The Island Long Riders will be holding mounted shooting demonstrations at the Smithtown Historical Society Heritage Country Fair this coming Sunday, September 18.

The Fair runs from 10am to 5pm and is filled with fun events for the entire family. Antique Cars, Old TIme Baseball, Civil War Encampment, Hayrides, Farms Animals and much more.

The Fair is a the Smithtown Historical Society on Middle Country Road in Smithtown (just east of where Rt 111 meets Middle Country Road).Download the flyer for discount admission and more information.

C'mon down and check out the fun!

Click here to download flyer with
discount admission coupon! (PDF)

Woo Hoo! The SASS NYS Mounted Championship was a smashing success. Thanks to all the rode and helped out.

We appreciate all the support from the East End Regulators SASS club and The New Hyde Park Boy Scout Troop which did a phenomenal job running balloons all day.

Mecate Kid (Joe) took match champion and Setter Man East (Bruce) was Reserve Champion. Logans Lady (Mary) took Top Cowgirl. We managed to finish the match just before the rain hit!

After two stages of a heated rifle competition, Setter Man East rode away with top honors.

Another Cowboy Challenge side match brought new obstacles to our riders... grabbing the duster, moving the boulder, fording the stream. Nola and her Paso Fino schooled us on this course, easily taking to top spot.

Next event is out demo at the Smithtown Country Fair on September 18. If you want to be a part of this demo, please contact Joe.

Click here for full results

The SASS NY State Mounted Shooting Championship is less than three weeks away! This is sure to be another great event at Old Bethpage Village Restoration.

This will be the FIRST EVER SASS Mounted State Championship in New York State. Be a part of history!

We will be offering SASS Championship Buckles PLUS buckles for all full classes! SASS is also generously donating gift certificates as prizes... there is something for everyone.

We are also planning another "Cowboy Challenge" stage!

PLEASE REGISTER NOW so we can plan ahead.

This is going to be another great time you don't want to miss.

Click here for entry form

Just got back from Malibu Dude Ranch in Pennsylvania where everyone had a great time at the big NYS Championship match. Karl took top honors, followed closely by Ali and Roger. We had a few states with times in the 11 second range! These riders were MOVING.

BIG Thanks go to:

• All our friends who came out to ride
• Barbara and Jo-An (Happy Birthday!) for helping out in the score booth.
• Sheriff AB Dupree for his invaluable help at the loading table. Sorry for all those dropped guns!
• Mary for putting up with me
• Denny Kline for a great announcing job
• "Doc" and the staff of Malibu Dude Ranch for the great facilities, service and support. We are looking forward to having more events at this great facility.
• All the balloon runners (voluntary and otherwise) who helped keep the matches running smooth
• Doc's daughter for singing the National Anthem
• All the spouses, children and significant others who came along to support and cheer the riders on
• All the spectators at Malibu Dude Ranch for coming out to see us

I apologize if I am leaving anyone out... it's late and I should have been sleeping long ago. I hope you all enjoyed the weekend as much as I did.

Results from both matches are now available:

Click here for results

The CMSA NY State Championship weekend is here. We are packing up the trailer and getting ready to head out to Malibu Ranch in Milford, PA.

ARE YOU REGISTERED? I have been receiving registration forms and setting up a go order - thanks for getting them in to me. There are still several people who told me they planned on coming but did not get an entry form in.

Registered riders received a confirmation email today. If you didn't receive the email or if you still haven't registered PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY so I can get you in the go order.

Click here for registration form.

Another update: Pictures from the match are available on our Facebook Group and Facebook Page.

Additional photos can be found here: J&D Creative Photography

Fourteen riders came out on Saturday to Old Bethpage Village Restoration to participate in "Gunfight at the Gulch" SASS Mounted Shooting Match. I am thrilled that we were able to have such a great turnout with only our local riders.

Thanks to a GREAT article in Newsday, we had hundreds of spectators. Wow, what a crowd! Thanks to everyone that came out.

The weather was looking iffy when I woke up at 6am. By 9:30 the fog had lifted and by 10am the sky was blue and the sun came out. What a beautiful day it turned out to be.

After four stages, Joe took the top spot with Pete close on his heels. Mary took the #3 spot and Outlaw Jimmy Wales was right behind.

Everyone rode great and I hope you all had as much fun as I did.

Thanks to Rich and Diedre for helping with the score. A big thanks to all the balloon runners that ran their tails off. A big thanks to Sheriff AB DuPree and all the East End Regulators who helped at the loading table and with other tasks. You guys are the best.

Our Cowboy Challenge stage was more fun - this one based on the movie "Silverado." The July shoot at OBVR will have a "Blazing Saddles" theme, so you won't want to miss that one!

Photos and video coming soon...

Match Results Now Available: Click here to download.

Entries are now open for our next two matches.

Saturday, June 25: Gunfight at the Gulch - Old Bethpage Village
Saturday, June 23: Blazing Saddles - Old Bethpage Village

Both matches will be four stage events and have an fifth optional "Cowboy Challenge" stage.

Don't miss the chance to be a part of the fun. Get your entries in and be a part of the fun.

Visit the forms page for details.

Sorry for the delay (again). Scores from the Enfield, CT event are now available here.

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Special thanks to the East End Regulators for their
generous support of our mounted shooting club.
Check out their web page for more information on
Cowboy Action Shooting!

There will be $500 in Prize Money for this championship match!

We have received approval for a CMSA New York State Championship Match. This will be a big weekend of shooting!

Here is the planned schedule:

Friday evening. July 29:

6:30pm: 3-stage WPQ warm up match. This "Down and Dirty" optional event will get you warmed up and also earn some points.

Saturday, July 30:

11am Safety meeting
11:30 am CMSA State Championship match begins.(Triple points) . First four stages.

Sunday, July 31:

10am: Final two stages of State Championship

There will also be a rifle class and cavalry class competition.

• Championship Buckle

• Buckles for all full classes

• All buckles will be custom and shipped to winners

• $500 Added Prize Money!

The match will be held at the Malibu Dude Ranch in Milford, PA.

This is right on the NY/NJ/PA borders. It is accessible for all the New York State clubs as well as the majority of clubs in the region.

Camping is available on premise. Rooms are also available on premise. If you need a room and/or a place to keep you horse please let me know. We will put you in touch with the correct people at the ranch.

Entry form is now available online! Please get your forms in early! Click here.

Sorry for the delay. Scores from the Johnsonville, NY event are now available here.

We have about 30 shooters signed up for the Enfield event on Saturday. If you haven't contacted me yet, please do so ASAP so I can plan the go order.

See you all on Saturday!

Granted, this is only peripherally related to cowboy mounted shooting, but it does have some small effect on our club. The events of last weekend blew me away so much that I feel I must share the story.

On Saturday, four Long Riders (Mary, Steph, Frank and myself) decided to take a small road trip with the horses. The plan was to trailer to the Bethpage trails, and ride our horses from there to grab lunch on main street. There is a place in the village that has outdoor tables with a fence perfect for tying the horses. The horses would stay outside on the sidewalk, while we dine inside right next to them.

We braved the traffic and the railroad tracks (always a fun one) and made it to our destination. The place only had a few customers so getting the perfect table was easy. The wait staff was great and all of the half-dozen customers came over to take pictures and ask about the horses. Every car that drove by stopped to take pictures. It was quite a sight. We placed our order and looked forward to some tasty vittles with suds to wash it down.

As the waitress is bringing our order to the table, we are assaulted by what can only be described as a deranged garden gnome.

Remember that nerdy kid in high school who stood in the hall demanding you show your "hall pass"? Well, she is now a manager on main street living the same dream. Little miss congeniality comes skittering up to our table with a prune faced expression and proclaims "you can't stay here with 'those'." Apparently, animals on a sidewalk - even outside the establishment - violate several codes, laws and/or commandments. I didn't ask exactly which ones were being violated as I didn't want to be bored to death with her bone-headed misinformation. Apparently, someone wasn't hugged enough as a child. Life is way to short to go around with such a stick up your back.

Pour yourself a beer and lighten up a little!

For those who hang with us after Long RIders events, you know the place I am referring to. It WAS the place where we would go to eat and drink after our events. It was also the place where we asked a manager about showing up with horses and were told we are welcome at any time! I guess those times have changed and us cowboys are now persona non grata.

Combined with my own visits, I WAS in there at least once or twice a week and would drop a fair amount of coin. That's over. I don't have patience for half-wits, not to mention the village's rabid enforcement of an "outsiders not welcome" parking policy (you need a permit to park most places and only village residents can get a permit).

Cowboys don't frequent saloons where they are not wanted. I strongly encourage everyone to no longer support this uptight and unfriendly establishment. Fortunately, there are better alternatives…

Not to be deterred, we mounted up and rode down over to CHANGING TIMES PUB (1247 Melville Road)... Also in Farmingdale but outside the village, across from SUNY Farmingdale. Living in the area, this is a place I have been to several times but completely underestimated.

The reception at Changing Times couldn't have been more friendly. We were treated like royalty and the boss even brought us a round of drinks. With all the positive attention we generated for the place I am sure it was a win-win for everyone.

While being ejected from the first place we met some customers that were wondering why we were leaving. We explained we were being thrown out and heading over to Changing Times. Imagine our surprise when we met up with them at Changing Times! Considering how slow the Main Street place was, we pulled about half their customers over. Don't you just love the way karma works?

There was a communion party going on and the kids (and parents) came out in force to meet and greet the horses. It was a giant party and the horses were stars for a day. We always love to meet new friends.

The food at Changing Times was great and they have a good selection of tap beer (in addition to a full bar). I can definitely recommend the blue cheese burger. Service was terrific - they even brought some carrots for the horses. There is plenty of horse parking in the lot, within easy view of the outside dining area. Years ago they had a hitching post there - who knows, maybe they will bring it back one day.

I am delighted to let you know that Changing Times is the new "official" post-event hang out of the Island Long Riders. This place knows the right way to treat customers. The "cowboy way" may be dead on Main Street but is thankfully alive and well at Changing Times.

Next time you are in the Farmingdale area, stop into Changing Times and grab a drink or some grub.Tell 'em that you are with the Island Long Riders and appreciate them being a "horse friendly" establishment!

Where to begin? The weather was great... not the sun we expected, but it stayed warm all day. The one big bummer for the day was when Outlaw Jimmy Wales called in sick! It isn't the same without him.

Sheriff AB DuPree was on hand with Billy Colorado and Lisa B to lend some much needed help at the scoring table. Taylor and friends were running their feet off all day to set the balloons. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!

Several new riders came out for their first CMS match. Great job everyone!

Mark, Roger, Joan, Bruce, Dy and Lisa all braved the perils of I-95 to come down from Connecticut. Roger picked up some gas money in the 3D, rifle and Cowboy Challenge!

Roger also took top honors as both match champion and rifle side match winner. Congratulations!

After the main match and rifle competition, we put together a special "Cowboy Challenge" stage. I was amazed that virtually everyone signed up for this one. We had to shoot bad guys, clear the pass, navigate the burial grounds, jump the canyon, survive the ambush and retrieve the money. In the end, Silverado was saved and the evil Hennessey gang was vanquished!

Thanks to everyone who participated and helped out. It was a fun day and we look forward to seeing you at future matches.

Photos and a video of Logans Lady running the cowboy challenge can be found on our PHOTOS page.

Results are now available on the events page.

Weather looks great, arena looks great... we are all set for a beautiful day of mounted shooting.

NOTE! We have also added a special "Cowboy Challenge" Stage to the competition. This will be an extra, option stage that you don't want to miss. Riders are challenged to overcome obstacles to save the town from ruin...

Are you up to the challenge? Can you help save the town?

Click here to download (PDF) the course description.

Actual course layout will be available for review the morning of the shoot.

Click here to download registration forms (at this point, make sure to call or email us so we know you are coming, and bring the completed form with you).

We could always use helping hands...we always need balloon runners, scorekeepers and people for other jobs. Contact Joe at joe@islandlongriders.com if you, or someone you know, would like to help out.

April has been a busy month for the Island Long Riders. Two packed days of clinics with lots of new faces and a fun practice session last Monday night has kept us running.

Many thanks go to Joe and Annie at Coram Equestrian Center. We ran some great clinics over there as well as our practice. We hope to be working with them more in the future. It is a terrific facility and they have some big plans for the place. Contact them for more information:

Coram Equestrian Center
507 Mill Road, Coram NY 11727
631-327-2451/2449

Thanks also to Helene at Primrose Path Stables in Manorville. Check them out on Facebook for details. We wish you the best of luck in your new venture.

April 30 at Old Bethpage Village - register today!

Our first match of the year is right around the corner. Come join us on Saturday, April 30 at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. The registration form is available here - please get your forms in early so we can plan.

This will be a four-stage shoot. There is also an optional rifle competition. We have some fun surprises also planned for the day. You don't want to miss this one.

Spectators are also welcome. In addition to our event, there is an entire 19th century village to explore. Bring the whole family and spend the day!

Click here to for registration forms.

The Sunday, April 3 clinic is now full. There are still limited availablities for the April 10 clinic in Manorville.

Entry forms are now available for our April 30 match at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. This will be our first SASS match and we are planning some fun activities. This is one you won't want miss.

Forms are also available for our May 22 match in Johnsonville, NY with the Upstate New York Smokin' Guns club. This will be New York's first MCSA match of 2011.

Check our our forms page for details, downloads and directions.

Click here to email us for more information.

Our new rider/new horse clinics scheduled for April are filling up quick. If you are thinking about attending, please contact us now - there are only a few spots left.

Sunday, April 3: Coram Equestrian Center, Coram NY

Sunday, April 10: Primrose Stables, Manorville, NY

Directions to both locations are now available online. Click here for the PDF files.

Our first match is April 30 at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. Registration forms are available on our events and forms pages.

We have two new rider/new horse clinics scheduled for April!

Sunday, April 3: Coram Equestrian Center, Coram NY

Sunday, April 10: Primrose Stables, Manorville, NY

Clinics include ground training for you and in-saddle training for your horse. We will show you the basics of cowboy mounted shooting and start to de-sensitize your horse to the noise. By the end of the clinic both you and your horse will be ready to ride a complete course on your own and compete in your first match.

Note that space in these clinics is very limited. All attendees must be registered and paid in advance.

If you are interested in attending one of our clinics or would like more information, email us today. There has already been tremendous interest in these clinics and they are expected to fill up quickly.

The Island Long Riders put on a demo and "mini-clinic" in January at the PA Farm Show. For those of you that don't know about this show, it is a BIG one!

Two large arenas for demonstrations, a rodeo, competitions, livestock and even an enormous "butter sculpture." You have to see it to believe it.

Joe, Mary, Stephanie,Pete, Jim, Jimmy, Frank, Barbara and Danielle along with "little" Stephanie (and her friend Cindy) AND LET'S NOT FORGET SCHMELANIE!, who all took the drive out to Harrisburg to participate. We received tremendous feedback from the crowd, so we think we wowed 'em.

Everyone did great and we all had lots of fun.

To see more pictures, click here.

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