	Chief Executive Main-Taunus District	#165	Chief Rub
2020*	Klein-Umstadt	Klaus Peter Schellhaas	Chief Executive Darmstadt-Dieburg District	#195	Smokin’ Gun Pit
2021*	Klein-Umstadt	Klaus Peter Schellhaas	Chief Executive Darmstadt-Dieburg District	#195	Smokin‘ Gun Pit

* COVID-19 made us cancel the 11th Meeting of the FROCS scheduled in Klein-Umstadt in both 2020 and 2021

 

Plans for the 11th Annual Meeting of the FROCS were well under way in spring of 2020 and again in 2021. Chief Exec Klaus Peter Schellhaas aka FROCS #195 Smokin‘ Gun Pit looked forward to his 3rd patronage in Klein-Umstadt when COVID-19 cut-in. Hence, the meeting had to be postponed eventually to 2022 because of the pandemic.

 

6.4.2.4.1

The Magnificent Three Going Strong in 2018 and 2019

 

At the 1st match of our three previous patrons Michael Cyriax aka FROCS #165 Chief Rub, 2nd placed in 2017 had issued an invitation for the 2018 into his District Main-Taunus. Together with his Chief of Staff Dennis Schnee who is now FROCS #207 Dan Snow (hon.) the match was organized on September 5, 2018 at Schützenverein Neuenhain-Bad Soden e.V. http://sv-neuenhain.de/. Invites were circulated to the other two Chief Execs, and also to Lord Mayor Bert Wendsche of Radebeul and Minister Axel Wintermeyer. Not unexpected only his two colleagues of Darmstadt and Dietzenbach confirmed attendance. C.A.S. training was offered to all three Patrons by cowboy clubs in their neighborhood, but participation was limited due to other commitments.

From today’s perspective these were the important facts of the September 5, 2018 shoot:

• The Neuenhain indoor range was comfortably warm as begged for by the competitors last year in freezing cold Klein-Umstadt,
• The costuming of the three shooters was more IPSC than cowboy but the organizers from the FROCS appeared in proper outfit,
• The match took place on Chief Rub’s home turf which might have given him an edge in the claquers‘ department,
• But this nail-biting event kept visitors and supporters at awe because … Chief Rub won anyway. Smokin‘ Gun Pit placed 2nd and Tall Rider a promising 3rd place.

 

6.4.2.4.1_1 Previous year’s winner Smokin‘ Gun Pit and Chief Rub together hold the challenging trophy Colt 1861 Navy with both their names engraved on brass plaques now

 

Already in Neuenhain The Magnificent Three agreed to their 3rd shoot to be held in the Offenbach County District with Tall Rider as the host at some time during early or late summer of 2019. They also promised a more serious cowboy training approach prior to the match!

Schützenverein Diana https://www.sv-diana.de/, host of our 4th Meeting of the FROCS was prepared to let us use their pistol range for the event. The pards and pardettes of Diana have an active cowboy group and possess the necessary steel targets. The staff of Oliver Quilling aka FROCS #222 Tall Rider coordinated the dates between the three Patrons. Therefore, the match could be launched on a warm summer day in Jügesheim on August 29, 2019. It should be noted that both Quilling and Schellhaas attended some CAS training before the shoot, but Cyriax was again too busy otherwise.

Considering this, the outcome of the match was quite unexpected. Because Smokin‘ Gun Pit finished last whereas Tall Rider reached the 2nd place, but Chief Rub won the race again.

If he can repeat this performance at the 4th shoot in Klein-Umstadt next year, he can keep the challenge trophy!

6.4.2.4.1_2 After the 3rd match of the Magnificent Three: FROCS #2 Long Johns Wolf privileged to hold the challenging trophy for the group picture

 

 

6.4.2.5

The Last Show? (updated by Wolf D. “Long Johns Wolf” Niederastroth)

 

A very successful first neo-classikers only exhibition was arranged for September 28/29, 2019 at the CCP-Ranch in Stolberg/Germany https://www.copper-city-pioneers.com/. Among others it featured our favorite Belgian licensed Colt 1860 pattern percussion revolvers and its conversions. This event was a joint venue of FROCS and VerbanD für Waffentechnik und –geschichte (VDW). The second such show took place on Sept. 26/27, 2020. Title and motto of this exhibition was „When the West Still was Wild …“. Like the previous one this great event was again well attended by German FROCS and visitors from Belgium, North Rhine-Westfalia and the Netherlands.

 

6.4.2.5_1 Official poster of the 2020 joint FROCS & VDW event in Stolberg

 

 

Drivers and organizers of both exhibitions were FROCS #140 Cheyenne Wolf and FROCS #214 Alaska Wolf. They put their hearts and souls into this show, and it showed. Among others on display at this exceptional event again were our Centaure cap & ballers and conversions, miniature western guns of the Hunzinger Collection, originals and neo-classikers of Colt SAAs, Henry, Spencer, Winchester fame, period equipment, you name it.

 

6.4.2.5_2 One of the 12 desk-top showcases (from left): Chentaure Thuer, Centaure Richards, Centaure Richards Transitional, Centaure „Mystery“ conversion, two Centaure Long Cylinder conversions, 2nd gen. Colt 1851 Navy Richards-Mason conversion under Uberti Win 66 carbine miniature

 

The third neo-Classikers exhibition scheduled for September 2021 at the same location fell victim to COVID and destructions following the flood of the tributaries of river Erft in July 2021. The wooden bridge to reach the CCP-Ranch was demolished and is still down. It cannot and will not be replaced before 2023.

 

6.4.2.6

A New Hope – the 2022 Annual Meetings of the FROCS (by Wolf D. “Long Johns Wolf” Niederastroth)

 

But then you cannot stop the FROCS! Not even a pandemic. The FROCS just won’t give up. Hence, we did it again. When the curve of COVID was flattening beginning of spring 2022 we got plans under way and the 11th Meeting of the FROCS was eventually be organized … for the third time.

 

6.4.2.6_1 Opening session in the meeting room of the hosting club: The FROCS applauding Georg “The Fox” Reitmeyer’s (far right) talk on gun making in the South during the Civil War

 

This time the event took place in North Rhine-Westfalia. A number of FROCS live here. Our host was Sportschützenverein Rüthen e.V. in Rüthen. This romantic small town is situated south of Autobahn 44 between the city of Dortmund in the west and Kassel in the east. It is a quiet, rural area at the foothills of the Sauerland. The official date of the meeting was July 16/17, 2022. However, most of the pards and pardettes had already made it to Rüthen by July 15.  

 

6.4.2.6_2 These FROCS “survived” the traditional Centaure Match

 

For the first time in the FROCS’ history our patron was a lady. Nataly Kemmelmeier is her name. During some FROCSification ceremony on July 16, 2022, she was issued the alias Natty Gazetti and got her FROCS #259. She is editor-in-chief of DWJ Deutsches Waffen-Journal, the leading German language gun journal. Who would have been a more appropriate patron? Enjoy her teaser article in the September issue of DWJ titled WILD WILD WEST.

 

6.4.2.6_3 The traditional Centaure auction: Famous auctioneer Jörg “Magic Joe” Ullrich in action

 

Spirits were high among the visiting FROCS from Germany and Austria, the organizers, and a few members of the hosting club. Worth mentioning are five  (5) first timers among the attendees: “Glad to have you, pards & pardette”, plus one who could only made it to the first meeting in 2010 but finally came back to Rüthen: “So good you are back at last.”

 

6.4.2.6_4 The final draw: Who is going to win the Centaure 1960 rig sponsored by leathermaker Bernie Black Beaver (from left): Patron Nataly “Natty Gazetti” Kemmelmeier, Günter “Gray Rider” Drost one of the first timers, Michael “Socks” Mayer, Cornelia “American Spirit” Theisen-Niederastroth

 

You are asking about the highlights of Rüthen? The simple answer is the whole meeting was THE highlight. Why?

Because it was FROCS meeting again, at last after two years of unwanted abstinence or hibernation rather. Although the total number attending was a mite lower compared to the ante-pandemic events. But this 2022 meeting was the much-needed restart. We are confident to being on track for further ones in the years ahead.

 

6.4.2.6_5/6426_6 On Sunday during the Centaure exhibition all Centaure models were on display … and a cased 3rd generation Colt 1836 Paterson

 

What were the focal points of the traditional Centaure exhibition on Sunday, July 17, 2022? Most will agree that it was the venerable Centaures but certainly a lot more and not just our favorite Belgian Colts.  Our two Wolfs Cheyenne and Alaska Wolf had again accepted the chores of planning and managing the exhibition. Hence, the tables of the meeting room at SSV Rüthen were covered with American State flags.

 

6.4.2.6_7/6426_8 Civil War period rifles … and miniatures from the famous Hunzinger Collection

 

These flags contrasted nicely with the steel and brass of neo-classikers of revolvers of the time frame 1836 through 1865, their metallic cartridge conversions ‘til 1875, and period rifles for good measure. In other words, something to suit all tastes. 

 

6.4.2.6_8 Talking shop at the exhibition (from left): Dieter “Bumble Bee” Hummel, Ingo “Cheyenne Wolf” Standke, Karl “Luger Master” Nedbal

 

The exhibits included unique Confederate pistols provided by German FROCS and 2nd and 3rd generation Colt percussion revolvers from the Gräber Collection. You could take a closer look at miniatures of the American Frontier Miniature Collection, too. Even two newly made Colt 1860 Army Thuer conversions were on display and a brace of Remington New Model 1863 Armies and their conversions.

 

 

Updated February 29, 2024

© Michael, Neely & Wolf 2007/2024

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