Morgan Swanson

A lot of people think I wear a helmet because it is a growing trend. As happy as I am that more & more people are deciding helmets are a good thing—for me it's not really new.

Where I'm from, New York State, it is a law that you have to wear a helmet while riding a horse until you are eighteen years of age. After we moved to Tennessee, where helmets are not required, my parents still made me wear one. I fought them and fought them for about a year. They finally let me stop wearing one, which I was very pleased with.

In those next couple of years I grew a considerable amount (around 7 inches ). My balance was off, I started riding faster and I fell off...a lot. At the age of fifteen or so I decided that wearing a helmet wasn't such a bad idea after all!

In the sport of mounted shooting we ride fast and shoot guns at balloons all at once. You practice and take safety precautions but sometimes things just don't work out the way you planned. Now when I ride, I know my head is much safer. I owe a lot to helmets. I don't know why I ever stopped wearing one.

When I was four years old I fell off and my pony stepped on my head. Had I not had a helmet on who knows what could have happened! If you are on this website you are probably thinking about getting a helmet... Do It! I know that I feel safer and I can only hope that you decide to wear one too! Troxel has tons of different styles and sizes, one for everyone. Be safe and wear one!
—Morgan Swanson / Cowboy Mounted Shooter

Accomplishments

2018 Ohio State Overall Shotgun Champion

2018 Eastern United States Ladies Overall Shotgun Champion

2018 New York State Overall Shotgun Champion and Reserve Cowgirl

2018 Universal Media Reserve Cowgirl

2017 Eastern United States Ladies Level 5 Champion and Reserve Cowgirl

2016 Ladies Open Eliminator Champion & Reserve Overall Shotgun Champion

2016 Ladies Overall Champion, Reserve Overall Champion, Open Shotgun Champion & Double Down Champion all at the North American Livestock Expo

2016 Youngest competitor at the World of Mounted Shooting Extravaganza

2017 Jeffers National Ladies 4 Champion

2017 Ladies Overall Champion & Reserve Overall Champion at the Universal Media Shoot in PA.

Morgan has done all this on her little 14.1 hand American Quarter horse mare named Tiki. Tiki is 20 years old and running sound & healthy! Morgan loves this sport and the role models she gets to look up to. When she’s not in the saddle she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and spending time with friends.