You may know Beth Willoughby yet, but once you meet her, you will definitely remember her. She is enthusiastic, determined, persistent and has a wide, radiant smile. Beth is blazing a trail for women with her revolvers. She has broken Steel Challenge women’s revolver records, was the first woman to reach Grand Master in Optical Sight Revolver (OSR) and found love along the way. This is her inspiring shooting journey.
Randall Miller: When did you begin shooting?
Beth Willoughby: I first started shooting competitively at age eight. My dad was shooting bullseye and shotgun at the time, and he was the one who got me into it. I started in the Three-Position Air Rifle and Smallbore Rifle. Then, at the age of 10, I began shooting bullseye and international air pistol. In bullseye, I mostly shot .22 and .45. I shot those all through grade school and college. I traveled the country with my mom and dad when I was younger, for air pistol mostly. In high school, I was nationally ranked in the top 10 for women in air pistol and even set a national record with my .22 at the National Matches in Camp Perry, Ohio.
I first tried Steel Challenge in 2022 with a .22 pistol and rifle and some carry optics here and there. I also shoot some International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts (ICORE), outlaw matches and Falling Steel.
My family runs the Palmyra Sportsmen’s Association Shootout every April in Annville, Pennsylvania. It’s a six-stage Falling Steel match with five divisions. It runs for four days and has more than 700 entries. As far as we can tell, it’s the largest Falling Steel match in the country. My dad took it over about 15 years ago so it wouldn’t die when the previous match directors stepped down, and it’s been growing ever since. It’s a ton of work, always a blast, and since my family works it together, it’s also great family time.
RM: How and when did you get involved in Steel Challenge?
BW: I got into Steel Challenge through Dave Parker with Revo Gear. He always comes to the Falling Steel match my family runs, and I was asking him about how to get into steel matches. He connected me with Steve Ruck, who helped me practice, got me gear and ammo, and even took me to outlaw matches and an International Defensive Pistol Association match. That was so much fun, even though it was horrifying since I had never moved while shooting before!
Steve introduced me to Kurt Omensetter, and we started training together weekly. We traveled all over for shooting matches. Kurt helped me with my match nerves and learning majors. We even set up a mock Outer Limits outside the camper one night—people probably thought we were crazy!
Kurt Omensetter said, “When we practiced together the first time, Beth was the typical bullseye shooter coming to a Steel Challenge match. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a stage shot so slow or accurate. I stopped her and asked her if she knew it was a speed event. I got the nastiest look. She told me that it was the fastest she had ever shot a gun. Practice and discipline have made her one of the best!”
Through Kurt, I met DJ Rotigel, who got me into revolvers. I first shot a revolver with DJ at Henry’s match in Tulpehocken, Pennsylvania, which was also where I shot my first Steel Challenge match ever. I wasn’t very good, but since I have always loved revolvers, I was hooked. I’m so grateful for Dave, Steve, Kurt and DJ. They had so much patience answering all my questions and helping me train.
DJ also introduced me to a guy named Mike Willoughby in December 2022 at a Steel Challenge match in Thurmont, Maryland. We shot on the same squad and became fast friends. We started dating in early 2023 and were married in the fall of 2024. When I met Mike, he loaned me his revolver, then got me my own Smith & Wesson Model 929 revolver and helped me practice and perfect revolver shooting. Now, my husband is my biggest fan and harshest critic. We train and compete together, sometimes even setting up dry-fire courses at home. It’s so much fun to share this with him.
RM: What are your proudest accomplishments?
BW: I’m super proud of my women’s world records with my OSR in Outer Limits, Speed Option and Pendulum, and with my Iron Sight Revolver (ISR) in Accelerator and Roundabout. I was also the first woman to make Grand Master in a revolver division. Not many women shoot a revolver, so it feels great to represent and hopefully encourage more ladies to try it.
I’m also really proud of myself for learning speed shooting and run-and-gun events in general. After shooting bullseye and precision for so long, it was not an easy transition and felt impossible at first. Looking at how far I’ve come makes me super proud.
RM: What are your current goals?
BW: My goals are to shoot a Grand Master match with the OSR and become Grand Master with the ISR in Steel Challenge. For ICORE and Falling Steel, I’m working on reloads and transitions. I also want to earn all the women’s revolver records at Worlds—and, of course, beat my husband more often!
RM: Have you ever found it challenging being a woman in a sport dominated by men?
BW: Not really. I grew up in the shooting sports, so I was always used to being one of the only girls. Sure, sometimes people speak to me differently or not directly, but that just makes it more fun to show them up when it’s time to shoot.
I don’t see being a female as a disadvantage. In fact, from my coaching experience, women often pick up the sport quickly. I just wish more women would come out and try shooting. I always bring friends and coworkers to the range when I can, even just to teach them the basics. We need more ladies out here shooting.
Article from the November/December 2025 issue of USPSA’s magazine.
