As the True Grit Cowboy Mounted Shooters (TGCMS) club held its final shoot of the season at the Litvak Arena in Big Valley on Sunday, Aug.23, Cathy Papley of Stettler scored a good run to finish as the ladies’ overall champion with 88.210 seconds, while Amanda Marshall of Stettler was declared as the ladies’ level one winner.
Gary Couch of High Prairie was the overall men’s champion with 81.861 seconds.
Finishing at 83.694 seconds Clint Bowman of Niton Junction was named the men’s reserve champion, while Heather McKenzie of Devon became the women’s reserve champion clocking in at 98.658 seconds.
In other categories, Marshall scored a win again with Heather McKenzie as they were declared team handicap winners.
In the ladies’ divisions, Lisa McKenzie was the level two winner, Heather McKenzie was the level three winner and Sarah Harbin was level four winner. While in the men’s divisions, Brad Mathiesen was the level one winner, Orin Sand, level two winner, Clint Bowman, level three winner and Gary Couch was declared level four winner.
There were senior mounted shooters too, with categories for men’s and women’s.
Linda McKenzie was declared senior women’s level one winner, Kendra Karch-Sinclair was level two winner, with Jean MacMillan being the level three winner, while Cathy Papley was named senior ladies’ level four winner.
With no entry for senior men’s level one category, the focus was on the other three levels.
Buck Williams was named the level two winner, Don Litvak was declared as the level three winner, while Ken Wick became the level four winner.
Although cowboy mounted shooting is not as popular in Canada as it is in the U.S.A., it continues to be one of the top equestrian sport, regulated by several organizations, though the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA) is quite well-known.