by Travis Hoesli
Extension Agent/County Director
Sixteen members from the Grand County Shooting Sports program participated in the state 4-H hooting Sports State Shoot. The competitions began the weekend of August 18 and 19 in Pueblo, Colorado with the state archery and 22 rifle competition. On Saturday, August 18, junior archery members, Madison Mullinex, Stella Byrne, and Aspyn Fazier, competed in two different classes based on how their compound bows were set up. Madison Mullinex competed in the limited class where she posted a combined score in stationary and 3-D targets of 154 which ranked her 15 out of 119 shooters.
Stella Byrne also competed in the limited class where she ranked 69 out of 119 with a score of 116. Aspyn finished off Saturday’s events with a score of 23 in the tradition compound class and ranked 32 out of 35 competitors.
Finishing out the first weekend of competition for State 4- H shoots were the senior archers and the junior 22 rifle competitions. Lance Eisenman started the Sundays events off with his first ever competition on the state level in the four positions 22 rifle hunt class. He posted a combined score of 64 for all position which placed him 102 out of 113 shooters. Later in the day we had two senior archers compete in the compound unlimited class. Madison Jump scored a 296 combined on stationary competition and 3-D targets which ranked her 63 out of 77 shooters. Carson Culbreath had a new state competition high score with a combined score of 331 which ranked him 47 out of 77 shooters.
The second weekend of State 4-H Shooting Competition for Grand County Members was held on Sunday, September 2. Eleven members and parents traveled to the Pikes Peaks Gun Club in Colorado Springs to compete in 22 pistol, junior trap, and senior trap shotgun competitions. Barrett Acker was the sole competitor in the 22 pistol competition where he participated in the slow fire, rapid fire, and silhouette target rounds. Barrett posted a combined score of 100 which placed him 36. Barrett was able to compete in 22 pistol this year in Grand County due to equipment purchased from NRA Foundation Grant. Grand Counties Senior trap team was next to compete. Senior team members consisted of Austin Schake, Dane Biekert, Carson Culbreath, Lauren Hoesli and Daisy Byrne. The senior team combined the top four individual scores to make a team score of 142. The team ranked 21 out of 33 county teams. Austin Schake was the high individual on the team with a score of 45 which ranked him 40 out of 150 shooters. The junior team consisting of Emily Perdue, Jackson Salyards, Cruze Hanson, Rider Linke, and Blake Terryberry, finished the day of competition up on Sunday. They combined their top four scores to total 130 which placed the team 19 out of 34 teams. Emily Perdue was the top individual on the team with a score of 42 and that placed her 32 out of 125 individual shooters at the State competition. The Grand County Shooting sports program would like to thank all the parent and leaders that helped get kids to and from practice this year. All the kids came home from State Shoots looking to improve their skills next year and return again to the state.
 Todd Perdue (coach), Taura Perdue (Shotgun Leader/coach), Gene Abram (Shotgun Leader/coach), Carson Culbreath, DaisyByrne,Tommy Lynn(coach), Dane Biekert, Austin Schake and Mitch Acker(22 Pistol Leader/coach) (Front L to R) Barrett Acker, Rider Linke, EmilyPerdue, Blake Terryberry, Lauren Hoesli, Jackson Salyards and CruzeHanson.){kind=link}