South Dakota’s team tied for second place for the sweepstakes award at the 2024 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships and two Marshall County shooters finished among the top 10 air rifle shooters in the country.
Local shooters Clay Crawford placed fourth and Austin Crawford was 10th overall in the air rifle competition.
The South Dakota Air Rifle team was first in the 3-P competition, second in standing, third in silhouettes, and second overall. Clay Crawford was second in 3-P and fourth in standing to earn his four place overall finish. Austin Crawford was fifth in 3-P on the way to his 10th overall finish. Zoe Dissing of Minnehaha County was South Dakota’s other placer and finished fifth in standing, ninth in 3-P, and fifth overall.
Thirty-five youth representing South Dakota State University Extension 4-H competed at the national championships from June 24-28 in Grand Island, NE. The annual competition drew 708 youth from 40 states to demonstrate their abilities in archery and shooting across multiple disciplines.
South Dakota tied with Missouri for the second-place sweepstakes award. Louisiana won first place. For team events, SDSU Extension 4-H won 3-P air rifle and second place in overall air rifle. South Dakota also won second place as a team in overall air pistol.
Landon Tieszen from Turner County scored the highest individually, winning first place in 3-D compound archery and third place overall in archery.
“South Dakota’s 4-H Shooting Sports program continues to reach new heights in the overall placing at nationals. The success of the youth participating there starts with the county-level volunteers,” said John Keimig, SDSU Extension Youth Safety Field Specialist. “Those local volunteers help to lay a tremendous foundation for these young competitors to build upon. Our success is a reflection of those efforts.”
Senior 4-H members must qualify at one of three competitions to make it to the national contest. They can only compete in a division once but can return in other divisions.
South Dakota also had three members participate in the 4-H Shooting Sports National Ambassador program, which included additional responsibilities during the national championships such as announcing and handing out awards.
