BROOKINGS – South Dakota 4-H members received national recognition during the 2019 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships held in Grand Island, Neb. June 23-28.

Of the 659 youth from across the United States who competed, 36 were South Dakota 4-H members who qualified during the 2019 4-H Spring Shoot in Pierre and the 2018 4-H Fall Shoot in Mitchell.

Among the South Dakota teams who received national recognition was the South Dakota Air Pistol team. Air Pistol placed fourth overall, fifth in Slow Fire and second in Silhouettes. Eli Fanning of Hand County placed eighth in Silhouettes, Tee McAmis of Butte County placed fifth in Silhouettes and seventh overall and Kenzee Schafer of Jerauld County placed fifth overall and was eighth in Slow Fire. The air pistol team was coached by 4-H volunteer Art Kneen of Sanborn County.

South Dakota Small Bore rifle team members that also competed include Brooke Wika, Dane Wika and Brayton Mack of Brookings County and Evan Ohlrogge of Sanborn County. The Small Bore rifle team was coached by Tom Smith, a Lawrence County 4-H volunteer.

All states represented at the 2019 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships with complete teams (a team in each of the nine disciplines) competed for a sweepstakes award, of which South Dakota placed seventh.

For more information on 4-H shooting sports, contact John Keimig, SDSU Extension Youth Safety Field Specialist by email or call 605.688.4167.

…Check out a photo in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal.