Vice President- Travis Smith
Secretary- Marsha Dotson
Treasurer- George Hartman
Have you ever watched an old Western Movie and marveled as the hero galloped his horse across the screen with reins in one hand, firing off shots left and right? Ever wished you could try it? If the romance and excitement of the Old West are calling, then Cowboy Mounted Shooting just might be the sport for you!
Cowboy Mounted Shooting has become one of the fastest growing equestrian sports in the nation, and is designed to test the two skills every true "cowboy" must possess, the abilities to ride and shoot! Mounted Shooting is a fast action timed event that blends such equine disciplines as reining, barrel racing and horsemanship, and requires teamwork between the horse and rider. Mounted contestants compete with two .45 caliber single action revolvers loaded with five rounds of specially prepared blank ammunition. The ammunition is black powder blanks, specially selected because of their low range--enough to break the target baloons, but not enough to pose a hazard to spectators or other participants. Courses of fire are set in a variety of patterns, and consist of inflated balloons mounted a few feet off the ground. Contestants must ride the pattern while "shooting" the balloons and are given time penalties for any balloons not popped or any barrels knocked over. It's a sport that combines excitement and speed with the accuracy needed to hit the targets. Participants must dress in clothing replicating the 1880's, making this a thrilling sport for spectators as well!
Most competitors cross the timing beam at a full gallop and engage the first pattern of five targets. After a shooter fires the fifth shot, he or she returns the empty revolver to a holster and then races to the far end of the arena while drawing a second revolver. The horse and rider will then engage the five remaining targets while at full speed. An average course of fire normally takes a contestant between 10 and 35 seconds to complete, depending on the skill of the horse and rider. There are currently over 60 different courses of fire.
As you can tell, the mounts used in the sport of Cowboy Mounted Shooting have to be extremely well trained and obedient, as well as possess some handiness and speed. Any type of horse or mule is allowed, and although many contestants choose to use foundation bred quarter horses to train for the event, many other breeds are also commonly used. Most important in a good shooting horse is that he is well trained, and level headed. Most riders elect to use special ear plugs for their mounts so there is no hearing damage or reluctance in the horses to compete. If you have questions on how to start your horse on the sport, contact a current member of the club and they will be glad to help you get started!
