When Pistol Packin' Paula gets ready for work, she grabs her nickel plated .45 Cimarrons and her bull whips. She twirls and shoots her gun like Annie Oakley. She cracks her bull whips like Calamity Jane. Growing up in Connecticut, Paula didn't give much thought to cowgirling, guns or horses, but that would soon change. Being the type of person who sets her sights on something and goes for it, she first decided to become a stuntwoman. She went to stunt school to learn high falls, roof rolls, car hits, and saddle falls. She even learned to be set on fire! It was here that Paula showed interest in the skill that would change her life. She saw the guys twirling guns and asked them to show her how to do it. They all told her that it was no use for her to try because her hands were simply too small to twirl real guns. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Paula set out to prove them wrong, so she taught herself.
After graduating from stunt school with $50 in her pocket, Paula headed west to follow her dream. In 1990, she landed a job as a stuntwoman at Rawhide Western Town in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is where she began twirling guns professionally and became Pistol Packin' Paula, western performer. Paula is the only woman in the U.S. who twirls real guns professionally. She twirls two .45 Cimarron revolvers and twirls them into her fancy custom-made holster by Alfonso of Hollywood. Her one-woman show includes gun twirling, cracking bullwhips, and a foot-stomping wild west dance. She has also expanded her skills to include her horses Jake and Tonto. Her performances, both live and on television, have been enjoyed around the world. Paula also performs around the country portraying Annie Oakley in special events and Wild West Shows.