North Dakota’s 4-H shooting sports archery team placed third and the shotgun team placed 14th in the 4-H National Shooting Sports Championships in Grand Island, Nebraska.

This year was the largest competition in the event’s 23-year history. Teams from 42 states and 718 athletes met to test their skills. The contest is a three-day competition with youth ages 14 to 18 competing in a different event in their division each day.

The top three scorers on the state championship team qualified to participate in the national event. The individual state champion also joins the state championship team if not already a member.

Members of the North Dakota archery team were Bennet Schuler, Hatley Hetletved and Kadin Beneke from Morton County and Trace Christ from Stutsman County. Members of the shotgun team were Josh Entzel, Jack Gebhardt and Kaden Schafer from Morton County and Ty Awender from Dickey County.

The national archery competition had 111 archers with 32 teams. In the individual standings, Schuler finished third place overall and was national field archery champion. Beneke placed 14th, Hetletvedt placed 36th and Christ placed 62nd.

The national shotgun competition had 131 competitors with 34 teams. In the individual standings, Awender placed 19th, Entzel placed 49th, Schafer placed 66th and Gebhardt placed 81st.

Team and individual results by day and event

Day 1

The North Dakota archery team placed sixth in Federation Internationale de Tir a l’Arc archery. Individual placements were:

• Schuler – 8th with a score of 676
• Hetletved – 15th with a score of 661
• Beneke – 43rd with a score of 639
• Christ – 63rd with a score of 620

The North Dakota shotgun team placed 15th in sporting clays. Individual placements were:

• Entzel – 29th with a score of 69
• Awender – 37th with a score of 65
• Gebhardt – 86th with a score of 50
• Schafer – 93rd with a score of 48

Day 2

The archery team placed first in field archery. Individual placements were:

• Schuler – national champion with a score of 275
• Beneke – 14th with a score of 262
• Hetletved – 15th with a score of 262
• Christ – 66th with a score of 244

The shotgun team finished 14th in skeet. Individual placements were:

• Awender – 13th with a score of 97
• Entzel – 49th with a score of 89
• Schafer – 73rd with a score of 84
• Gebhardt – 84th with a score of 80

Day 3

The archery team placed third in 3-D archery. Individual placements were:

• Schuler – fifth with a score of 267
• Beneke – 10th with a score of 256
• Hetletved – 46th with a score of 222
• Christ – 53rd with a score of 215

The shotgun team finished 8th in trap. Individual placements were:

• Schafer – 10th with a score of 95
• Awender – 19th with a score of 93
• Gebhardt – 58th with a score of 86
• Entzel – 112th with a score of 75

Full results are available at https://4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports/national-results-images.

Shooting sports is sponsored by Scheels, a supporter of the North Dakota 4-H Foundation.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – July 20, 2023

Source: Adrian Biewer, 701-231-6184, adrian.biewer@ndsu.edu

Editor: Elizabeth Cronin, 701-231-7881, elizabeth.cronin@ndsu.edu