FATHER AND SON: A HISTORY-MAKING JOURNEY TO THE TOP OF MOUNTED SHOOTING By Ed Beesley

For the fi rst time in CMSA C history, a father and son occupy the top two positions in the L WPQ points race!

Cowboy Mounted Shooting was conceived as a family sport; one in For the fi st time in CMSA’s history, a father and son team have blazed their way which families could help each other to leading the posse! They hold the top two positions in the WPQ standings. A grow in their ability and travel and spend tip of the old sombrero goes out to Rock Clark and son Cody in this remarkable quality time together. I would venture accomplishment! a guess though that Jim Rodgers, Phil Spangenberger and those other pioneer creators of the sport we love fi rst mounted shooting event at a named Geronimo, who bucked him A today, never expected to see a father celebration the next April in his home off every chance he got. After one too and son lead the world points race, town of Columbia, at the annual Mule many bucks, Cody decided maybe he occupying fi rst and second place. Well Day Celebration which was founded in did not want to ride a anyway. that is exactly what has happened this the 1840s. Rock did not fare too well Eventually, seeing his mom and dad year as Rock Clark and his son Cody but thanks to the ever present helping have so much fun, Cody gave in, but of Columbia, TN sit in fi rst and second hand at mounted events, Rock got this time on an Appaloosa mare named place respectively, as of this report, in some excellent advice and won his fi rst Goose. Goose helped Cody become the CMSA WPQ standings, as we head match a few weeks later. On his paint a top notch horseman, and there are towards the world championship later quarter horse, Dragon (now owned by not many riders that can sit a saddle this year in Amarillo, Texas. Rock (a Gary Vickers), Rock moved quickly from better than Cody today. Cody, now nickname given by his grandmother at a Level 3 rider to a Level 6 competitor aboard his ten-year-old quarter horse R birth when he weighed in at 4 pounds) winning both the 2008 CMSA National gelding Hollywood, are a “match made Clark, along with his wife Terri, had and Eastern Championship. Rock in heaven” according to his very proud ridden most of their lives and were currently competes on another paint dad Rock. When asked about his looking for a more engaging equine horse, Joker, a nine–year-old gelding. feelings about their current ranking event than their occasional ride and Despite his hard earned success though though, Cody says “It is exciting that barrel race. When Rock heard about Rock says “As long as my son Cody is we are in fi rst and second place, but CMSA almost nine years ago he went doing well it doesn’t matter what I do; I wouldn’t mind it if our positions were to Ken Jenkins home take a look. Well I’d just as soon watch him.” reversed and I had the bragging rights” like most of us, one look was enough Cody Clark however had a more Cody is an honor student, and as such to get the bug and Rock decided to diffi cult learning curve and his initial K get in the game. He competed in his entry into riding was aboard a pony – Continued on page 44 888-960-0003 | Aug/Sept 2009 33 CLARK

– Continued from page 33 is allowed to take a few classes on line which helps him stay current in his busy practice and travel schedule. His favorite shoot is the Behlen Classic, held in June at The Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, OK where he has placed in the top ten overall for the last two years. The Clark family tries to enter a shoot every weekend and their goal is to win back their entry fee; sounds like they are exceeding that goal pretty regularly nowadays. They compete in Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, Oklahoma and Florida and are very excited about the upcoming shoot in Murfreesboro-- especially The CMSA’s “Outlaw Annie Shoot for a Cure.” Cody has a lot of CMSA members to thank for their help As long as my son Cody is along the way and in particular he is “doing well it doesn’t matter appreciative to both John Clark and Andy Carrier but he closed our interview what I do; I’d just as soon asking me to “send a special thank you to everyone in CMSA for taking me watch him. under your wings.” ”

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44 Aug/Sept 2009 | www.cmsaevents.com