RALEIGH -- Take away the open plains, the Indians and other facets of the Old West, and what's left are about 12 shooters on horseback at the state fairgrounds with a greater appreciation for the riders of that time.
But unlike the bravos and gunslingers they try to emulate, these competitors don't fire live bullets. Their pistols - replicas of the Colts and Remingtons of the late 1800s - are loaded with black powder blanks topped with bits of corn cob or walnut husks to help bust 10 balloons on a timed course. Sunday's event was part of a two-day shoot sponsored by the Double L Bar Shooters, a Franklinton-based group of mounted cowboy action shooters that started in May.
Each rider sported period regalia, from the cowboy boots to chaps and cowboy hats. While it's fun to look like a western hero, shooting like one isn't easy, said Dave Lohrey, one of the club's co-founders.
Riders at the Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex maneuvered horses that can weigh up to 1,500 pounds around a series of cones and barrels while simultaneously drawing their pistols from leather holsters and firing at balloons.
"Just the challenge of combining shooting and riding, it's taken a while to get a hold of hand-eye coordination, controlling your horse with your legs," said Lohrey, who trains horses for a living. "Putting it all together and getting a good run is a great feeling. It just takes practice."
The look is part of what has become a growing sport. Mounted shooting was always used to hone the skills of cavalrymen and cowboys and was a part of battle during those frontier days, but it didn't become an organized sport until 1992, Jim Rodgers, founder of the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, says on the group's Web site.
The group has grown to more than 12,000 members and 100 clubs worldwide, including members in England, Sweden and Italy, said Mike Lubell, who founded the Franklinton club with Lohrey. The local group, currently with 40 members, hopes to have its membership double by June.
The Double L Bar Shooters are one of two cowboy mounted shooting teams in the state, competing in a sport that is different from other sport competitions, Lubell said. A rider with no horse or equipment can show up to an event and ride within minutes using borrowed gear, which happened when the Franklinton group was starting out, he said.
Such sportsmanship contributes to the sport's family atmosphere.
Between competitors, kids run onto the course to replace the balloons. Spectators could get up close to the horses and riders.
It was an experience Sharon Brown thought was "pretty cool," though she wouldn't try the sport with her horse.
"If I shot off one on my horse like that, I would be over there hanging from the ceiling fan," said Brown, 50, of Coats.
Katie Mitchell, who was with her grandmother, liked the shooting aspect.
"I like horses. I've been riding since I was walkin'," the 7-year-old said.
Deborah Byrd, Katie's grandmother, had heard about the sport before.
"I think it's pretty interesting," the Benson woman said. "I would love to try it."
