4-H students take their shot during state championship in North Idaho
Kynizon Campbell takes her shot as Jonah Knapp readies to fire during the shotgun shooting competition Friday as part of the University of Idaho's 4-H state championship. This is the first time the shooting contest has been held in North Idaho and the shotgun sports were held at the Coeur d'Alene Skeet and Trap Club.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Press
HAYDEN — Skeet and trap shooting took place at the Coeur d’Alene Skeet and Trap Club on Friday, and air rifle and pistol competitions were held at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds.
Archery and small-bore rifle shooting for the competition is planned for today at Farragut Public Shooting Range as part of the 4-H championships.
“You did awesome,” Kory Campbell told her daughter, Kynizon Campbell, after Kynizon finished trap shooting in the University of Idaho 4-H state championships.
The junior from Twin Falls hit a personal best during the competition.
Kynizon hit 83 of her total 100 clay pigeons.
“Her goal is to go to nationals like her brothers,” Kory Campbell said.
Jonah Knapp, a junior from Hagerman, was hard on himself after he finished his trap shooting for the day, but as a newcomer to the sport, he admitted he is still in the learning stages of the sport.
“It was my first state shoot, and this is my first year doing skeet, so practicing always helps,” he said.
Behind the scenes of the shooting contest, Tami Goetz said she had one goal for the end of the competition: “a lot of happy faces.”
“This is the first time hosting the state event in the northern region, so we’re really excited to have 73 youth from across the state,” Goetz said.
Tina Miller said the judging for the competition is extremely straightforward: Any hit on the clay target is a hit.
“In any shape or form, if any piece breaks off of it, that’s a hit,” Miller said.
The competition has been part of 4-H offerings since 2016, and her favorite part of the sport has been the comradery.
“I’ve watched a lot of kids become friends since 2016,” Miller said.
The competition-style learning environment embodies the 4-H motto to learn by doing.
Goetz said that the 14- to 18-year-olds with the best scores are able to advance to the national competition held in Nebraska. Last year, 19 Idaho students competed and this year, there will be 17 students coming from Idaho.
“They've been able to practice the craft for a number of years,” Goetz said.