"I want to be a Cowboy" How many times have we all dreamed this dream? Riding the range, chasing the bad guys, wearing the white hat, going back in time when good and bad were black and white. To use a phrase from a popular country song, "My hero's have always been cowboys".
 
And come this November the hard riding, straight shootin', Pistol Packin' Preacher and all of his Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA) brothers and sisters are coming right here to Nashville, Tennessee. 
 
This new posse has been formed to bring all of this to Nashville as part of Inspirational Country Week in November of this year. This 'posse' includes the Christian Country Music Association, the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association and the Pistol Packin' Preacher, Randy Gunn and the GunnPoint Band Ministry. These three forces have banded together to bring a taste of the old west to Nashville.

What the heck is the CMSA you ask? Cowboy Mounted Shooting is the fastest growing equine sport in the country! And the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, otherwise known as CMSA, is the association that founded the sport back in 1992. It's fast! It's exciting! It's colorful! 

Mounted competitors dressed in pre-1900 cowboy gear, engage me of fifty different courses of fire with two single action revolvers, loaded with safe blank ammo, at balloon targets while on the clock! Imagine a Wild West Show with a hundred Buffalo Bill Cody's running full speed on beautiful horses competing for cash, prizes & glory! And of course for your enjoyment!

But how in the heck has this all happened? Let me digress…

I had the opportunity to meet Randy Gunn at a mounted shooting competition several years ago, best I can recall it would have been about 2001 or 2002. That was before the whole ‘Pistol Packin’ Preacher’ thing took off – but even then everyone who knew Randy knew he wasn’t like most folks. What I mean is I KNEW Randy was a Christian long before anyone told me he could preach or sing! He was the kind of man who has a quite calm demeanor who was living the number one rule – ‘love thy brother as thyself’. Over these few short years he has never let me down, the first one to lead a prayer for someone in need, lend a hand were needed, calm nerves frayed by fatigue and competition. Randy has become the ‘cowboy’s pastor’.

Last year Randy & Heidi invited my wife Share All and myself to the CCMA convention where we had the pleasure of meeting Gene & Jason Higgins. In addition to us a few of our other local mounted shooting friends also joined us for the awards show – and we had a ball. CCMA and CMSA is a perfect match. The Cowboy Way mixed with the Christian Way!

But Why CMSA? Why not barrel racing, rodeo, horse shows …. Fact is most CMSA competitors have played most if not all of those games, but one word sums it up – F A M I L Y!

Everything that happens in CMSA from the board of directors down to the local affiliates is produced with family in mind. Whether it is the World Championship or a small local event with just a few dozen competitors you’ll see families with children all competing and enjoying fellowship that I have not seen in any other group, horse related or not!

Typical of mounted shooting families, when the Carr’s from Tennessee hit the road it’s mom, Share All, dad, Brady and daughter Shifarrah all three top level competitors. Barrel racing and back country trail riding backgrounds have made this family one to watch. Having won numerous overall and reserve championships at local matches, state and regional championships and high-point honors, rifle finals and Shifarrah has even won the Ladies Overall at one of CMSA’s four Major Championships at Tunica, Mississippi in 2004 the family atmosphere and extended family is still the NUMBER ONE reason why this mounted shooting family keeps traveling to events around the nation.

And will be entered in the upcoming ‘Inspirational Country’ event coming in November 2005 to Nashville !


Brady Carr
TN CMSA