Forty 4-H shooting sports athletes from across North Dakota gathered in Devils Lake to compete in the 2025 North Dakota State 4-H Air Rifle Championship on April 5. Representing 4-H clubs from Cass, Pierce, Ramsey, Rolette and Stark-Billings counties, young athletes showcased their skills in a day full of remarkable performances.

The match featured both benchrest and three-position air rifle events. Youth ages 10 and under competed from the bench, while junior and senior athletes fired a three-position match (kneeling, prone and standing) with their sporter air rifles.

In the beginner division, 19 youth fired impressive scores from the bench. Holly Brekhus claimed first place, followed by Kayla Whillock in second. In an exciting team finish, the Ward County team of Whillock, Hunter Vickery and Zane Lee secured the top spot with a score of 1618, edging out the Ramsey County team (Brekhus, Madison Rode and Saira Kalwar) by just 10 points. Pierce County (Kendrick Kongslie, Archer Eagleson and Aubryn Migler) rounded out the top three with a team score of 1591.

Notably, over half the beginner shooters scored 500 or better, which may reflect a bright future for North Dakota 4-H shooting sports.

In the junior division, nine competitors vied for top honors. Josie Brekhus delivered a dominant performance, posting a score of 500 to win by a wide margin. Her score, along with strong performances from Landon Larson and Rylan Pallanch, led Ramsey County to the top team title, followed by Ward County in second.

The senior division saw some tight competition among five athletes. Deegan Hahn of Cass County earned first place, narrowly defeating Kallen Azure of Pierce County by just three points.

In the masters division’s three-position team match, the Ramsey County team of Brady Schuler, Lauren Stiven, Isaac Vaagen and Rachel Vaagen posted the top aggregate score. Stiven also recorded the highest individual score of the entire match.

As a result of their strong performance, Schuler, Stiven, Isaac Vaagen and Rachel Vaagen will represent North Dakota 4-H at the 4-H National Air Rifle Championship in Grand Island, Nebraska, during the final week of June.

North Dakota 4-H is a program of North Dakota State University Extension.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – May 8, 2025

Source: Sara Clemens, 701-877-2589, sara.clemens@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu