Online Exclusive

By Susan "Sam" Madden

Many of us did not have the advantage of being raised on a ranch. We experienced the excitement of the Old West by watching Westerns on television and fantasizing about being the Long Ranger or dreaming of visiting the Triple R Bar Ranch. We marveled when Pat Butram drove Nellie Bell to keep pace with Roy Rogers and Trigger. We idolized Gene Autry, thinking, "I wish I could..." Today, we have that chance.

With guns blazing, modern-day horsemen who are members of the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA) allow us to get nostalgic and relive our childhood fantasies. Wearing clothes of the late 1800s and two six-shooters on their hips, cowboy mounted shooters seem to have stepped back in time 100 years. There is heart-pounding excitement in riding hell bent for leather toward the timer and firing fast as one can, urging one's mount forward. The energy of thundering hooves, the grace involved in negotiating barrels, and the relationship between horse and rider make this event special.

Cowboy mounted shooting is one of the nation's fastest growing equestrian sports. It first became a recognized sport in 1992 in Arizona and has grown to include competitions in 21 states. It is a multifaceted equestrian sport in which contestants compete in timed events using two single-action revolvers loaded with blank ammunition to burst balloons while negotiating a specified course on horseback. It is a combination of Wild West show exhibition shooting, cavalry drills, reining competition, barrel racing, and historical reenactment.

A unique aspect of the sport is the emphasis placed on period clothing, firearms, and other equipment typical of that available in the American West in the late 19th century. Mounted competitors wear period Old West clothing and use old-style saddles and firearms.

Courses of fire, or stages, are set in a variety of patterns. The first half of each stage, called the "random course," is comprised of five targets and will vary with each go. The second half, called the "run down," entails a course of five targets in a fast, forward motion.

Typically, a competitor crosses the timing beam at a full gallop and engages the first pattern of five balloon targets, returns the empty revolver to a holster, and turns around a barrel. He then races to the far end of the arena while drawing a second revolver, turns around another barrel, and engages the five remaining balloon targets of the run down at full speed. Scoring is based on elapsed time plus a five-second penalty for each target missed or barrel knocked over. An average course of fire normally takes a contestant between 25 and 30 seconds to complete.

It takes a special horse to be able to concentrate on maneuvering a course at top speed while pistols are being fired from his back. He is generally familiarized with the sound of cap guns before advancing to pistols with blanks. Sometimes a rider will put cotton in his horse's ears, but often the horse objects to this even more than he does to the sound of gunfire!

Once an athletic mount is found, it takes hours of training and practice to master the skills necessary for winning competitions. Not only must a horse respond quickly to leg and rein aids, he must learn to rate the course as he would rate a steer, controlling his speed to the shooter's ability.

Cowboy mounted shooting requires horsemanship and shooting skills of an intermediate to advanced level. CMSA, the membership organization which promotes and provides rules and guidelines for the sport, has established a classification system based on the competitor's riding and shooting abilities. This ranges from 1 (novice) to 5 (world class champion). All loading and unloading of firearms is done under the supervision of a designated armorer or safety officer.

The sport is open to all -- men, women, children and anyone who loves the Old West mystique, with its rich sense of heritage and tradition. For more information, contact Frank Turben at (602) 978-8328 or fax: (602) 439-3399.

Susan "Sam" Madden, of Phoenix, Arizona, is a former Ms. Country Western Arizona.

Copyright ©1997 Cowboys & Indians

Top of Page