Miranda Lambert Takes Up Mounted Shooting, Cites Need for New Hobby

Country music star Miranda Lambert has recently taken up the competitive sport of mounted shooting, seeking a new creative outlet and mental break from the music industry.

The 41-year-old singer revealed her newfound passion during an interview on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, explaining she began the sport last year after encouragement from her husband. “I just never had the guts to go do it, you know? And finally my husband was like, ‘Stop talking about it, and go out there and do it,’” Lambert said. She was introduced to the sport by 10-time world champion Ken Shane and quickly became “addicted.” Mounted shooting, governed by the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, involves timed runs where competitors shoot at balloons with two .45 caliber revolvers while riding a horse.

Lambert described the hobby as a way to “preoccupy my mind” and step away from the pressures of her career. She also shared anecdotes about her husband, Brendan McLoughlin, a retired NYPD officer, and their shared background in families of first responders. “My whole family is firemen and police officers too, so I can’t… It’s just kind of, we grew up exactly the same,” she noted. This shared experience has strengthened their bond since marrying in 2019 and settling in both Nashville and Texas. The rising popularity of country lifestyle hobbies among celebrities often translates to increased interest and participation in these activities nationwide.

The singer also jokingly pointed out a shared side effect between her husband and her father, both former police officers: hearing loss. “My dad was a police officer, and he’s, I swear that’s why my parents are still married, because he can’t hear at all,” Lambert quipped. Officials with the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association anticipate increased participation in the sport following Lambert’s public embrace of it.