Dale Armstrong exudes cowboy, as does his creation.
He is the CEO of US Mounted Shooting, one of two mounted shooting federations in the country, helping popularize the fast-growing rodeo sport that combines speed on the saddle with shooting accuracy.
Tuesday, Armstrong spoke to the Edmond Tourism Advisory Board in hopes of receiving a grant to help fund the USMS Total Feeds World Finals on July 9-12 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie.
“I established this company three years ago, and in three short years we are now the largest mounted shooting company in the world,” Armstrong said. “It has grown really fast for us … (Lazy E) is the premier rodeo facility in the world. If you’re in the rodeo community and you aren’t having an event at the Lazy E, you’re behind.”
The board approved a $1,000 grant to the USMS group to help put on the event.
This is just the most recent accomplishment for Armstrong, who has captained the growth of the association since its humble beginnings, banking on family support.
“We are a family sport, a big family sport,” Armstrong stressed to the board. “We have riders from 5 years old to 83 years old. … We make sure all of our riders meet the community. It’s a big family sport; I would say 95% of the riders in this sport are married, and all of them come out.
“It’s like going to a T-ball game.”
The sport, which is gaining popularity, consists of a rider on horseback with different types of guns, mostly single-action, long Colt .45’s. The rider dashes through a course set with balloons and attempts to shoot, with specially made gun powder blanks, all the balloons and complete the course in the quickest possible time.
“If you’re familiar with the history of the west, the long Colt .45 is what settled the west,” Armstrong said. “We’re bringing back the old cowboy style and letting people live out their dreams.”
USMS brings riders from across the U.S. and other countries to compete, providing a fun, fast-paced environment for its events.
“We reach all over the world,” Armstrong said. “We have (riders) from California to Florida, from Texas to Canada. In three short years we’ve covered the whole United States.”