O THE OLD WILD
WEST.
[GUNSHOTS]
KAREN: DINA BARATTA NAILS THOSE
TARGETS --
[GUNSHOTS]
KAREN: LIKE A MODERN-DAY ANNIE
OAKLEY.
THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR TURNED
COWGIRL FROM LONDONDERRY GIVES
MOST OF THE CREDIT TO HER HORSE.
DINA: THIS IS CUTIE, AND SHE
KNOWS IT.
KAREN: THE DUO PART OF THE
NORTHEAST SIX SHOOTERS.
COMPETING IN THE FASTEST GROWING
EQUESTRIAN SPORT, COWBOY MOUNTED
SHOOTING.
DINA: IT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING
EQUINE SPORT THERE IS BECAUSE IT
COMBINES SO MANY DIFFERENT
DISCIPLINES.
YOUR HORSE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO
RATE.
YOUR HORSE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO
TURN A BARREL.
YOUR HORSE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO
BE IN CONTROL.
IT'S THE ULTIMATE HORSEMANSHIP
SPORT.
[GUNSHOTS]
KAREN: RIDERS FIRE AT 10 BALLOON
TARGETS WITH TWO .45 CALIBER
REVOLVERS LOADED WITH BLACK
POWDER BLANKS.
[GUNSHOTS]
KAREN: THEY COMPETE FOR THE
FASTEST TIMES AND MOST ACCURATE
SHOTS.
CHARGING THROUGH THE COURSE,
RANDOMLY CHOSEN JUST BEFORE EACH
MATCH.
THERE ARE 70 SPECIFIC PATTERNS.
A SINGLE RUN WILL VARY BETWEEN
10 AND 25 SECONDS.
BALLOON RUNNERS CHANGE THE
PATTERNS BETWEEN ROUNDS DURING A
SHOW HERE AT THE BIG E IN
SPRINGFIELD, MAS
DINA: RIGHT BEFORE I GO, I'LL BE
OUT THERE AND I'LL SAY, OK, THIS
IS AN OFF SHOT.
THIS IS A STRONG SHOT.
THEN I'M GOING STRONG, STRONG,
STRONG
OFF.
STRONG.
SO I'M ACTUALLY DOING THE COURSE
IN MY MIND OVER AND OVER AND
OVER BEFORE I ACTUALLY GO AND DO
THE COURSE
KAREN: SHOOTERS BATTLE IT OUT
WEARING TRADITIONAL WESTERN
OUTFITS.
JUST ONE PART OF THE SPORT THAT
APPEALS TO SUE FROST OF WEARE.
>> YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF US WITH
DRESSES AND WE'LL HAVE THE
BLOOMERS OR PANTALOONS
UNDERNEATH.
CORSETS ARE OPTIONAL.
[LAUGHTER]
KAREN: THE GUYS WEAR CHINKS OR
CHAPS AND A COWBOY HAT
[GUNSHOTS]
KARE BILL VERRY AND LADDY HAVE
BEEN PARTNERS FOR BILL'S ENTIRE
MOUNTED SHOOTING CAREER.
HE'S STILL GOT IT AT 27 YEARS
OL
THE HORSE, NOT BILL.
[GUNSHOTS]
>> HE HAS NO IDEA HE'S THAT OLD.
HE'S TAKEN GOOD CARE OF ME FOR,
OH, ABOUT 16 YEARS NOW.
SO WE'RE BUDDIES.
WE'RE LIKE THIS
DINA: HEY GIRL
HEY GIRLIE Q.
KAREN: IT TOOK DINA AND CUTIE
YEARS TO FORGE THEIR SPECIAL
BOND.
DINA: SHE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO
TRAIN.
ANYONE HERE WILL TELL YOU.
HER PARENTS, WHO ARE ALSO
MOUNTED SHOOTERS -- THAT'S DAD
JOHN O'DONNELL RIDING KIT --
FOUND IT HARD TO WATCH.
>> I SEEN HER WITH THAT HORSE
FOUR YEARS AGO, CRYING HER EYES
OUT.
THE HORSE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING
THAT SHE WANTED.
DINA: I COULDN'T GET HER INTO
THE ARENA AT TIMES.
MANY TIMES I WOULD JUST GO INTO
MY TRAILER AND CRY AND JUST SAY
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE JUST
LISTEN TO ME THIS ONCE.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT MAKES
IT SO REWARDING, BECAUSE I DID
IT WITH HE
SHE DIDN'T COME TO ME TRAINED.
I HAD TO PUT IN ALL THE BLOOD,
SWEAT, AND TEARS.
KAREN: AND IT'S PAID OFF
[GUNSHOTS]
KAREN: DINA AND CUTIE ARE NO
CHAMPIONS, OFTEN HITTING ALL 10
TARGETS IN UNDER 10 SECONDS.
>> THAT HORSE AND HER HAVE THE
SAME PERSONALITY.
THEY'RE VERY STRESSED OUT.
VERY COMPETITIVE.
VERY STRESSED OU
KAREN: CUTIE STILL CAUSES DINA
TO TEAR UP, BUT NOW HER EYES
WELL OUT OF LOVE.
DINA: OH, GOD.
YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE ME CRY
BECAUSE SHE IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
VERY.
SHE -- SHE'S A TEACHER.
SHE TAUGHT ME A LOT, AND I
APPRECIATE HER MORE THAN SHE'LL
EVER KNOW.
KARE MASTERING CUTIE WAS ONE
CHALLENGE, FIRING A GUN ANOTHE
YOU HAVE TO COCK THE GUN BEFORE
EACH SHOT, AND YOU GOT TO BE
QUICK.
NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS.
DINA: ONE HANDED
YOU'RE LEFT HANDED.
KAREN: YEAH.
DINA: SO PULL BACK AND THEN PULL
THE TRIGGER.
KAREN: YOU'RE RIGHT.
DINA: PULL BACK.
PULL THE TRIGGER.
KAREN: IT'S HEAVY.
DINA: IT IS.
KAREN: NOW ADD A SHOTGUN TO THE
MIX.
SABRINA FECTEAU IS ONE OF A FEW
WOMEN WHO COMPETE IN SHOTGUN.
YOU TARGET THE FIRST FIVE
BALLOONS WITH A .45.
[GUNSHOTS]
KAREN: THEN PULL OUT THE
SHOTGUN, DROP THE HORSE'S REINS,
AND SHOOT THE LAST FIVE TARGETS.
[GUNSHOTS]
>> WHEN YOU HAVE A FAST GUN
CHANGE AND YOU NEED TO HOLSTER
YOUR OTHER GUN AND TAKE THE
SHOTGUN OUT, YOU PULL IT FROM
THE HOLSTER HERE, AND YOU NEED
TO GET IT TO YOUR SHOULDER.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT AROUND THAT
BARREL, LIKE IF YOU DON'T GET IT
OUT IN TIME, SOMETIMES YOU COULD
BE A LITTLE LATE.
[GUNSHOTS]
KAREN: WINNERS TAKE HOME
TROPHIES AND BLINGED OUT BELT
BUCKLE
THEIR HORSES -- LOVE AND
AFFECTION.
>> A KISS AND YOU'RE OFF.
KAREN: AND ALL THE HAY THEY CA
EAT.
>> THAT'S ALL SHE WROT
[GUNSHOTS]