CARROT RIVER 鈥� Carrot River resident Tamyka Wiens placed first in her class at the Canadian finals for cowboy mounted shooting in Alberta.
Wiens is 13, and this is her first time competing in the Canadian finals.
Cowboy mounted shooting is a sport where the competitor rides a horse through a set course while shooting two .45 caliber single action revolvers loaded with a combined 10 rounds of black powder, though in her case it was two single action .45 replica BB guns, as she was under 18. The competitor has to shoot 10 balloon targets set in a pattern. The winner is chosen based on time, with time penalties for things such as knocking over a barrel, dropping their gun or missing a target.
Wiens鈥� interest in the sport first came from watching her mom.
鈥淢y mom started doing it and I followed her around all summer long, watching her compete. And then I thought it looked fun to try and here I am,鈥� Wien鈥檚 said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to try new things.鈥�
Every match she has a simple strategy.
鈥淟ots of practice and being in control. Just make sure if you鈥檙e not ready to go fast, don鈥檛 go too fast and just be in control is the main part.鈥�
A part of that control involves her horse, Zook.
鈥淚鈥檝e known him for a few years and I鈥檝e been working with him lots and he gets the feel of me, how I ride and if I鈥檓 not in control and frustrated he gets frustrated.鈥�
The competition took place Sept. 28 to 30.
