St. Johnsbury--For 58 Vermont 4-H club members, the weekend of July 16-18 provided an opportunity to show off skills and expertise acquired through the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H Shooting Sports Program.
The occasion was the 36th annual 4-H Shooting Sports Jamboree held at the Caledonia Forest and Stream Club in St. Johnsbury. The Green Mountain 4-H Shooting Sports Club, Lyndonville, and the Caledonia Sharp Shooters, St. Johnsbury, hosted the event, which was sponsored by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H.
Eight 4-H clubs were represented at the event. In addition to the two host clubs, other participating clubs were Green Mountain 4-H, Springfield; High Hopes 4-H Club, Fairfax; Oxbow Mountain 4-H Shooting Sports Club, Pawlet; Mt. Mansfield Pioneers, Jericho; Pownal Valley Sharpshooters, Pownal; Upper Valley Bullseyes 4-H Club, Bradford.
On Friday afternoon, instruction was offered in all disciplines for 4-H'ers wanting to get in additional practice or receive coaching help before the competition the following day. Contests included archery, pistol, rifle, Seneca Run (muzzleloader, hawk and knife throw, instinctive bow, fire starting), shotgun and hunting/wildlife skills. The latter entailed identification of animal skulls, feathers, furs, tracks and scat; shoot/don't shoot hunting scenarios and a timed map and compass contest.
At Sunday's closing ceremony, the top three individuals in each age division and discipline were awarded gold (first), silver (second) and bronze (third) medals with an honorable mention certificate for the fourth-place finisher.
Winners, listed in order of placement from first to fourth, were:
OVERALL HIGH SCORERS:
SENIOR (14-18): Brady Roy, Springfield; Luke McReynolds, Danville; Colby Butler, Dorset. Honorable Mention: Jayden Mead, Poultney.
JUNIOR (11-13): Isaac Osinchuk, Springfield; Misha Chirkov, Newbury; Nick McReynolds, Danville. Honorable Mention: Ivan Osinchuk, Springfield
NOVICE (8-10): Jacob Mead, Poultney; Noah Buck, West Pawlet; Brooke Flewelling, Rutland. Honorable Mention (tie): Scout Barney, Bennington, and Nicolas Nadal, Jericho
ARCHERY
SENIOR: Uma Chirkova, Newbury; Luke McReynolds, Danville; Andy McReynolds, Danville. Honorable Mention: Jonathan Churchill, Groton
JUNIOR: Misha Chirkov, Newbury; Jackson Dwyer, Lyndonville; Isaac Osinchuk, Springfield. Honorable Mention: Ivan Osinchuk, Springfield
NOVICE: Chloe Johnson, Concord; Brooke Flewelling, Rutland; Baylie Smith, Concord. Honorable Mention: Noah Buck, West Pawlet
HUNTING/WILDLIFE SKILLS:
SENIOR: Luke McReynolds, Danville; Uma Chirkova, Newbury; Brady Roy, Springfield. Honorable Mention: Gabriel St. Martin, Wells
JUNIOR: Misha Chirkov, Newbury; Henry Bradshaw, Jericho; Isaac Osinchuk, Springfield. Honorable Mention: Nick McReynolds, Danville
NOVICE: Wyatt DeLance, Castleton; Brooke Flewelling, Rutland; Margaret Williams, Newbury. Honorable Mention: Brody Decker, Lake George, New York
PISTOL (.22 pistol or air pistol, depending on competitor's age)
SENIOR: Elijah Beinner-Desranleau, Burlington; Brady Roy, Springfield; Taylor Tetreault, Groton. Honorable Mention: Hayley Michaud, East Hardwick
JUNIOR: Isaac Osinchuk, Springfield; Misha Chirkov, Newbury; Ivan Osinchuk, Springfield. Honorable Mention: Abby McReynolds, Danville
NOVICE: Jacob Mead, Poultney; Tony Perez, Arlington; Nicolas Nadal, Jericho. Honorable Mention: Wyatt DeLance, Castleton
RIFLE:
SENIOR: Brady Roy, Springfield; Colton Masure, St. Johnsbury; Colby Butler, Dorset. Honorable Mention: Taylor Tetreault, Groton
JUNIOR: Henry Bradshaw, Jericho; Isaac Osinchuk, Springfield; Nick McReynolds, Danville. Honorable Mention: Riley Perez, Arlington
NOVICE: Scout Barney, Bennington; Tony Perez, Arlington; Hadley Michaud, East Hardwick. Honorable Mention: Jayden Knapp, Bennington
SENECA RUN:
SENIOR: Brady Roy, Springfield; Lucas Mattison, Eagle Bridge, New York; Jonathan Churchill, Groton. Honorable Mention: Andy McReynolds, Danville
JUNIOR: Ivan Osinchuk, Springfield; Abby McReynolds, Danville; Misha Chirkov, Newbury. Honorable Mention: Logan Goodridge, Irasburg
NOVICE: Noah Buck, West Pawlet; Jacob Mead, Poultney; Conner Parent, Jericho. Honorable Mention: Brooke Flewelling, Rutland
SHOTGUN:
SENIOR: Gabriel St. Martin, Wells; Colby Butler, Dorset; Elijah Beinner-Desranleau, Burlington. Honorable Mention: Jayden Mead, Poultney
JUNIOR: Nick McReynolds, Danville; Isaac Osinchuk, Springfield, Abby McReynolds, Danville. Honorable Mention: Cody Herbst, West Pawlet
NOVICE: Jacob Mead, Poultney; Jayden Knapp, Bennington; Brody Decker, Lake George, New York. Honorable Mention (three-way tie): Scout Barney, Bennington; Brooke Flewelling, Rutland; Baylie Smith, Concord
A special award of a pocket knife was presented to Bob Hamel, Lyndonville, in recognition of his 40+ years as a Vermont 4-H volunteer and 37 years as a 4-H shooting sports volunteer. Hamel, known as "Mr. Jamboree," works with the Green Mountain 4-H Shooting Sports Club.
Assisting with the awards ceremony were National 4-H Shooting Sports Teen Ambassadors Colby Butler, Dorset (Oxbow Mountain 4-H Shooting Sports) and Uma Chirkova, Newbury (Caledonia Sharp Shooters).
Ten 4-H Cloverbuds, ages 5-7, attended this year's jamboree although were too young to compete. Instead they participated in a number of fun activities relating to the various shooting sports disciplines. Pownal Valley Sharpshooters volunteer Karen Tendrup, Sandgate, organized activities for these younger 4-H'ers.
Taking part in the 4-H Cloverbud Jamboree were Isaac Bradshaw, Jericho; Jacob and Joey Gajewsky, Arlington; Dylan Goodridge, Irasburg; Josie Nadal, Jericho; Isabel Osinchuk, Springfield; Aislyn Parent, Cambridge; Samuel St. Martin, Wells; Holdyn Smith, Concord; and Gwyneth Williams, Newbury.
To learn more about the 4-H shooting sports program and clubs, contact Lisa Muzzey, UVM Extension 4-H Shooting Sports coordinator, at lisa.muzzey@uvm.edu.
