By Police1 Staff
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — A Girl & A Gun (AG & AG) recently hosted its 12th Annual National Conference, attracting 706 female firearms enthusiasts for a dynamic weekend of training, camaraderie and fun.
The SHINE 2024 event, presented by GLOCK, took place at the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex near Grand Junction, Colorado. The popular event sold out last September, leaving over 500 women on the waiting list.
The attendees, women aged 17 to 78, represented 135 AG & AG Chapters from 45 states. Training sessions were organized by experience levels, with 28% new or relatively new shooters, 41% intermediate-level shooters and 31% advanced shooters. A team of 109 of the nation’s top firearms instructors provided training in various aspects of firearms and self-defense, including defensive carry, competition, tactics, gun maintenance, ground fighting and nonlethal tools.
“Our largest National Conference to date was a tremendous success,” said Robyn Sandoval, President & CEO of AG & AG. “Despite the unpredictable Colorado weather, our students and instructors trained hard, even through hail. The value of training in real-life conditions was evident, and the event concluded with a beautiful rainbow over Cameo, symbolizing the vibrant confidence each woman gained.”
GLOCK served as the Title Sponsor, supported by 100 leading brands in the firearms industry. Sponsors engaged with attendees during the event’s Demo Day, where women could test various firearms. Popular brands included Staccato, Mossberg, HK, Walther, GLOCK, MASP Industries, Syren, Magpul, and Primary Arms. The Retail Village featured vendor booths from GTM, USCCA, MantisX, US Law Shield, ConcealedCarry.com, Right to Bear, and ATK1 Sport. Diamond or Platinum-level sponsors included Taurus, Ruger, Vortex, Seal 1, and Big Tex Ordnance.
The Cameo Shooting and Education Complex offered 28 live-fire bays, 25 field classrooms, a 5-Stand course, a 2,003-yard rifle range, 3D archery loops and natural terrain for diverse training options. The facility also allowed AG & AG to feature Heligunner, providing attendees with aerial gunnery experiences and stunning views of Grand Mesa.
The event’s instructors included teams from Gunsite, USCCA, Defenders USA, Apache Solutions, Active Self Protection, The Complete Combatant, Citizens Safety Academy, DTI, PHLster, and Team One Network conducted various live-fire and workshop courses. Notable instructors included Joseph “Willie” Parent from GLOCK Professional, Gabby Franco, Walt Proulx, Riley Bowman, Nick Young, Lou Ann Hamblin, Adam Winch, Josh Holschen, Mike Ox, Erick Gelhaus, Josh White, Steve Moses, Mike Hughes, Dave Jenkins, Brian Hill, Tim Kelly, and Tatiana Whitlock.
The next AG & AG National Conference, ACCELERATE 2025, is scheduled for May 1-4, 2025, with general registration opening on September 1, 2024. For more information, visit AGirlandAGun.org/conference.
