At the Victorian State Titles at Bendigo Pistol Club earlier this year, I caught up with teenage shooting sensation Zoe Keith (aka Miss Lead) about her shooting career so far. Zoe went on to win the Cowgirl category, and was also the overall Victorian women’s state champion in that event.
Photo courtesy of Mark Rogers (Hound Dog Studios)
How long have you been shooting?
Since I was 12 – my first shoot was the Winter Round-up in 2011. I was shooting as a Buckarette, which is the junior category for girls.
Who else in your family shoots?
Everyone except my mum, but she does have a firearm licence. My dad, he’s been shooting for 20 years in this discipline, he’s probably one of the oldest cowboys, and my oldest brother, the Tall Texan, he’s a very very fast shooter, very accurate. And then I’ve got my younger brother here, he’s very fast too. Obviously in my family, we have a reputation to live up to! Also my partner, this is his first shoot. Mum comes along and watches and supports, takes photos.
The junior categories allow you to shoot .22 calibre, don’t they?
Yes I think so but I jumped straight into shooting .38, I got my SASS Vaqueros given to me as a birthday present when I turned 12, so I’ve been shooting with them since then. They’re the most reliable guns I’ve owned.
So you travel around a fair bit for shooting?
Yes, we went up to the Nationals after I’d been shooting for a year and a bit. We regularly travel to South Australia and NSW… we travel around to our local Victorian shoots.
Which is your favourite range?
I’ve got a couple of favourites. My favourite in Victoria would have to be the Warragul-Drouin Pistol Club. It’s fantastic, it’s beautiful, at any time of year. In NSW, it’s probably the Cowra shoot – it’s so green there. They’ve made the most of the range, they’ve got great facades.
My dad, who is a regular shooter built his own range at our farm. So we have a legal, registered Cowboy range. Cos I’m doing year 12 at the moment, it’s really good having that range out in the backyard, so if I’m sick of studying I can just say “Dad, can you take me down to the range, I want to have a shot!”
Zoe preparing to shoot a stage, with her dad Judge Ruger.
Are you planning to travel internationally, and take in the End of Trail (SASS Internationals) and Tran-Trasman Duel?
Oh yeah. I’ll definitely finish Year 12 first, and am considering going over next year. I’m in contact with some American shooters, I have a few friends who live in Arizona who have already offered to lend me their guns… that’s fantastic, I would love to have that opportunity to go over and see how they in shoot in America.
Continue reading about Zoe Keith in Sarah Jane’s Women of Caliber and visit her blog “Gun Girls Down Under
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
