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Moffat County 4-H shooters set sights on high marks for state qualifier events

Andy Bockelman
The 4-H shooting sports teams, including shotgun, rifle and archery, will each host their state qualifier shooting events July 23. The shotgun event will be at Craig Trap Club, rifle team at Bears Ears Sportsman Club and archery at the Wyman Living History Museum pitch.
Courtesy Photo

Many members of Moffat County’s 4-H Club devote hours to honing their craft in skills such as sewing and baking or rearing livestock in the hopes of earning a blue ribbon or greater recognition, and certain members of the program are on target to do just as well.

Leading up to the Moffat County FairMoffat County Fair will be the Completion Shoot events for 4-H shooting sports, including shotgun, rifle and archery, all of which will start July 23, though if you want to see all the young marksmen in action, you’d better be ready to visit multiple sites in the area. will be the Completion Shoot events for 4-H shooting sports, including shotgun, rifle and archery, all of which will start July 23, though if you want to see all the young marksmen in action, you’d better be ready to visit multiple sites in the area.

Moffat County Fair will be the Completion Shoot events for 4-H shooting sports, including shotgun, rifle and archery, all of which will start July 23, though if you want to see all the young marksmen in action, you’d better be ready to visit multiple sites in the area.

Each of the locations around town will be busy, with the .22 rifle starting things early at 7 a.m., taking over the range of the Bears Ears Sportsman Club north of Craig on Moffat County Road 7.



With multiple national qualifiers in years past, the rifle team coached by Jody Lee, Red Lee and Alvin Luker aims to send its best to the state level in August and hopefully even further.

The club will also host shooters at 3 p.m. July 24 for .22 pistol, meeting at 6 p.m. the next three consecutive days for air rifle, air pistol and muzzleloader, respectively.



East of town at the Wyman Living History Museum will be the 4-H archery team, nocked and loaded as they focus their attention on the pitch starting at 8 a.m. July 23, shooting a compound bow or the traditional recurve.

About 50 kids are on the team and only a few are attempting the traditional style, said Sarah Polly, who coaches along with her husband, Shawn.

Still, regardless of the kind of equipment they use, there’s an important trait the activitydevelops in its competitors, she added.

“They have to have a lot of dedication,” she said. “They’ve got to really dedicate themselves to this sport.”

On the west side of Craig the same day will be the shotgun team at 9 a.m. at Craig Trap Club, located along US Highway 40 and County Road 64. Coach Wade Gerber said he expects about 10 to compete in the completion, and he hopes people will be there to encourage the young shooters.

“The more spectators the better,” Gerber said.

Besides the spectacle of watching trained shooters show their skills in nailing clay pigeons out of the sky or other tasks, the display also serves as a reminder about guns being in the right hands, he said.

“Seeing how well they handle themselves around firearms, especially in today’s society where there’s a lot of worry about safety, I think they do a pretty good job showing what really can happen with the proper training,” Gerber said.

Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@CraigDailyPress.com.Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@CraigDailyPress.com.


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