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Bulls, ropes, cattle, barrel racers, dust and… guns?
Posted by Junior Shooters
By: Leo Veatch(13)
Though rodeo kids rope and ride, youth rodeo kids now have a chance to shoot competitively as well. Beginning in 2005, the National High School Rodeo Association and the Junior High Division began a shooting program in partnership with the NRA, consisting of small-bore and trap. Now, hundreds of qualifiers from around the nation compete in the junior high and the high school rodeos in small-bore and trap. The competition has grown locally as well. In the last year, the number of competitors in Colorado has nearly doubled. So far, a majority of the states have picked it up and it has taken off to become a major competitive event. Because shooting is such a large part of the cowboy lifestyle, the shoots are very popular.
In addition to roping, I participate in the junior high small-bore shoot. These shoots differ from most other small-bore competitions. No shooting jackets, pants or shoes are allowed. Most competitors shoot in their boots and button-up shirts at the matches. Yet another difference in these shoots is that scopes are allowed as long as they don’t exceed 10X. One of the great things about the shoots is that they allows kids to compete in two of the most American of sports, shooting and rodeo.
The small-bore is a 3×12 competition with an 18-minute time limit to complete each series of 12. There is also a five-minute time limit to shoot a five-shot “sighter” before the match to zero in your rifle. The three positions that competitors shoot in are standing, kneeling and prone. The targets are standard small-bore targets, A-23/5, with three shots in each bull. States hold competitions throughout the year. Each state sends the top four cowboys and cowgirls to the national rodeo finals in every event including bareback riding, barrel racing, cutting, breakaway roping, bull riding, goat tying, pole bending, reined cow horse, saddle bronc riding, swear wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, and now shooting events.
The shooting events at the National High School Rodeo Association and the Junior High Division have become popular. All of the athletes who shoot have a lot of fun in the event. It allows rodeo kids who love to hunt and shoot to compete with each other. In addition, it introduces kids to competitive shooting and allows those who don’t shoot very often to compete with others and improve their skills.
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