folks I have ever spent time with. All shooters start out as a level 1
(novice) the professional competitors are level 6. This is your class
designation. Competitors are then split by gender and age giving
us a Men’s and Women’s and a Senior Men’s and Women’s (over 50)
division. In order to move up to the next level in your division you
have to win 4 qualified shoots (competitions). Shoots are considered
to be qualified if there are more than 4 competitors in you class and
division. This system keeps our classes and divisions fair and gives
everyone a chance to play for the money! We even have classes for
the kids: Wranglers, Little Bandits or Outlaws depending on the club
and the child’s age. We have an under 8 division and an 8-11 division. The kids use plastic guns to start and then graduate to real guns
without ammunition. They must navigate the course and engage all
the targets just like the adults. We feel our sport creates responsible
gun owners for the future. Once the kids turn 12 they have to put on
their big boy boots and shoot with the big kids (adults).
Mounted shooting has 4 associations at this time. We have the
Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association or CMSA, the Single Action
Shooting Society or SASS, Mounted Shooters of America or MSA
and the Cowboy Sports Association or CSA.
Each association has slightly different rules but all are great clubs
to join. Because the sport has so many complex parts to it: the riding, the shooting, the course navigation, the specialty equipment; I
strongly recommend you find a trainer to help get you started. And
I’m confident you want to now that you know what we’re all about!
Your local Mounted Shooting club can help you find a trainer in your
area or if you are ever out our way and have questions or want to
come try the sport on a seasoned horse before you sell all your stuff,
give me and my wife a call, we’d love to give you a first hand impression of what we believe to be the greatest sport in the world! We’re
the Baddog’s and you can reach us at 602-565-1514- or check out our
website a www.mrbaddog.com we offer Lessons and Horses For Sale.
Look for our monthly newsletter about Cowboy Mounted Shooting
in Arizona in the Saddle.
Gary “Baddog” Bennett and his wife Megan are 17 times World and
National Class Champions in Cowboy Mounted Shooting and can be
reached at www.mrbaddog.com
If you would like a Mounted Shooting Clinic at your location or just
have questions please call Baddog at 602-565-1514
By : Gary Bennett