FLORIDA PEACEMAKERS MAKE THEIR MARK

COWBOY MOUNTED SHOOTING IS ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING EQUESTRIAN SPORTS

Written by: Ava Grace

For spectators, watching a Florida Peacemakers competition is exciting, fast-paced and festive. For participants, it’s challenging, exacting and a whole lot of fun.

e Florida Peacemakers is a group of adults and children who participate in Cowboy Mounted Shooting using two .45-caliber single-action revolvers (loaded with black powder blanks) while barrel racing, pole bending and reining. e object is to shoot 10 balloon targets as they ride through the challenges. e competitor who rides the fastest and has the fewest missed marks—wins!

e competition is a hog-killin’ good time and the excitement usually “sticks around” a er the exhibition. Line dancing and karaoke o en take place. For the Peacemakers, it’s a chance to bond. “A erward, we all gather around the barn and enjoy food, drink and friendship while the horses are watching over the festivities,” says Cindy Stavely. e group’s secretary, she is from Hastings, in St. Johns County.

ose who are part of the group attest that the bonds run deep. “Competitors in the same division will help out fellow shooters if they need tack, guns or even a horse to ride,” Stavely explains. Meanwhile, new shooters are lent a hand, a gun, a holster and even a mount to give it a try. “ ey are some of the finest competitors you'd ever meet,” she adds.

e group is an all-volunteer club. Putting on matches, especially the big competitions, requires help from everyone. “ e whole club pitches in to make them happen,” Stavely says.

e Florida Peacemakers is part of the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, or CMSA. It’s a national organization that holds large championship matches all over the U.S. Many Florida Peacemakers participate in the matches, including going to places as far away as Las Vegas.

anks to the warm weather of the Sunshine State, the Florida Peacemakers are able to compete all year round. Most matches are held in Lady Lake, in central Florida’s Lake County. Bi er matches, such as the New Year's Match, are held at the Clay County Fairgrounds. is past New Year’s Match drew competitors from all over the country, and the State Championship match drew 150 to 200

THANKS competitors from Florida and also from some other states. “We have a good relationship with our neighboring Georgia club, the Peach State Mounted Shooters. Many of us do all of their matches as well,” notes Stavely. Cowboy Mounted Shooting is one of the fastest-growing equestrian sports in the country.

Clockwise from top le are Florida Peacemaker Johnny Gianassi, a top Mounted Shooter doing shotgun; 12-year-old Ethan Moody; a Florida Peacemaker teaching a new rider; and Men's Level 4 competitor Justin Na on his horse, Legend.

“I think it's becoming such a popular sport because it is exhilarating, and riders of all levels can come into the sport and be competitive from the very beginning,” Stavely says.

New riders start o at Level 1 and work their way up. e divisions are gender split, there are senior classes for riders age 50 and above, and divisions for those who are age 11 and younger.

Every time there is a competition, “variety is the name of the game.” ere are di erent patterns to run and they are changed up for every run. ere is not the kind of repetitiveness that is found in many other equine sports. As Stavely concludes: “What could be more fun than riding and shooting real ‘Old West’ guns at the same time?! We get to dress up cool, too!” FCM

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