KING WILLIAM — Each year, the state Departments of Wildlife Resources across the country host the Youth Hunter Education Challenge, and this year the King William 4-H Shooting Sports team was definitely up for it.
The competition is a rigorous one, including five events (hunter responsibility and wildlife identification exam, shotgun clay shooting, 3-D archery, .22-rifle silhouettes and outdoor skills course).
Teams from all over the state gathered on May 6-7 at Holiday Lake 4-H Center in Appomattox for the Virginia YHEC. Each team is further broken down to compete in teams of five. King William’s Junior Team GG and Senior Team D won first overall.
The young team excelled in their disciplines, with Junior Team GG (Hunter Carlton, Sierra Carlton, Sarah Coffee, Robert Rice and Taylor Tetley) placing first in all events. Junior Team HH placed third in shotgun (Brice Chappell, Chandler Eubank, Christopher Rice, Lane Porch and Levi Porch). Senior Team D (Joey Bellina, Josiah Matthews, Nathan Reynolds, Emma Tetley and Victoria Whitt) placed in four out of the five events.
During the summer, the team will shoot in Virginia district competitions and prepare for the Virginia State 4-H Shoot and RL Harris Jr. Memorial 4-H Shotgun Championship in September.
The shooters, coaches and parents of the King William 4-H Shooting Sports team greatly appreciate their generous supporters, including the Twin Rivers Chapter of the Sportsmen of Virginia, King William Ruritans, River City Chapter of the National Deer Association, Friends of the NRA, Bob Haas, J.N. Mills and Sons, Edwin Mills, the Tetley family, the Eubank family and Hollyfield Manor. The team could not make it without these supporters, and the families and coaches who volunteer their time and resources.
King William Shooting Sports Youth Hunter Education Challenge Awards
Senior Team D
1st place team overall
1st place team shotgun
3rd place team archery
Jackson Murray: 3rd place individual overall, 3rd place individual shotgun
Emma Tetley: 1st place individual outdoor skills
Junior Team GG
1st place team overall
1st place team shotgun, archery, .22-rifle, hunter responsibility/wildlife ID exam, outdoor skills
Sarah Coffee: 1st overall junior champion, 1st place individual hunter responsibility/wildlife ID exam and outdoor skills; 3rd place individual archery
Hunter Carlton: 2nd overall junior champion; 2nd place individual hunter responsibility/wildlife ID exam, outdoor skills, rifle, archery; 3rd place individual shotgun
Junior Team HH
3rd place team Shotgun
Chandler Eubank: 3rd place individual Hunter Responsibility/Wildlife ID Exam and Outdoor Skills
Tracey S. Carlton is with King William 4-H Shooting Sports.
