The Vaqueros

The Western Shooting Horse Vaqueros is an official club of Western Shooting Horse Magazine and is based in Tijeras, New Mexico, in the mountains just east of Albuquerque. WSHV is a club dedicated to the pursuit of Cowboy Mounted Shooting activities conducted in a safe and professional manner and whose mission is to bring fun and education to each and every member. The WSHV stages monthly practice matches, educational clinics, fundraising activities and larger annual matches with national participation. The WSHV is community oriented and participates in local events, parades, and charitable functions and represents the best in America’s Cowboy Spirit.

The Western Shooting Horse Vaqueros is a Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA) affiliated club and abides by the official CMSA Rule and Course Books.

WSHV membership is not limited to the region or state and we welcome any individual or family to join and participate in its activities.

New Mexico Territory Cowboy Mounted Shooters

The New Mexico Territory Cowboy Mounted Shooters is the state-wide CMSA club that produces most of the multi-day major competitions in New Mexico. Members of the Vaqueros are also members of the NMTCMS. Membership dues for the NMTCMS are only $10. These competitions count for CMSA Points. In addition, the NMTCMS also tracks points of its members and awards year-end prizes to the top point accumulators.

NMTCMS members come from all over New Mexico and surrounding states. The Vaqueros recommend you join the NMTCMS. Visit their web site by Clicking Here

Cowboy Mounted Shooting & The CMSA

Cowboy Mounted Shooting is one of the fastest growing and most exciting equestrian sports in America. It combines elements of Wild West Show exhibition shooting along with the skills of barrel racing, pole bending and reining while using two .45 caliber single action revolvers loaded with black powder blanks. The object of the game is to shoot ten balloon targets while riding your mount through a variety of challenging courses. It’s a timed sport in which the competitor who rides the fastest with the least amount of missed targets wins.

The Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA) founded the sport in 1994 and is the governing organization for Cowboy Mounted Shooting. With more than 100 affiliated clubs worldwide, the CMSA issues the official Cowboy Mounted Shooting rule and course book to each Competition Cardholder and tracks the wins and move ups of all its members. The CMSA produces eight national and regional competitions in major indoor arenas throughout the U.S. and is recognized by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), American Paint Horse Association (APHA), and the Appaloosa Horse Club.

Cowboy Mounted Shooting is open to all levels of riders and all breeds of equine and competition is only the beginning. Be prepared to meet the friendliest and most social people in the equestrian world. Cowboy Mounted Shooting is a family sport dedicated to keeping our Western Heritage alive and the spirit of the West lives in the game and the people who surround it.