This year, 168 youth participated in the Brookings County 4-H Shooting Sports program. Many of these youth went on to compete in the State 4-H Shoot on April 27-29 in Fort Pierre.

The shooting sports program recognized all of their participants and those who earned ribbons or awards on July 10. This event presented awards to beginners, juniors, seniors and shooting teams who excelled in BB gun, .22 pistol, .22 rifle, air pistol, air rifle, and archery throughout the January-April season. Awards were based off performance and participation in Match 1, Match 2, State Shoot, and the shooting sports program over-all.

Shooters at state are then separated by age groups and equipment in one of the largest youth shooting events in South Dakota. Youth who excel at the top of their divisions are invited to compete in the National 4-H Shooting Sports Championship event. This year, three Brookings County youth members represented Brookings County on South Dakota teams at the 2024 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, which took place June 23-28 in Grand Island, Nebraska.

The youth representatives were:

• Ella Jacobson, Volga – .22 Rifle
• Josie Nold, Brookings – Hunting Skills
• Teadon Seaboy, Brookings – Archery

Members awarded a top five placing at the state shoot:

• 1st Place – Junior Archery (CWS); Levi Liljegren, Brookings
• 1st Place – Beginner Archery (CWSR 3-D); Cody Hanson, Brookings
• 1st Place – Junior Archery (CWOS); Callie VanderWal, Volga
• 2nd Place – Junior Archery (CWOSR); Bailey Gjernes, Brookings
• 5th Place – Beginner Archery (C-Open); Cruise Wheelhouse, Sinai
• 1st Place – Senior Archery (RWS); Terissa Taylor, Egan
• 1st Place – Senior Archery (R-Open); Terissa Taylor, Egan
• 2nd Place – Senior Archery (R-Open); Preston Singrey, Arlington
• 1st Place – Senior Archery (R-Open 3-D); Terissa Taylor, Egan
• 5th Place – Beginner Air Rifle; Sara Dupraz, Aurora
• 4th Place – Beginner Air Rifle; Sara Dupraz, Aurora
• 2nd Place – Beginner Air Pistol (Rapid Fire); Kaylin Gjernes, Brookings
• 3rd Place – Beginner Air Pistol (Rapid Fire); Otto Haselhorst, Brookings
• 4th Place – Senior Air Pistol (Rapid Fire); Teadon Seaboy, Brookings
• 4th Place – Junior .22 Pistol; Brady Nutter, Brookings
• 1st Place – Senior .22 Pistol; Dylan Vande Kop, Brookings
• 1st Place – Junior .22 Rifle (3-P); Levi Liljegren, Brookings
• 3rd Place – Junior .22 Rifle (3-P); Bailey Gjernes, Brookings
• 4th Place – Junior .22 Rifle (3-P); Brady Nutter, Brookings
• 5th Place – Senior .22 Rifle (3-P); Ella Jacobson, Volga
• 4th Place – Junior .22 Rifle (CMP T-Class); Bailey Gjernes, Brookings
• 5th Place – Junior .22 Rifle (CMP T-Class); Brady Nutter, Brookings
• 1st Place – Junior .22 Rifle (Silhouettes); Levi Liljegren, Brookings
• 2nd Place – Junior .22 Rifle (Silhouettes); Bailey Gjernes, Brookings
• 2nd Place – Senior .22 Rifle (Silhouettes); Ella Jacobson, Volga
• 3rd Place – Senior .22 Rifle (Silhouettes); Amelia Jacobson, Volga

Teams awarded a top five placing at the state shoot:

• 5th Place – Beginner Team CWSR: Kaylin Gjernes, Brookings; Cruise Wheelhouse, Sinai; Nolan Nemitz, Brookings
• 5th Place – Beginner Team CWOS: Jace McDowell, Elkton; Bentley Aas, Bruce; Kevin Chao, Brookings; Kayleigh Nutter, Brookings
• 5th Place – Junior Team CWOS: Max Merkley, Brookings; Graham Gerlach, Elkton; Callie VanderWal, Volga; Sophia Hansen, Bruce
• 2nd Place – Senior Team CWOS: Aubrey Underwood, Brookings; Kamryn Streich, Brookings; Jordyn Johnson, Brookings; Ava Smith, Aurora
• 4th Place – Beginner Team BB Gun: Kaylin Gjernes, Brookings; Lyndzie Anderson, Brookings; Cody Hanson, Brookings; Nolan Nemitz, Brookings
• 5th Place – Senior Team Air Pistol: Ella Jacobson, Volga; Teadon Seaboy, Brookings; Ava Smith, Aurora; Thatcher Haselhorst, Brookings
• 1st Place – Senior Team .22 Pistol: Chasen Heller, Brookings; Teadon Seaboy, Brookings; Blake Herrig, Brookings; Dylan Vande Kop, Brookings
• 1st Place – Junior Team .22 (3-P): Halle IntVeld, Bruce; Brady Nutter, Brookings, Levi Liljegren, Brookings; Bailey Gjernes, Brookings
• 2nd Place – Senior Team .22 (3-P): Lidia Dupraz, Aurora; Mackennzie Anderson, Brookings; Ella Jacobson, Volga; Lacie Weber, Rutland
• 4th Place – Senior Team .22 (3-P): Carter IntVeld, Bruce; Tyson Springman, Brookings; Josie Nold, Brookings
• 5th Place – Senior Team .22 (3-P): Preston Singrey, Arlington; Cheyenne Vander Wal, Bruce; Amelia Jacobson, Volga; Morgan Lemme, Volga
• 2nd Place – Junior Team .22 (CMP): Bailey Gjernes, Brookings; Brady Nutter, Brookings, Levi Liljegren, Brookings; Lucas Underwood, Brookings
• 5th Place – Senior Team .22 (CMP): Mackennzie Anderson, Brookings; Lidia Dupraz, Aurora; Preston Singrey, Arlington; Landin Tucker, Brookings