Skip to content

Missouri 4-H earns top honors at national shooting sports championships

GRAND ISLAND– For the second year in a row, Missouri 4-H shooters brought home the championship title at the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championship tournament, June 26-July 1 in Grand Island, Neb.

Nearly 700 participants from 36 states competed, demonstrating excellence in marksmanship, safety, responsibility and teamwork.

“It was truly amazing to watch our 4-H members interact with all of the other state teams,” said Sarah Huber, University of Missouri Extension 4-H youth development specialist.

Seeing the pride they have for one another, as well as the lifelong friendships they made, was such a rewarding experience, Huber added.

Over three days of competition, Missouri’s nine teams competed in three events within their shooting discipline, developing a range of skills, including leadership, self-discipline and wildlife conservation, she said.

“The team members and coaches were thrilled to once again bring home the championship trophy,” said Gerry Snapp, retired 4-H youth specialist. “It represents the many hours of practice our 4-H members and their coaches have spent improving their skills as they pursue excellence in shooting sports.”

Missouri 4-H placed in the top 10 in all nine disciplines.

Overall, Missouri teams took first place in compound archery, hunting skills and muzzleloading. Missouri placed second in recurve archery.

The hunting skills team of Ethan Crist, Connor Wilson, Laura Hogan and Trevor Burrows repeated last year’s success, sweeping their discipline with first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishes, respectively.

The compound archery team of Hunter Hogan, Remington Boyer, Evan Baker and Lane Brandt also finished strong with first-, second-, third- and fifth-place finishes in their discipline.

Overall results by discipline:

• Air pistol team (eighth overall): Joey Conway, Leanna Schwartze, Haley Baker and Brendan Metcalf; coached by Monica Hoenshell.

• Air rifle team (sixth overall): Noah Austin, Devin Schwindt, Makayla Thompson and Rebecca Nelson; coached by Wayne Schrock.

• Compound archery team (first overall): Hunter Hogan, Remington Boyer, Evan Baker and Lane Brandt; coached by Jim Sappington.

• Hunting skills team (first overall): Ethan Crist, Connor Wilson, Laura Hogan and Trevor Burrows; coached by Bill Athey.

• Muzzleloading team (first overall): Seiler Johnson, Michaela Brown, Hannah Persell and Parker Athey; coached by Steve Coulson.

• Recurve archery team (second overall): Chris Bowles, Ryli Jetton, Nathan Wagner and Wesley Tyree; coached by Phil Threatt.

• Shotgun team (sixth overall): Frankie Urbas, Colton Bamert, Brady Bothwell and Autumn Wilson; coached by Rod Zeller.

• Small-bore pistol team (fourth overall): Katlyn Branson, Chyanne Davis, Kaitlynn Vincent and Elizabeth Crist; coached by Delmer Croka.

• Small-bore rifle team (sixth overall): Tori Brumbaugh, Leevi Walker, Thomas Endecott and Willie Sherman; coached by Brenda Coulson.

Major support for the Missouri 4-H Shooting Sports national team was provided by the NRA Foundation, Brenda and Larry Potterfield, the Big Game Hunters Foundation, Sierra Bullets, the Missouri Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Starline Brass, Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports, and Graf & Sons Inc., in partnership with the Missouri 4-H Foundation.

Youth and adult participants represented the following Missouri counties: Boone, Callaway, Cass, Cole, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Jasper, Lafayette, Lewis, Livingston, Macon, Polk, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, St. Charles, Vernon and Warren.

For a full list of results from the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, visit 4h.unl.edu/4hshootingsportsnationalchampionships.

About the Missouri 4-H Foundation:

For more than 65 years, the Missouri 4-H Foundation has been the resource development partner of the MU Extension 4-H Youth Development Program, providing program funds, community service grants, higher education scholarships and volunteer recognition. MU Extension 4-H is a community of nearly 270,000 youths from across Missouri learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.

Leave a Comment