Burlington--Six Vermont 4-H club members had the opportunity to compete at the 2024 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, June 23-28 in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Vermont was one of 40 states represented at this highly competitive event where more than 700 4-H youths, ages 14-18, competed on teams in one of nine disciplines. Vermont sent both a muzzleloader and.22 smallbore pistol team to this year's championships. They were accompanied by their coaches and Kandy Petty of St. Johnsbury, the group coordinator.

Representing the state on the muzzleloader team were Mason Carter, Granville, New York; Robert Harris, Poultney; and Michelle Roy, St. Johnsbury. They were coached by Frederick Mead, Castleton, and Doug Petty, St. Johnsbury.

During the week, team members took part in three contests: 50-yard bulls-eye, 25-yard novelty and silhouette, with an 8th-place finish in the novelty contest and 12th-place overall. Mason was 6th-high individual in novelty and finished 28th overall in a field of 64 competitors. Robert Harris’s best event was bulls-eye where he placed 17th, coming in 46th overall. Michelle ranked 37th overall with a 23rd-place finish in novelty.

Misha Chirkova, Newbury; Nick McReynolds, Danville; and Julian Mercy, Hardwick; competed on the .22 pistol team with David Hale, East Hardwick, as their coach. 

The team placed 13th overall with Julian finishing in the top third for individual overall score in a field of 62 strong competitors with a 20th-place ranking. Nick came in 53rd and Misha, 57th.  Their events included silhouette, slow fire bulls-eye and Camp Perry Round (series of slow, timed and rapid fire rounds).

In addition to the daily competitions, participants also took part in an opening ceremony parade and got acquainted with 4-H'ers from other states at an island-themed teen social and dance, hosted by the National 4-H Teen Ambassadors.

The annual event is sponsored by Nebraska 4-H. To learn more about the shooting sports program in Vermont, contact University of Vermont Extension 4-H Educator Holly Ferris at (802) 656-7562 or holly.ferris@uvm.edu.