What happens when two Texas female powerhouses combine their love of shooting with their desire to give back to their community? This May, it’s the 2nd Annual “Guns, Girls & Pearls” event, the brainchild of friends Betsy Price and Linda Halbouty, of Fort Worth. The event raises money for the United Way, and in particular the United Way of Tarrant County Women United fund.
Sponsored by Syren USA
Betsy and Linda belong to Defender Outdoors Clay Sports Ranch in Ft. Worth, which will again host the afternoon shooting extravaganza that includes three sporting clays courses, shopping, food and later, adult libations.
The women met each other at the range, and quickly formed a friendship. Betsy recalled, “Linda and I met at Defender Clay Ranch about 2 years ago after I retired from public service [Betsy was the mayor of Ft. Worth.] and just hit it off with our interest in shooting, grandkids and the Stock show and rodeo. It was just a good time for both of us for a new friend.”
Linda described her friendship with Betsy: “Betsy and I bonded over a conversation we had at Defender after a shoot. We discovered that we both had similar backgrounds growing up and that our families were foremost in our activities and in our lives. God, family, country! She truly has become one of my closest friends in a short amount of time, it really is like we have known each other since childhood.”
Last year, the women decided to co-host an event called “Guns, Girls & Pearls.” Betsy said, “The event benefits United Ways Women’s and Children’s services because I’ve been involved with United Way for years and they do amazing work. Since GGP is all women, it fit to donate to women’s and children’s services.”
The women enlisted the aid of Travis Mears, president of the Defender Outdoors Clay Sports Ranch and also, a Fabarm pro-staffer. Travis joined male coaches and range officers at the event last year. The men wore pink tuxedo tee shirts and, as the female participants were prone to do, donned strands of pearls. Travis is no stranger to hosting women’s events at the ranch.
The turnout surprised the ladies. Linda said, “Last year, we expected that maybe 70 or so women would show up. We didn’t have that many signed up as the deadline approached. A few days before the shoot, the numbers grew a little, but on the day of the shoot, we had 152 shooters! The highlight of the entire event was that EVERYONE had such a wonderful time and the comradery among the women was so phenomenal. It truly was such a happy event.” (Betsy also arranged for a local high school Mariachi band to perform.)
About this year’s event, she said, “We will be shooting three courses instead of two. The other thing we are changing is that the novices will be shooting 50 instead of 100 targets. Our format is that the shoot is for novices, as well as experienced shooters. We will have the ‘Guys of Defender’ as coaches on every stand to help and encourage the beginners. That was such a treat for them last year and made everyone feel comfortable shooting.”
She added, “We will have a few more vendors, and Caesar Guerini (as well as Fabarm and Syren) will have a booth to display their beautiful guns to the girls.” This year will also see a “best-dressed team” award and more coaches.
Betsy continued, “The highlights were really watching women who had never shot or even been around guns learn and enjoy the shooting. The men coaches were so good with them and they had such a good time. Those of us who already shoot had a great afternoon of friendship and forgetting about everything else and enjoying being away from all responsibilities.”
Sponsors include presenting sponsor, the Lowe Foundation, along the Meat Board for the food and King’s Liquor. Team sponsorships are available as well.
About last year’s event, Linda said, “Little did we know that when Betsy and I decided to do a shoot together, to have fun and raise money for United Way, that the outcome would be such a positive, memorable and ‘most fun event ever attended (Brandi Elrod quote)’ for the women of Ft. Worth, as well as shooters from the Houston area, Dallas and beyond!”
Betsy has a fond memory from last year’s event: “A friend of mine was in my husband’s coaching group and he said the first time she shot she was so scared she stepped away and said, ‘Never again,’ but by the third station, he had her actually hitting clays and she has since bought a gun. The head of United Way had never shot and she posted a picture of her bruise on her arm and said it was ‘Wonderful, can’t wait for 2024!’ She is already signed up and ready to shoot.
Both women tell tales of shooting guns that didn’t fit them right before finding their Syrens.
As a teen, Linda received a Remington semi-auto in 1963, with a modified stock. She said she spent “an enormous amount of time trying to find a stock that would replace the cut-down one.” Up until 2019, she shot that gun two or three times a year, and it doesn’t sound as though she enjoyed it. Until one day, after moving to Ft. Worth, she was out walking with her husband, and had been hearing shots from a range near their neighborhood. Determined to find out the location of the shooting, she discovered that the Defender Ranch lay only 3 miles away. She said, “After all these years of wanting to shoot my gun, I finally had found a place to shoot.”
If you’ve followed this story so far, you’ll know that Linda took that old Remington shotgun to the range, and when it jammed again, Travis told her that it was so old, it would be tough to find new parts for it. Fortunately, the range rents Caesar Guerini, Fabarm, and Syren guns, and had a cleaned and refurbished Syren Tempio 20 gauge for her to shoot. Two years later, and shooting much more than twice a year, Linda decided to buy the Tempio in 12 gauge, as well, and sent her original to Syren to be refitted with a 28-gauge barrel.
Betsy’s dad also introduced her to shooting. She said, “I hunted with my dad some when I was growing up and then hunted with my husband off and on for years, mostly dove and quail hunting. I started shootings sporting clays at charity shoots when I was mayor from 2011 to 2021. I also shot with friends some for several years. I started taking lessons two or three years ago.”
About choosing to shoot Syren, she said, “I shot a Fabarm for several years (Syren XLR5 Velocity, made by Fabarm, one of the first Syren models introduced in 2014) and then decided I need to upgrade two years ago and my husband gave me a Syren Julia Sporting for our anniversary. …The Julia is my all-time favorite! I had it custom-fitted and it has really improved my shooting.”
Last year’s event raised nearly $35,000. Registration is open for this year’s event, to be held on Thursday, May 16, at the Defender Outdoors Clay Sports Ranch in Ft. Worth, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Betsy and Linda are expecting 225 participants this year.
Betsy summed up the overall event by saying, “What better way to promote the sport to other women by providing an avenue to meet new people, enjoy the outdoors and wear a strand of pearls as you tote a gun over your shoulder.”
Register for Guns, Girls & Pearls.
Find a Syren shotgun for your next trip to the range.
Publisher/Editor Barbara Baird is a freelance writer in hunting, shooting and outdoor markets. Her bylines are found at several top hunting and shooting publications. She also is a travel writer, and you can follow her at https://www.ozarkian.com. View all posts by Barbara Baird
