Headline: Franklin Board treasurer by day, cowgirl by night

An article in the Middletown Journal by Ed Richter this week educated readers to a sport that is racing into popularity.

From the story:

For the members of the 1st Ohio Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, shooting from the hip is expected.

The organization is part of a growing equestrian sport that combines target shooting using .45 caliber, single action revolvers and barrel racing over a timed course on horseback.

Jana Bellamy, whose day job is treasurer of the Franklin Board of Education, is one of those weekend riders.

Bellamy was among 103 people from several states, and a few from Franklin and Butler County, who participated in the Midwest Regional Championship this past weekend.

...The riders, who all wear authentic cowboy and cowgirl garb or calvary uniforms from the 1800s, fire their pistols at 10 balloons arranged in more than 50 patterns, Bellamy said. She added that some riders also use rifles.

The article goes on to explain that riders carry two single-action pistols that are loaded with black powder and blanks to shoot the balloons, which are arranged in various target patterns.

Again, from the story:

Bellamy said she likes to come out to the competitions and watch everybody. It also allows her to relax and forget about work for a while.

...Linda Miller, Bellamy’s mother, said the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association started in 1994 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The national organization has more than 5,000 members, from children to adults of all ages. However, children, called “wranglers” do their shooting on the ground and wear safety goggles with a parent at their side.

...Locally, the 1st Ohio Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association has nearly 70 members from Ohio and several other states, according to Ruwe.

Click here to read the entire story from the Middletown Journal (free login required).