Posted: May 20, 2024
Pennsylvania 4-H'ers from across the state participated in several shooting sports contests held recently at Penn State's Ag Progress Days site, at the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Scotia Range in Centre County, and at the Shenecoy Sportsmen Association in Huntingdon County.
The 4-H shooting sports program focuses on positive youth development and is designed for youth who enjoy the outdoors and hunting. The project covers firearm safety and responsible handling and use. 4-H'ers practice and compete under the supervision of trained instructors.
The state shooting sports contests provide 4-H members with the opportunity to compete at the state level. Contests are designed to challenge a 4-H member’s skill and knowledge and to recognize demonstrated safety, abilities, marksmanship, and concentration.
In the recent contests, participants competed in air pistol, air rifle, archery, shotgun and smallbore rifle.
Air Rifle: In the junior division, Karlie Lynn, of Bedford County, earned first place. Maggie Palfrey, of Indiana County, won the senior division. The Blair County 4-H Sharpshooters won the junior and senior team categories.
Air Pistol: In the individual junior contest, Wyatt Hancock, of Susquehanna County, earned first place. The winner of the senior division was Naomi Cross, of Susquehanna County. The York County Air Pistols won first place in the senior team division.
Recurve archery: Lillian Greiner, of Chester County, won first place in the junior individual category.
Compound archery: Cooper Steele, of Indiana County, earned first place in the junior individual division. The first-place junior team was the Indiana County Junior Archery Miss Small A. In the senior division, Gavin Cottrell, of Fulton County, earned first place. The Montgomery County 4-H Archery Club earned first place in the senior team division.
Smallbore Rifle: Cooper Steele finished first in the junior individual contest. The Armstrong Bullseyes, of Armstrong County, earned first place as a junior team. In the senior division, Madison Allen, of Somerset County, who is part of the Jerome Junior Rifle Team, earned first place as an individual, and her team took first place in the senior team category.
Shotgun: Brendan Cole, of Greene County, earned first place as an individual in the junior category. The Greene County 4-H Shotgun Club won the junior team category. In the senior division, Cameron Hixson, of Fulton County, won the individual category. The Greene County Shotgun Club won the senior team category.
The Pennsylvania 4-H shooting sports program focuses on safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment, fostering sound decision-making and promoting safety, sportsmanship, and ethical behavior.
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a nonformal educational youth-development program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that helps young people develop knowledge and skills to become capable, caring and contributing citizens. To find your local program, visit the Pennsylvania 4-H website.
