Horses, guns and fun

Gunsmoke hung in the air after riders kicked up dirt and blasted balloons while practicing the sport of mounted horseback shooting.

The distinct, acrid smell of spent gunpowder was remarkably absent, just like the lead or steel projectile that a normal firearm would discharge. Instead, the blank rounds fired from single-action revolvers shoot out a short spray of ignited black powder, blazing toward the intended target, a blue or white balloon.

The Snake River Pistoleers, a loosely organized group of six riders, took turns Saturday charging their horses down the dirt of the Lewiston Roundup grounds indoor arena. The tin-lined building reverberated with thunderclaps of pistol shots as the riders tried, with an astonishing amount of success, to pop targets. The rider has to compensate for both the speed and jostling of their mount, while pulling back the hammer each time before firing a .45-caliber round and simultaneously try to level a shot, one handed, with the other hand on the horse’s reins.

Even describing the action is complicated. Actually pulling off the maneuver takes a wealth of practice and the ability to perform multiple tasks at once. It makes that old pat your head and rub your stomach trick look infantile in comparison to guiding both a horse and the bead of a sight in the right direction.

And what about the horse? How does it not immediately buck its rider and pitch them over the guardrails at the first report from a pistol and the muzzle flash near its own muzzle?

Bob McHargue, who has been participating in mounted shooting less than two years, said you just have to find the right horse. McHargue’s American paint couldn’t care less about the gun blasting right next to its ear.

“A lot of it goes to the horse’s discipline and the rider’s discipline,” McHargue said. “The trick is you spend a lot of time working with them, and you start out with a small cap gun.”

At the practice, six shooters ran a couple of the 76 possible courses. Each rider carries two pistols, blasting through five balloons before holstering one pistol and grabbing for the next while steering the horse towards the last run of balloons.

Sometimes the course is modified to accommodate shotguns or rifles. Ed Bishop, who has been involved in the sport for many years, said rifles shoot the same .45-caliber blank, and shotguns fire off a .410 shell. In a shotgun course, the rider has to pop a cluster of two or three balloons with a double-barrel shotgun. Bishop is the only rider not on a horse, opting instead for his female mule. Bishop said years ago he was testing out the brown, long-eared mule by mounting her in a small corral, just shooting his pistol without any ammunition so the mule could hear the clicks. But, Bishop had recently loaned out the pistol and it was returned with a round in the cylinder.

“It went off and everybody said I had a dumber look on my face than she did,” Bishop said.

Bishop — though he said he rides slower than most — said the trick to mounted shooting with a rifle or shotgun that requires both hands is simple:

“Just balance,” he said. “Drop your reins down and go for it.”

The old timey sport comes with its own vintage firepower, like the lever-action rifles that look like cowboy repeaters. But the riders are far from any Western outlaw or train robber, ala Jesse James.

“It’s just fun; you get to meet a lot of nice people,” Bishop said.

The kind, welcoming group takes on all beginners, and even the pros are helpful to newcomers. The sport has gradations for shooters through six levels, and competitions culminate in world finals held in Amarillo, Texas.

McHargue said he’s met some superstars in other competitions and none act “uppity,” but offer sage advice on perfecting the shooting. And the pistoleers are looking for recruits. Anyone is welcome to join the twice-per-month practices, typically held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on a Saturday, with dates available on the Lewiston Roundup website (lewistonroundup.com/events). The next competition will be at the Garfield County Fair in Pomeroy on Sept. 14, where riders will run a timed course, with five-second penalties for a missed balloon.

“If you can ride a horse, you can do this sport,” McHargue said.

The niche sport is bafflingly obscure. It’s rarely attached to a major rodeo circuit and often held as exhibitions, though many county fairs highlight the performance. There does seem to be a burgeoning interest in it. The blank shells are cheaper than live ammunition, and if one is equine-inclined, then the pistoleers will accept you. The smiles on the riders faces show the sport is just as fun to perform as it is to watch.

“There’s nothing better than horses and guns,” McHargue said. “Throw some speed there in on top and it’s even better.”

Holm may be contacted at (208) 848-2275 or tholm@lmtribune.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomHolm4