NaSHA’s Board is made up of current CMSA competitors who are actively involved in the shooting horse discipline. They represents a mix of long-time competitors and newer participants, bringing both experience and fresh perspective. What they all share is a strong commitment to the horse and a focus on growing the sport in a thoughtful, sustainable way. The full Board will be announced soon.

There are a few reasons — the biggest being that we’ve spent the last several years quietly working through the trademark process and building a foundation before going public.

And truthfully? Because that's not how we do things. There are a lot of conversations in this sport, with a lot of people talking and making claims - but not many people actually following through. That’s not a criticism — it’s just human nature. We’ve taken time to consult a small circle of trusted individuals and focus on developing something real and sustainable before asking others to get involved.

NaSHA exists to support riders and instructors who want to grow the shooting horse discipline by sharing knowledge and expanding access to training. Our focus is on riders who are learning, instructors who want a clear framework to teach from, and competitors who believe the sport grows through education—not exclusivity.

While experienced trainers play an important role in the discipline, NaSHA is especially committed to supporting riders who lack local instruction and to encouraging more qualified horsemen and horsewomen to teach, mentor, and help develop the next generation of shooting horses.

No. NaSHA membership is not required to ride, compete, or participate in the shooting horse discipline. We don’t believe access to good horsemanship or information should be locked behind a paywall.

That said, membership does provide access to additional materials, tools, and resources we’ve developed to support riders, instructors, and the long-term growth of the sport. The annual membership fee is intentionally modest and helps offset the cost of creating, maintaining, and improving those resources. For those who choose to join, it’s simply a way to stay connected and support the work being done.

Most horsemen in the sport recognize this as the single biggest factor holding the shooting horse discipline back from broader recognition. Right now, there's no such thing as a 'proven shooting horse' on paper, with data to back it up. It's almost unbelievable, considering there are horses in this sport with fifty, sixty, even a hundred thousand dollars in winnings, documented only through riders’ personal notes. To be clear, we’re not creating a competing or separate earnings system. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when proven organizations already specialize in that. 

What we are prepared to do is collect and standardize event data from producers, organize it in the format EquiStat requires, and help get shooting horses represented alongside reining, cutting, barrel racing, and other established performance disciplines. NaSHA values privacy and integrity — we do not sell, share, or misuse competitor or event data. Our purpose is to celebrate accomplishment, not collect information.

Supporting more people who want to teach is essential to the growth of the shooting horse discipline. Without accessible, well-structured instruction, new riders struggle to get started, horses are more likely to be overwhelmed, and interest in the sport is harder to sustain.

In short, we’ve seen too many horses pushed too fast and too many riders leave the sport before they ever really begin. NaSHA’s resources are designed to support better foundations, safer progression, and long-term success for both horse and rider.

Because they were needed. While the sport is rich in experience, much of that knowledge has traditionally been shared informally or through personal connections, making it difficult for some riders and instructors—especially those without direct mentorship—to access consistent guidance. NaSHA’s training manual and instructor toolkit were developed over many years with input from experienced competitors and horsemen who care deeply about the horse and the long-term health of the sport. We believe the sport is stronger when good information is shared, not guarded.

No. NaSHA is not claiming ownership of training methods or horsemanship knowledge, and we are not attempting to dictate how horses must be trained. The concepts we share are foundational horsemanship principles that have existed long before NaSHA and will continue to exist long after. There is nothing proprietary about the knowledge itself—only in how we’ve organized and presented the materials. Our goal is to offer clear, accessible resources that support riders and instructors.