BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University Extension 4-H youth brought home top honors from the 2026 4 H Shooting Sports National Championships on June 21-26, 2026, in Grand Island, Nebraska.
Nine coaches and 36 youth went to the national contest this year. South Dakota won third place overall for the Tom Davison Sweepstakes award, which compiles points from every state with complete teams for each discipline.
Individually, Braelyn Adams, of Butte County, won first place in the rapid fire category of the air pistol discipline, and third place overall. South Dakota’s air pistol team nabbed first place in rapid fire, second in silhouette and third in slow fire, for a third-place team finish overall. Along with Adams, team members were Lydia Blachford, of Faulk County; Isabella Christensen, of Bennett County; and Selina Valeros, of Hughes/Stanley counties.
In hunting skills, Cody Edwards, of Brown County, won first place in the wildlife identification/wildlife management/archery category and fourth place overall individually. The hunting skills team won second place in wildlife identification/wildlife management/archery, third place in decision making/compass course/rifle and third place overall. Team members were Edwards, Trevor Callies, of Miner County; Nate Kari, of Butte County; and Clayton Weber, of Brookings County.
For small-bore pistol, Luke Dangel, of Charles Mix County, won first place in the silhouette category and sixth place overall individually. Dangel; Brody Fousek, of Douglas County; Mya Heinje, of Roberts County; and Teadon Seaboy, of Brookings County; won second place in the silhouette category of the small-bore pistol team event.
“Thank you to the coaches, volunteers, families and supporters who helped make this experience possible. Team South Dakota represented our state extremely well. We are so proud of you,” said Regina Bakley, SDSU Extension Program Manager, Regional Youth Educator.
Bakley said she is proud of how well the youth performed both on and off the shooting range, commending their sportsmanship and work ethic throughout the competition.
“The week was about so much more than scores and placings. Our youth showed up, worked hard, supported one another, made new friendships and represented South Dakota with great sportsmanship all week long,” Bakley said. “Whether they stood on stage, hit a personal goal or simply took on the challenge of competing at the national level, every one of them should be proud.”
To compete at nationals, senior 4-H members (ages 14-18) must qualify at one of three state shooting sports events. Competitors can only participate in a division once at nationals but can return to nationals in other divisions.
South Dakota’s spring state shoot is held the last full weekend in April and typically includes BB gun, air rifle, .22 rifle, air pistol, .22 pistol and archery (recurve and compound). To see complete results from the 2026 spring state shoot, visit https://extension.sdstate.edu/state-shooting-sports.
For more information on shooting sports in South Dakota, contact Regina Bakley, SDSU Extension Program Manager, Regional Youth Educator, 605-394-1722 or Regina.Bakley@sdstate.edu.
Complete results (individual results up to top 10):
Tom Davison Sweepstakes
- Third place overall
Air pistol individuals
- Rapid fire: Braelyn Adams, of Butte County, first place
- Rapid fire: Lydia Blachford, of Faulk County, fourth place
- Silhouette: Braelyn Adams, of Butte County, fourth place
- Silhouette: Selina Valeros, of Hughes/Stanley counties, sixth place
- Slow fire: Braelyn Adams, of Butte County, sixth place
- Overall: Braelyn Adams, of Butte County, third place
Air pistol teams (Braelyn Adams, of Butte County; Lydia Blachford, of Faulk County; Isabella Christensen of Bennett County; and Selina Valeros, of Hughes/Stanley counties)
- Rapid fire: First place
- Silhouette: Second place
- Slow fire: Third place
- Overall: Second place
Air rifle teams (Sydney Baker, of Butte County; Zane Baker, of Butte County; Ava Bjerke, of Day County; and Megan Marko, of Grant County)
- 3-P: 10th place
- Standing: 10th place
- Silhouette: Seventh place
- Overall: Eighth place (tie)
Compound archery teams (Treyton Biel, of Marshall County; Beau Hemmingson, of Day County; Reid Osberg, of Meade County; and Gage Whitehead, of Meade County)
- FITA: 10th place
- Field: Ninth place
- 3-D: Seventh place
- Overall: Seventh place (three-way tie)
Recurve archery individuals
- FITA: Devon Mueller, of Grant County, sixth place
- 3-D: Devon Mueller, of Grant County, fourth place
- Overall: Devon Mueller, of Grant County, sixth place (tie)
Recurve archery teams (Jacob DeRoy, of Deuel County; Tyler Heinje, of Roberts County; Knute Hemmingson, of Day County; and Devon Mueller, of Grant County)
- Field: Seventh place
- FITA: Sixth place
- 3-D: Sixth (tie)
- Overall: Seventh place
Shotgun individuals
- Sporting clays: Clay Whitehead, of Meade County, ninth place
- Sporting clays: Treyson Stout, Hughes/Stanley counties, 10th place
Shotgun teams (Evan Jackson, Butte/Lawrence counties; Rowdy Menning, Hughes/Stanley counties; Treyson Stout Hughes/Stanley counties; and Clay Whitehead, of Meade County)
- Sporting clays: Fifth place
- Skeet: 12th place
- Trap: Sixth place
- Overall: Sixth place
Hunting skills individuals
- Wildlife ID/wildlife management/archery: Cody Edwards, of Brown County, first place
- Wildlife ID/wildlife management/archery: Nate Kari, of Butte County; fourth place
- Wildlife ID/wildlife management/archery: Trevor Callies, of Miner County, seventh place
- Decision making/compass course/rifle: Trevor Callies, of Miner County, fifth place
- Overall: Cody Edwards, of Brown County, fourth place
- Overall: Nate Kari, of Butte County, eighth place
- Overall: Trevor Callies, of Miner County, ninth place
Hunting skills teams (Trevor Callies, of Miner County; Cody Edwards, of Brown County; Nate Kari, of Butte County; and Clayton Weber, of Brookings County)
- Wildlife ID/wildlife management/archery: Second place
- General skills/map/compass/shotgun: Seventh place
- Decision making/compass course/rifle: Third place
- Overall: Third place
Muzzleloading individuals
- 50-yard bullseye: Riley Spatz, of Roberts County, eighth place
- 25-yard novelty: Joshua Main, of Butte County, fourth place
- Silhouette: Riley Spatz, of Roberts County, eighth place
- Overall: Joshua Main, of Butte County, fourth place
Muzzleloading teams (Lucas Hartman, of Lincoln County; Joshua Main, of Butte County; Anthony Poelstra, of Hughes/Stanley counties; and Riley Spatz, of Roberts County)
- 50-yard bullseye: Eighth place
- 25-yard novelty: Fifth place
- Silhouette: Sixth place (three-way tie)
- Overall: Sixth place (tie)
- Small-bore rifle individuals
- Silhouettes: Bailey Gjernes, of Brookings County, ninth place
- 3-P: Bailey Gjernes, of Brookings County, seventh place
- Overall: Bailey Gjernes, of Brookings County, ninth place
Small-bore rifle teams (Lidia Dupraz, Bailey Gjernes, Josie Nold and Cheyenne VanderWal, all of Brookings County)
- Silhouettes: Seventh place
- CMP: Seventh place
- 3-P: Third place
- Overall: Fifth place
Small-bore pistol individuals
- Silhouette: Luke Dangel, of Charles Mix County, first place
- Overall: Luke Dangel, of Charles Mix County, sixth place
Small-bore pistol teams (Luke Dangel, of Charles Mix County; Brody Fousek, of Dougles County; Mya Heinje, of Roberts County; and Teadon Seaboy, of Brookings County)
- Slow fire: Eighth place
- Silhouette: Second place
- Camp Perry: Seventh place
- Overall: Sixth place
The air pistol team won first place in rapid fire, second in silhouette, third in slow fire and second place overall. Team members were Braelyn Adams, of Butte County; Lydia Blachford, of Faulk County; Isabella Christensen of Bennett County; Selina Valeros, of Hughes/Stanley counties and coach Art Kneen. (Photo courtesy Brad Mellema)
South Dakota’s hunting skills team won second place in wildlife ID/management/archery, third place in decision making/compass course/rifle and third place overall. Team members were Trevor Callies, of Miner County; Cody Edwards, of Brown County; Nate Kari, of Butte County; and Clayton Weber, of Brookings County, and coach Bryce Heinje. (Photo courtesy Brad Mellema)
The small-bore pistol team won second place in the silhouette contest and sixth place overall. Team members were Luke Dangel, of Charles Mix County; Brody Fousek, of Dougles County; Mya Heinje, of Roberts County; and Teadon Seaboy, of Brookings County. Not pictured, Coach Jim Slunecka. (Photo courtesy Brad Mellema)
South Dakota’s small-bore rifle team won third place in the 3-P contest and fifth place overall. Team members were Lidia Dupraz, Bailey Gjernes, Josie Nold and Cheyenne VanderWal, all of Brookings County, and coach Brad Ruden. (Photo courtesy Brad Mellema)
SDSU Extension 4-H youth won third place in the sweepstakes category at the 2026 4 H Shooting Sports National Championships on June 21-26, 2026, in Grand Island, Nebraska. Nine coaches and 36 youth went to the national contest this year. (Photo courtesy Brad Mellema)
