A unique mix of marksmanship and horsemanship is coming to Nova Scotia.

Cowboy mounted shooting is already a hit in parts of the United States and now it’s gaining popularity in the Maritimes.

“It’s the fastest-growing equine sport in North America,” says Ken Jardine, president of the Highland Highwaymen Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association.

He says the objective is simple – shoot 10 balloons as quickly as possible while riding a horse.

“You shoot your first five balloons in a certain pattern, then you stow that gun, draw the other one, and you shoot the other five,” explains Jardine.

Enthusiast Gary Latimer says it’s harder than it sounds.

“You’re thinking about cocking the gun every shot, you’re thinking about hitting the balloon, and you’re trying to control a 1,000-pound animal all at the same time,” says Latimer.

Cowboy mounted shooting is coming to the Cape Breton County Farmer’s Exhibition next week to the Truro Exhibition later this month. Jardine says he expects it to be a crowd favourite.

“Every time people hear about it, we get more and more calls. Other exhibitions have asked us to do this at their exhibitions, and our goal is for next year, to have at least one official mounted shooting competition,” says Jardine.

He says safety is a top priority -- black-powdered blanks are used instead of bullets – but that spectators still need to be kept at a safe distance.

“Safety is huge on this. Our sponsor here in Nova Scotia teaches all the gun safety courses and we need what’s called a restricted gun association licence to be able to even hold these,” says Jardine.

Shooters south of the border perform to packed crowds and against hundreds of horsemen and horsewomen. Latimer says he hopes the sport will grow across the Maritimes.

“It’s got a lot of potential. There’s a lot of horsepeople in the Maritimes looking for something different to do,” he says.

Those interested in the sport can sign up for clinics in Cape Breton and Truro this fall.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Ryan MacDonald