‘Best Shooter I’ve Seen’

Lanny Barnes has made a name for Herself well beyond Olympic Biathlon

There was a torrential downpour on the set of the hit TV show Surviving Mann. As all participants were trying desperately to stay dry and warm from the elements, one individual stood out amongst the crowd: world champion shooter Lanny Barnes. I watched the Surviving Mann contestants with great enthusiasm as they participated in a rigorous physical fitness training program under the guidance of Don Mann, the show’s host and a former member of the legendary SEAL Team 6. I tried to be a neutral observer because some contestants are good friends, including Barnes. While all the participants underwent grueling physical tests, I was amazed that Barnes breezed back into formation with the cast and crew with little to no effort. I was trying to comprehend how she was so fit, as her breathing was barely visible, and then I recalled that Barnes had represented the United States as a three-time Olympian in the biathlon.

For those who don’t follow the Olympics or winter sports in general, biathlon is a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It’s essentially a race on skis over a groomed snow trail with stops made at target ranges. At each shooting station, contestants either must hit all five targets or receive a penalty for each one missed – either time or additional distance that must be skied. According to Wikipedia, contestants use small-bore rifles, which must weigh at least 7.7 pounds, excluding ammunition and magazines. At each shooting station, five circular targets are set at a distance of 50 meters, or 55 yards. Shots are taken in the prone position (target diameter: 1.8 inches) or while standing (target diameter: 4.5 inches).

In plain English, the biathlon is one of the most grueling sports in the Olympics. Not only are you cross-country skiing, going through various obstacles in the coldest elements of winter, but you’re also expected to shoot and hit small targets at various distances while exercising vigorously. Barnes participated in these events three different times for fun – and for the honor of representing the US on the global stage.

“An Olympian has two jobs: First, compete to the best of their ability for their country; second, be a good role model and inspire future generations to follow in their footsteps,” says Barnes. She continues, “I wasn’t given the opportunity to represent my country. I had to work hard and earn it. Earning it comes with the responsibility of being one of the very few who can pull on the USA jersey and represent the people who helped you get there … It is the greatest honor in the world to represent your country and I get tired of athletes who live in the greatest country on Earth that disrespect our flag and in doing so disrespect the people who died so that they have the opportunity to live their dreams.”

ONE MIGHT WONDER where Barnes got her sense of patriotism, loyalty to her country, and love of shooting. She was blessed to grow up on a ranch with two very supportive parents who raised three girls: Barnes, her twin sister, and their older sister. When the girls weren’t playing soccer, their dad encouraged them to shoot and hunt, and everyone grew up loving it. According to Barnes, her dad constantly set up shooting competitions on the ranch, and the girls shot at cans and different types of targets. One day, a friend noticed how competitive the sisters were and encouraged them to start training to be biathlon shooters.

Everyone knows being a twin is very special. Barnes and her twin Tracy are bonded in an extraordinary way; they are not only sisters and best friends, but they are training companions who push each other to their limits. There is nothing they
would not do for each other. Both sisters competed in the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy. In 2010, Lanny Barnes competed in the Vancouver Olympics, helping the American women’s team achieve their best result in 16 years. Then in 2014, the sisters set an example for the whole world. When Lanny became gravely ill and missed the qualifying races for the Sochi
Olympics, Tracy generously gave up her place on the team to her sister. Tracy received the United Nations UNESCO International Fair Play Award and the US Olympic Committee Inspiration Award for her selfless act and demonstration of the true Olympic spirit.
After retiring from international biathlon competition in 2014, Barnes as well as her sister jumped into shotgun shooting. They fell in love with it and again began competing on the world stage. Barnes is a several-time national 3-gun champion (rifle, pistol, shotgun), and also competes in pistol caliber carbine (PCC) and International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) shotgun and rifle competitions. At the 2018 IPSC World Championship, she was the top American, earning fourth place in the individual competition, as well as a silver medal for the team. Barnes also placed third (individual) and gold (team) at Sweden’s IPSC rifle world championship in 2019.

In 2022, she participated in the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Multi-gun Nationals, claiming another national championship title and earning first place in the Ladies Open category. Barnes was then picked for the 2023 IPSC Shotgun World Shoot in Thailand. In the open division, she won the gold medal and was a part of the bronze-winning team in the Ladies Open. Barnes has set a goal of becoming the best female shooter in the country.

WHEN NOT TRAVELING all over the world for shooting competitions, Barnes has taken on a new role at Prairie Fire, a training facility located just outside Las Vegas. As chief experience officer, not only does Barnes get to train civilians, but she also gets to pass on firearms training to law enforcement and military personnel. As Barnes sees it, there’s not much
difference between competition and self-defense shooting; there is physical stress in both endeavors. She says the goal is to keep your heartbeat relaxed. This makes it easier to shoot overall. To do that, you must train for it, learning how to control your breathing and learning visualization techniques – both in a match and in a realistic self-defense scenario.

When asked about her job at Prairie Fire, Barnes will humbly tell you it is a dream job for her. As Barnes likes to state, this is her unique way of giving back to the community because of her passion for the sport of shooting, her country and our first responders. In addition to her athletic achievements, Barnes is an accomplished artist. She fell in love with drawing when she was young and would like to one day have her own art gallery. Most of her works are done in white charcoal on black art papers and canvas, but she also does many other forms of media. She specializes in wildlife but also does portraits, landscapes and still life. Barnes has become an ambassador for both the shooting sports and the country, and has been given the moniker “Lanny Oakley,” which is proudly endorsed by Annie Oakley’s family members. While Oakley offered her shooting expertise to the military effort during World War I, she was never taken seriously. Fast forward 100 years and Barnes is an accomplished and highly sought after firearms instructor, for both men and women, military and civilian. And when Don Mann, one of the greatest special operations warriors of all time, was asked what he thinks of Barnes’s shooting abilities, he responded, “She is the best shooter I have ever seen!” Annie Oakley’s smiling in heaven right now. ★

Editor’s note: For information about Prairie Fire and its courses, visit prairiefire.com. Lanny Barnes’s artwork can be viewed at theolympianartist.com.