SASKATOON – Going fast, shooting guns and riding horses. That’s what you could expect to experience at the first cowboy mounted shooting competition in Saskatoon.
The ‘Boomtown Showdown’ was a two day event that took place at the Prairieland Agriculture Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
The object of the game is to shoot ten balloon targets with black powder blanks, while riding your horse through a course. The competitor who rides the fastest with the least amount of missed targets wins. A missed balloon will cost the rider a five second penalty.
“Its heavy, heavy concentration. You have to be focused on what you’re doing. If you lose focus for a second it’s too late, you don’t get that second back,” said Brenda Sapergia, manager of the agriculture center livestock.
About seventy riders of all ages participated in the pistol, rifle, shotgun, and doubledown competitions. Children and teens without a gun license were encouraged to participate with cap guns.
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Riders worked to increase their skill level and take home a piece of the $10,000 worth of prize money up for grabs.
“On any given day our level of competition in Canada is world class. A lot of us go to compete in the World Finals in Amarillo, Texas,” said rider Cain Quam.
Cowboy mounted shooting is one of the fastest growing equestrian sports in North America. It originated in Arizona about 25 years ago, but it wasn’t until five years ago that it began to appear in Saskatchewan.
“This sport is just going to continue to grow. It’s very new in Saskatchewan, but in the States they’ve been doing it for years. It’s going nowhere but up,” said Sapergia.
This event is dedicated to keeping western heritage alive in the province and build a community around the sport.
“It’s great you know. I’ve been involved in equine sports my whole life and I really believe this is the friendliest environment I’ve ever been in,” said Quam.
Participants couldn’t seem to contain their excitement for the sport.
“Every run I make it’s just as fun as the first time I did it. It’s always been a hoot. I just saw it once and that was enough,” said Gary Charnock.
All of the positive feedback from participants and spectators has led organizers to already book the event for next year.
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