Ok to answer your questions Sly Mantis.
1.) Not holster certified yet. Does each discipline have a different certification or is it all just holster certification in general
2.) Budget isnt vast but im not cheap either.
3.)i would like to buy the most useable gear right away.
4.) And yes although this may be far into the future i would like to compete in both canada and the U.S.
Cheers
Typically, the guys who compete in the US are pretty serious about it. If you're only interested in 3 gun, then I would offer the following.
1) Forget the 1911 (except see #4 below), you'll need a double stack gun for the US, if you're on a budget, start with a polymer gun and work your way upto a 2011.
2) Rifle has to have at least a 16" barrel, most common being an 18" with rifle length gas
3) By far the most popular shotgun for 3 gun is the Benelli M2. It is a fantastic gun. I wouldn't even bother with the 590 or 930 or versamax if I had to do it all over again. You'll need an extension tube for the US.
4) If you're gonna shoot in the US, you'll have to think carefully about the division you want to shoot. If you're really into the 1911, you could go heavy metal, but you'll need a pump shotgun.
As far as gear goes...bladetech is very common. I recommend a retention holster but opinions on this very, they aren't common at the high levels since friction is usually enough to keep the gun in place. The Safariland belts are great too, totally modular.
In Canada, don't forgot the PCV 50 cal mags if you're gonna get an ar15....they are pretty much required now.
There's lots of other stuff, but you'll get it. I wouldn't start with the cheap stuff if you're gonna be serious about this...US shooting is pretty awesome, not too many people stop once they've started.