Testimonials & Reviews
South Texas Archery Riders, STAR Competition & Tyler Horan

Tyler Horan

"I have been enjoying competing at STAR competitions since 2018, and get there as often as I can from Utah. Tyler does a great job, and the camaraderie is awesome!" - Beverly Heffernan

“I’ve been riding with the South Texas Archery Riders since 2019. Tyler and Krystin provide a supportive, safe, and fun atmosphere for horseback archery, making everyone feel welcome. Even now, living 800 miles away, when I think of my horseback archery community I think of STAR.” - Gracie LeDoux

"Walking into TyTin 2025, my very first horseback archery competition, I wasn't sure what to expect. Like most first-time competitors, I had plenty of nerves, but those quickly disappeared thanks to the incredible people at South Texas Archery Riders (STAR).
From day one, I was welcomed like I had been part of the community for years.
Everyone was eager to answer questions, offer encouragement, and celebrate every
small victory along the way. There was never a feeling of having to prove
myself—just a group of people who genuinely wanted to help each other improve and enjoy the sport.
That same spirit carried into the 11th Annual STAR competition. It didn't matter
whether someone was competing for a podium finish or simply trying to have their best run yet. Every clean pass, every personal milestone, and every success was met with cheers from fellow competitors. It's rare to find a competitive environment where people are just as invested in your growth as they are in their own, but that's exactly what STAR has created.
As someone new to horseback archery, I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the sport. The competitions were well organized, challenging, and
incredibly rewarding, but what I'll remember most is the community. The
friendships, encouragement, and willingness to help newcomers made a lasting impression.
Thank you to everyone at South Texas Archery Riders for making my first season
such an unforgettable experience. I'm proud to be part of this community, excited to keep learning, and already looking forward to the next competition." - Dr. Isaac Acay

"I started mounted archery in January 2017. I went to my first competition to volunteer at their 2nd annual competition. Serena started as my coach and learned a lot about not giving up. I competed in my first competition in November 2017. Serena and Tyler coached me and cheered for me presenting my first archer pin.

When Serena took a break, Tyler picked up. He taught me how to shoot at a wicked fast speed when I had to switch horses due to my main mount, Dusty, passing away.

Dixie loved to run. Besides mounted archery, she also competed in barrel racing.

Dusty helped me in the novice class. I was able to win the novice class in 2023 on Dixie with Tyler's coaching.

I competed in 2024 on Buddy after I retired Dixie. He had never seen a mounted archery track and Tyler loved how much slower Buddy was.

I was able to win some trophies on him and he carried Serena at the competition in 2025.

I learned a lot from Serena but the majority of my form and aiming I learned from Tyler.

My favorite thing about Tyler is him cheering at the top of his lungs, his kindness and guidance.

I have been a STAR member since January 2017 and I am proud to be and always will be a STAR member.

I'm also proud to have Tyler as my coach." - Jessica Diller

"I met Tyler at my first mounted archery competition. I came capable of mounted archery and already practicing with some local clubs and organizations. The trouble was, none of these groups had the real world mounted archery experience to do more than provide a space to practice or fumble through technique while learning with me. I got through the competition! I didn’t place and left well aware of how much I didn’t know and still needed to learn.

So I went back.

Learning from Tyler is different to anywhere else I’ve practiced mounted archery. Having actually competed for years, Tyler has the real world hours and sweat to teach those small changes that take you from ‘can shoot off a horse’ to ‘competitive mounted archer’. Tyler refined my current techniques to make them smoother and faster. He could also offer alternative methods or styles so I could find one I liked. He has the competition experience to tailor strategy to a particular rider on a particular horse on that particular course on that day. It might be different for the very next run. It’s not book learning to him. It’s tried, tested, and true technique.

Tyler’s horses have almost as much to offer as the man himself. These are horses whose whole job is mounted archery rather than a horse from another background still learning to do the job themself. Lucky is rock solid, steady, and consistent to give you a base from which to practice. Orion is a little faster and a good step up for looking to push themself at the next step. Finally, Tyler will even share his own competition horse, Luna, for those learning what it’s like to actually lay down competitive times and get off enough arrows well below par.

My favorite part though? The genuine, boisterous way he cheers for anyone out on that track just because he’s so happy to see you out there doing it.

I went from delighted to just get off two arrows in 16 seconds to consistently hitting with four arrows in less than 8 seconds and bringing home a bag of trophies in my last competition.

If you want to just shoot off a horse, you can go almost anywhere. If you want to be a mounted archer and take this sport seriously? Go to Tyler." - Mikki Ashbrook

"As a weekend warrior rider who came with original intent to train a horse for another rider; with Tyler’s assistance got the horse ready in 3 months. I in 3 months (after being worn down to compete; again very encouraging environment) went from barely getting two arrows off in 16 seconds and occasionally hitting in first lesson to getting and hitting 3 arrows by the first competition at 14 seconds.

Within another year shooting 3 arrows at 8+ seconds and hitting (near bullseye ) captors/villain only on Tyler’s custom hostage competition course. Traditional corses and fundamentals are the basis of his students improvements.

Qabaq is cool." - Pat Zulka

"STAR is an amazing club with an awesome leader. I first met Tyler at a competition in Tennessee in 2018. In 2020 I flew to Texas to attend his competition. Definitely a competition to remember due to the torrential rain, pouring water out of my boots after riding, and of course it being the year of covid. Years following I continued going to his competitions. Tyler is great at encouraging everyone to do their best. He loves helping anyone who is interested in learning about mounted archery. He and his awesome wife, Krystin, try their best to keep everything affordable so that anyone can learn. Being 16 hours away, I can only make one trip a year. But they offer many competitions throughout the year. I would definitely recommend anyone (local or not) who wants to learn, to reach out to Tyler and STAR."

- Ciara Lewter

Tyler Horan is co-founder and instructor at South Texas Archery Riders.

Tyler has competed in over 35 Horseback Archery Competitions across 7 different states and 6 international competitions as well as attending 7 additional international competitions.