GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – For the first time in two years, Oregon State University Extension 4-H’ers competed in the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships.
The opening day brought blustery winds, thunderstorms and lightning.
Oregon competed in compound archery, hunting and outdoor skills, shotgun and small-bore rifle. In overall team standings, Oregon placed 16th in compound archery, 16th in small-bore rifle and 18th in shotgun.
“There is nothing quite as amazing as a lightning and thunderstorm in the heartland. One moment the sky is clear, then you look up again and see a big wall of angry,” said David White, recently retired as state 4-H specialist for outdoor and recreation and coordinator of the 4-H Shooting Sports program in Oregon. White also completed his second term on the National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee.
The focus of all 4-H programs is the development of youth as individuals and as responsible, productive citizens. In the Oregon 4-H Shooting Sports Program, youth explore interests and passions, develop positive relationships with caring adults, and learn to safely and responsibly use firearms and archery equipment.
Oregon 4-H sent 12 competitors and four coaches to Nebraska for the June championships, held at the Heartland Public Shooting Park, about two hours from Omaha.
Competing in four disciplines
Oregon competed in compound archery, hunting and outdoor skills, shotgun and small-bore rifle. In overall team standings, Oregon placed 16th in compound archery, 16th in small-bore rifle and 18th in shotgun.
The compound archery team — Reece King (50th), Garrett Marshall (60th), Seth Sheely (66th) and Rhyan Turner (69th) — was coached by Mark King. On the second day, field round archers used umbrellas to block the wind from the shooting line.
As in archery, wind also challenged the small-bore rifle and shotgun teams.
“Coach James Fritz kept them focused on the silhouettes that seemed so far down range the metal targets looked like dots on the horizon,” White said. “I walked the sporting clays course, and clays were coming from all directions, immediately tossed around by the wind.”
Individual results
In small-bore rifle, Rachel Biscoe finished 43rd, Roman Fritz 44th and Jacoy Don 56th.
In shotgun, Seth Colton placed 61st, Logan Lee 69th, James Lange 73rd and Carson King 87th. Kevin Tollefson coached the team.
Kellen Gronquist, the only Oregon competitor in hunting skills, placed 23rd. He was 44th after the first two days — which included general hunting skills, map reading and compass, and shotgun — then jumped in the standings on the final day with strong scores in hunting decision-making and small-bore hunting. He was coached by Kelly Gronquist.
“It’s tough when you are the lone representative in a discipline,” White said. “Yet, Kellen quietly persevered as most hunters do in the pursuit of game.”
A shared bond
Each competitor qualified for the national championships through scores at the 2019 Oregon 4-H Shooting Sports State Contest, which draws hundreds of participants each year.
After the event, White reflected with Jon Gandy, Jefferson County 4-H coordinator and OSU Extension 4-H state representative.
“We recognized each competitor arrived as an individual,” White said. “They reached the national championships based on solo efforts. They left Grand Island with a unique, common bond shared only by their predecessors. For some, this was their last 4-H experience before moving on with their adult lives.
“We might see some of this team return to Grand Island in 2022. Needless to say, Jon and I remain proud to be associated with such fine representatives of the Oregon 4-H Shooting Sports Program.”
