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Cheyenne
Dalton: Rising Star
by Barbara Baird -
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Her Instagram bio states,
“Junior
shooter of Rimfire, USPSA, and 3-gun. Homeschooled girl living my dreams.
Follow along as my career grows and improves. NO GUNS FOR SALE!”
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Cheyenne Dalton
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Cheyenne
Dalton started shooting 10 years ago, at the age of five. Her dad handed her a
bolt-action .22 rifle, taught her safety plus basic fundamentals and she
quickly progressed to a Ruger 10/22. “My dad wanted me to understand how
guns worked and how to handle them safely, because he figured if I knew how
they worked that I’d be much less likely to have an accident with one,”
said Cheyenne. “He would take me hunting with him (to just watch, and be in the
woods with him). I enjoyed shooting and hunting was the next progression of
that.” By the time she turned 7, she could be found out hunting with her
father.
Cheyenne, as
you’ve probably figured out, is an up-and-coming competition shooter. When
asked about her choices of shooting sports, she said, “Three-gun is so much fun
because of the movement and long-distance targets that must be engaged; it's
challenging and entertaining. I also love Rimfire Challenge because of the
speed it takes to be competitive…and because I get to meet new shooters and I
think that's a huge part of the importance of Rimfire challenge and shooting in
general. We need a new generation of shooters!”
Cheyenne
recently won High Limited Lady at the NSSF Rimfire World Championship.
When not on a
range for competition, you might find her in the woods of the Missouri Ozarks.
“Turkey and deer hunting are a lot of fun, too. It's nice to spend time with my
family in the woods or around a campfire,” said Cheyenne, who plays violin,
mandolin, guitar, upright bass and ukelele in a family bluegrass band.
Her favorite
subjects are math and science. “I haven't incorporated shooting into my school
work yet, but I'm sure there will be an opportunity at some point. I am
homeschooled so I am able to study lots of subjects and take advantage of
opportunities that a lot of kids can't,” added Cheyenne.
Her family
rallies around her as she strives to improve her competition shooting abilities
with practice two or three times weekly on a local range. “My family is a huge part of my shooting. My dad has always
been by my side—whether it is practicing, or at a match or working on my
guns. My mom is also involved with other aspects of the shooting that we
do. I can't imagine how many hours we've put into shooting or how many miles
we've driven to matches or other shooting-related events. My grandparents are
very supportive as well. We are all one big team.”
Someday, she
hopes to become a dentist or a pharmacist, but she also wants to continue
shooting. “I think it would be fun to have a TV show,
too,” she added.
Cheyenne has
created a very active Instagram account, cheyennedaltonshoots,
and posts practically every day. Visitors might find the “gun of the
day,” or catch up with her about her latest competition, or just enjoy a quick
look behind-the-scenes at a match. She blogs at her website: www.cheyennedalton.com. She also
operates a Facebook fan page: Cheyenne Dalton – Competitive Shooter.
Fans can
follow her well-made and insightful videos, where safety reigns supreme and fun
abounds on the range.
“I
have stayed true to my beliefs and upbringing and tried to be a good example
for shooters, especially younger girls. There's a lot of junk in the shooting
world with women and I'd like to change that image a bit,”
said Cheyenne.
She brings
enthusiasm and youth to an age-old sport, and reminds all of us why we love the
shooting sports.
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