Joanne, 48, and her husband, Brian, alternate between the US and her Australian home on the Gold Coast. She’s a cowboy action shooter.

A good one, too.  Joanne has won the lady wrangler division at the world championships for the past four year – and that’s unprecedented in the sport.

Cowboy action shooters fire a shotgun, rifle and pistol in competition.

They do so dressed in attire from the old west or the Victorian era, although safety glasses and hearing protection are also compulsory. Joanne was born in Taree.

“I wasn’t really that interested in shooting when I was a kid,’’ she said.

“I did fire a rifle on my uncle's property, but that’s about it.’’

After leaving school she left Taree to work in Canberra. She was introduced to cowboy action shooting in a roundabout way.

She started to take an interest in clay target shooting after watching it at the Olympics.

It was while she was looking into getting some tuition in the sport she was introduced to cowboy action shooting.

Joanne was immediately hooked, not only on the skill involved in firing the three disciplines, but also in dressing up in the old western outfits. Soon enough she started competition with a club in the Canberra area.

“To this day I’ve never tried clay target shooting,’’ she smiled.

Cowboy action shooters use an alias when competing.

Joanne has two registered aliases – Kathouse Kelli and Amazing Grace. Brian also competes under the name of Jackaroo.

Joanne usually shoots in saloon girl regalia, although for formal occasions she switches to a Victorian-era gown.

“That’s when I become a proper lady,’’ she said.

Cowboy action shooting keeps Joanne and Brian busy 12 months a year in Australia and America.

“My husband’s retired and I’m semi-retired,’’ Joanne said.

The shock death of a work-mate a few years ago, at the age of 41, caused Joanne to evaluate her life.

“We just wanted to do this – travel and compete. So that’s what we’ve done and I’m so glad we did, it’s been awesome,’’ she said.

The world championship is held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, each year.

Competition is in stages and targets are usually steel plates that ring when hit. Shooters also compete against the clock. There’s usually five to eight countries represented.

“There are 20 countries that take part in cowboy action shooting – it’s growing in Europe,’’ Joanne said.

Categories are classified by age. Wranglers are aged 36-49.

“I’m eligible to join the 49ers next year, although I don’t have to,’’ she said.

There’s no prizemoney in the sport.

“Only belt buckles and trophies,’’ Joanne said.

She’ll be heading to America again at the end of the year and will be defending her lady wrangler world title in 2019. 

“No-one had ever won four-in-a-row. Now I want to be the first to win five-in-a-row,’’ Joanne said.

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