Pawlet—Pawlet was the place to be the weekend of July 19-21 as 72 4-H’ers competed for gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2024 Vermont 4-H Shooting Sports Jamboree, sponsored by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H.
Members of the Oxbow Mountain Shooting Sports Club, Pawlet, and Pownal Valley 4-H Sharpshooters, Pownal, hosted the event, which was held at the Ross Gravel Pit. Other participating clubs were the Caledonia Sharp Shooters, St. Johnsbury; Cedar Lake 4-H Shooting Sports, Bristol; Green Mountain 4-H, Springfield; Green Mountain Shooting Sports 4-H Club, St. Johnsbury; Sunset Hill 4-H Club, Williston; and Upper Valley Bullseyes 4-H Club, Bradford.
Andy McReynolds of Danville, a member of the Green Mountain Shooting Sports 4-H Club, received the Sean Tillotson Sportsmanship Award. The recipient, chosen by jamboree participants, embodies the qualities that Sean, who passed away unexpectedly in 2014, embraced including good sportsmanship, determination and compassion. He was a member of the Caledonia Sharp Shooters and Green Mountain Shooting Sports 4-H clubs.
Contests were held for archery, pistol, rifle, Seneca Run (timed events including fire starting, hawk and knife throw, longbow and black powder rifle), shotgun and hunting/wildlife skills. The latter involved hunter safety, a timed compass course and identification of animal furs, feathers, skulls, scat and tracks.
The 4-H’ers competed by age group: Seniors (14-18), Juniors (11-13) and Novices (8-10). Medals and certificates were awarded to the three highest overall scorers in each age group and the three highest scorers in each discipline. The results are as follows:
OVERALL HIGH SCORERS:
- SENIOR: Isaac Osinchuk, Springfield (first); Andy McReynolds, Danville (second); Julian Mercy, Hardwick (third); Mason Carter, Granville, New York (fourth)
- JUNIOR: Wyatt DeLance, Castleton (first); Margaret Williams, Newbury (second); Noah Buck, Rupert (third); Caiden Johnson, Concord (fourth)
- NOVICE: Layne Niemiec, Charlestown, New Hampshire (first); Josiah Noel, St. Johnsbury (second); Zayden Perkins, Manchester Center (third); Gwyneth Williams, Newbury (fourth)
For the individual disciplines, the top placements were:
ARCHERY
- SENIOR: Isaac Osinchuk, Springfield (first); Misha Chirkov, Newbury (second); Andy McReynolds, Danville (third); Brayden Isham, St. Johnsbury (fourth)
- JUNIOR: Evelyn Fentiman, Fairlee (first); Baylie Smith (second) and Caiden Johnson (third), both from Concord; Remington Card, Williston (fourth)
- NOVICE: Matthew Fentiman, Fairlee (first); Emma Donaghy, West Burke (second); Colt Card, Williston (third); Gwyneth Williams, Newbury (fourth)
HUNTING/WILDLIFE:
- SENIOR: Misha Chirkov, Newbury (first); Logan Potter, Brandon (second); Andy McReynolds, Danville (third); Julian Mercy, Hardwick (fourth)
- JUNIOR: Noah Buck, Rupert (first); Shane Bradley, Danville (second); Baylie Smith, Concord (third); Margaret Williams, Newbury (fourth)
- NOVICE: Emma Donaghy, West Burke (first); Kenneth Myers, Pownal (second); Josiah Noel, St. Johnsbury (third); Colt Card, Williston (fourth)
PISTOL (.22 pistol or air pistol, depending on competitor's age):
- SENIOR: Julian Mercy, Hardwick (first); Andy McReynolds, Danville (second); Mason Carter, Granville, New York (third); Bristol Card, Williston (fourth)
- JUNIOR: Caiden Johnson, Concord (first); Margaret Williams, Newbury (second); Temperance Allen, Lyndonville (third); Wyatt DeLance, Castleton (fourth)
- NOVICE: Layne Niemiec, Charlestown, New Hampshire (first); Zayden Perkins, Manchester Center (second); Jacob Gajewsky, Sandgate (third); Emma Donaghy, West Burke (fourth)
RIFLE:
- SENIOR: Isaac Osinchuk (first) and Ivan Osinchuk (second), both from Springfield; Corbin Johnson, Concord (third); Julian Mercy, Hardwick, and Mason Carter, Granville, New York (tie for fourth)
- JUNIOR: Margaret Williams, Newbury (first); Wyatt DeLance, Castleton (second); Grayson Conrad, Bristol (third); Memphis Whitcomb, Williston (fourth)
- NOVICE: Layne Niemiec, Charlestown, New Hampshire (first); Joey Gajewsky, Sandgate (second); Gwyneth Williams, Newbury (third); Liam McBey, Waterford (fourth)
SENECA RUN:
- SENIOR: Misha Chirkov, Newbury (first); Andy McReynolds, Danville (second); Mason Carter, Granville, New York (third); Gabriel St. Martin, Wells (fourth)
- JUNIOR: Baylie Smith, Concord (first); David Mitchell, Thetford Center (second); Tony Perez, Arlington (third); Chloe Johnson, Concord (fourth)
- NOVICE: Layne Niemiec, Charlestown, New Hampshire (first); Josiah Noel, St. Johnsbury (second); Jacob Gajewsky, Sandgate (third); Zayden Perkins, Manchester Center (fourth)
SHOTGUN:
- SENIOR: Gabriel St. Martin, Wells (first); Corbin Johnson, Concord (second); Isaac Osinchuck, Springfield (third); Mason Carter, Granville, New York (fourth)
- JUNIOR: Noah Buck, Rupert (first); Wyatt DeLance, Castleton (second); David Mitchell, Thetford Center (third); Chloe and Caiden Johnson, Concord (tie for fourth)
- NOVICE: Layne Niemiec, Charlestown, New Hampshire (first); Gideon Allen, Lyndonville (second); Josiah Noel, St. Johnsbury (third); Joey Gajewsky, Sandgate, and Gwyneth Williams, Newbury (tie for fourth)
To learn more about the Vermont Shooting Sports Program, contact Holly Ferris, UVM Extension 4-H Shooting Sports coordinator, at holly.ferris@uvm.edu.