GunFighter Gulch

If there is one person that personifies our sport of Fast Draw, it is 84 year old E.L. Warner, of Scottsdale, Arizona. “Pop” to his many friends.

The son of an itinerant horse trader, “Pop” learned to shoot a Colt sixgun from a retired gunhand turned cowhand. He grew up to become one of the last of the professional old west gunfighters, hiring his gun out in Mexico, the south western United States, and the last of the range wars in Wyoming.

Having outlived the age of the gunfighter, “Pop” became a successful business man. He started shooting in our sport of Fast Draw in the early 1950’s and is still active today. He has undoubtedly traveled more miles, and shot in more contests than any other shooter in our sport. He has attended contests from California to Ohio, Georgia and Florida.

For a number of years he presented a trophy in memory of his wife at any major shoot which he attended. These were greatly sought after. At first, he presented them for the fastest Standing Reaction Wax shot of the contest. One of the early Oklahoma speed shooters, Eddie Humingbird, won more of these than any other shooter I know of. Feeling that going for broke for a fast shot in order to win his trophy might be causing shooters to blow contests, Pop started presenting them for the best five shot Walking Wax total. He also started limiting them to one per shooter. Previous winners of his trophy were not eligible to win again. I am very proud to have won one of his best walking wax Mrs. E.L. Warner Memorial trophies.

Pop has told me that when it was for real, he poke fanned his Colt. When he started in Fast Draw, he was one of the few fanners, so he taught the thumbing draw. About ten years ago he switched back to poke fanning. For many years he shot nothing but Colts, but today he uses a Ruger set up for him by his close friend John Phillips. For the many years I’ve known him he has been using a custom, one of a kind, Alfonso rig.

For the five years that I was involved in producing the Mid Western Fast Draw Associations monthly Newsletter, the one report we could always rely on was the one from Pop. He is presently the Executive Chairman of the Worlds Fast Draw Association. E. L. “Pop” Warner, we in Fast Draw give you a special Six-Gun Salute!