4-H shooting sports champions crowned

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
With 4-H shooting competition coach Brian Ramey looking over his shoulder, shooter Tanner Dean takes part in the shotgun portion of the annual Putnam County Fair shooting competition. The shooting contest was conducted Saturday at the Cloverdale Conservation Club.

CLOVERDALE -- Taking aim at another successful year for the 4-H Shooting Sports firearms group, the 2011 program consisted of three nights a week for five weeks at the Cloverdale Conservation Club.

Each youth was afforded the opportunity to participate in shotgun clay bird games, 22-caliber rimfire bench rest rifle competition and pistol speed shooting.

Safe and enjoyable shooting sport sessions were had by local youth, project coordinator Jerrod Baugh said.

Each shooting session started with the review of the basic rules of firearms safety:

-- Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

-- Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

-- Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target.

-- Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

Top Gun winners with the best combined scores in each of the three categories were (from left in right photo) Jacob Williams, Top Gun, and Declan Taylor, Top Gun runner-up.

The youths' skills were then put to a test in a round-robin competition Saturday afternoon at the Cloverdale Conservation Club.

Participants fired using each of the three disciples. Putnam County Fair champions were selected in each category and an overall Top Gun was named among those who placed well in each category and produced the best combined score.

Jared Hays emerged as pistol champion, Emmett Holsapple was named shotgun champion and Blake Bennett won rifle champion honors.

Reserve champions were Emmett Holsapple in pistol, Jacob Williams in shotgun and Reddy Smith in rifle.

Jacob Williams captured Top Gun honors, with Declan Taylor runner-up.

The West Central Chapter of Quail Unlimited served lunch for each shooter and their family. The Putnam County Fraternal Order of Police donated supplies and awards.

Champions of the 4-H firearms round-robin event Saturday, July 16 at the Cloverdale Conservation Club were (from left) Jared Hays, Pistol champion; Emmett Holsapple, Shotgun champion; and Blake Bennett, Rifle champion.

The full year's program was made possible by donations from The NRA Foundation, Quail Unlimited, Dr. Daryl Hodges and the Capt. Jim Baugh Memorial Fund.

Anyone interested in supporting the program through volunteering or making a donation should contact project coordinator Jerrod Baugh through the Putnam County 4H Extension Office.

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  • I would like to congradulate all the youths that participated and thank all the parents and the community for giving these children and great opportunity to learn responsilbity and the skills taught with shooting sports. Good Job All

    -- Posted by worrieddaddy on Wed, Jul 20, 2011, at 8:42 PM
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