Old Bethpage Village Hosts Cowboy Mounted Shooting Contest on August 16

A piece of the Old West will come to life at Old Bethpage Village Restoration on August 16 between noon and 4 p.m., as 21st-century cowboys meet for an action-packed New York State “Cowboy Mounted Shooting” championship, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.

Sponsored by The Island Long Riders, the event features contestants on horseback with two .45-caliber single-action revolvers, each loaded with five rounds of blanks. The riders, dressed in traditional Western garb, are scored on accuracy and time as they shoot at targets. Based in Farmingdale, The Island Long Riders are the area’s only mounted shooting club.

Old Bethpage Village provides visitors with the opportunity to step back in time and experience life in a recreated mid-19th-century American village set on more than 200 acres and boasting some 50 historic buildings. Hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Wednesday - Friday.

Entrance fees are $7 for children 5 - 12 (those under 5 are free), seniors and volunteer firefighters; and $10 for adults. OBVR is located on Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage (exit 48 on the LIE); for more information, call 516-572-8400.