Lincoln, Neb. —The 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships will be held in Grand Island June 23-28. This is the 14th year that Grand Island has hosted this national 4-H event, said Steve Pritchard, Match Director for the National Championships, and Nebraska Extension Educator.
Last year, this growing event drew 920 competitors and coaches along with their families from 42 states across the country. University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension 4-H, Fonner Park, Heartland Events Center, and the Heartland Public Shooting Park have all come together as local partners to host this national event. Participants compete in one of nine discipline areas including small bore rifle, small bore pistol, muzzleloading, shotgun, air pistol, air rifle, hunting skills, recurve archery and compound archery.
“This will be a terrific opportunity for the Grand Island community to partner with 4-H in helping to continue to grow this national event in scope. It has been an excellent relationship in working with members of the Grand Island community to host the National Championships,” said Pritchard.
Nebraska 4-H will be represented by 29 competitors and coaches from across the state. The Nebraska teams will be competing in shotgun, compound archery, smallbore pistol, smallbore rifle, air pistol, and air rifle, said Pritchard.
Brad Mellema, Executive Director of the Grand Island Convention and Visitors Bureau stated, “This event is a significant economic boost to Grand Island’s hotels, restaurants, retailers, and attractions. For many families, this five-day event is also their summer vacation. You could not ask for a finer group of young people to visit our community.”
This event is open to the public to view and cheer on their favorite individual teams. Opening Ceremony will kick-off at 5 pm on Monday night as state teams are introduced before the crowd in the Heartland Events Center. Competition starts on Tuesday morning at all ranges.
For more information, visit http://4h.unl.edu/ntlshootingsportsinvitational or call the visitors bureau at 308-382-4400.