Editing Great Western Series

The '''Great Western Series''' ('''GWS'''), also known as the '''Great Western Tournament Series''', was an American [[paintball]] tournament circuit founded in 1991 by Russell Maynard, the first editor of ''[[Action Pursuit Games]]''. It organised five-player and ten-player competition, principally in the western United States, and subsequently developed into the [[Pan Am Circuit]].[1][2]

== History ==
Russell Maynard established the series in 1991. [[Dan Bonebrake]] became a promotional partner in 1997. Documented tournament locations included Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle and Hawaii.[1][2]

The series combined major tournaments with affiliated events. Participating teams could organise affiliated competitions to raise funds for their tournament activities.[2]

Contemporary reporting dates the transition to the Pan Am organisation to 1999, with Liz Bonebrake and Jessica Sparks joining as partners. The expanded circuit attempted a national schedule before returning to its established western venues in 2000.[1]

The successor Pan Am circuit was reorganised as the [[Xtreme Paintball Sports League]] in 2004.[2]

== Competition format ==
The Great Western Series used five-player and ten-player formats with limits on the amount of paint carried onto the field. Teams could bring their own paintballs or purchase paint at the tournament.[2]

Some events also included three-player [[Stock-class paintball|stock-class]] competition, divided into beginner and advanced categories.[3]

== 1999 Hawaii tournament ==
The Hawaii tournament took place at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu from 18 to 21 November 1999. Playing environments included woodland, coastal terrain and an inflatable Sup'Air field.[3]

The programme included three-player stock-class, five-player and ten-player competitions.[3]

{| class="wikitable"
! Format !! Division !! Winner
|-
| Ten-player || Amateur || Diablo
|-
| Ten-player || Novice || KAPP
|-
| Five-player || Amateur || Genesis/Swoop
|-
| Five-player || Novice || KAPP
|-
| Five-player || Rookie || Urban Quest II
|-
| Three-player stock-class || Beginner || Quack Attack
|-
| Three-player stock-class || Advanced || NIB
|}
Source: WARPIG's contemporary tournament report.[3]

== See also ==
* [[Pan Am Circuit]]
* [[Xtreme Paintball Sports League]]
* [[Dan Bonebrake]]
* [[Stock-class paintball]]

== References ==
# [https://warpig.com/paintball/tournament/panam/2002/vegas/index.shtml “Pan Am Las Vegas 2002”], [[WARPIG]], 4–8 December 2002. Includes a retrospective on the Great Western Series and its transition to Pan Am.
# [https://warpig.com/paintball/tournament/panam/2004/sanjose/index.shtml Bill Mills and Jeff Oliver, “XPSL — San Jose”], [[WARPIG]], 2004.
# [https://warpig.com/paintball/tournament/gws99/index.shtml “1999 Great Western Series Hawaii Tournament”], [[WARPIG]], 18–21 November 1999.

[[Category:Paintball leagues]]
[[Category:Paintball tournaments in the United States]]
[[Category:Paintball in California]]
[[Category:Paintball in Nevada]]
[[Category:Paintball in Oregon]]
[[Category:Paintball in Washington]]
[[Category:Paintball in Hawaii]]
[[Category:1990s in American paintball]]
[[Category:Paintball tournament results]]