Jacksonville, IL — The 2025 Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports State Competitions wrapped up this September, bringing together top youth marksmen from across the state in a series of events that showcased precision, skill, and sportsmanship. Held annually in late August and throughout September, the competitions drew participants from dozens of counties and featured a record-breaking 14,474 shots scored across all disciplines.
This year’s events included 4,074 arrows in archery, 1,900 air rifle pellets, 1,000 smallbore rifle bullets, and 7,600 shotgun shells. The scale and intensity of the competitions reflected the growing enthusiasm and talent within Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports.
The State 4-H Shotgun Shoot, hosted at Brittany Shooting Park in Bunker Hill, saw Chase Garey of Woodford County claim first place, followed closely by Parker Logan and Erin Federle, both representing Macoupin County. In the county team category, Macoupin County earned top honors, with Piatt County and Adams County finishing second and third respectively.
In archery, Whiteside County took first place in the county team scores, followed by Macoupin and McHenry counties. The Senior Compound Division highlighted individual excellence, with Tripp Higgins of Shelby County securing first place, Isaac Mohr of Henderson County taking second, and Jake Glasgow of Brown-Schuyler County finishing third. The archery competition also included recurve and junior divisions, offering opportunities for younger archers to participate and grow.
A new addition to this year’s lineup was the State 4-H Small Bore Pistol Match, conducted virtually with scores submitted from local events. Madison County’s Staunton Road Rangers 4-H Club led the way, with Evelyn Bremer, Ryan Dissett, and Titus Cloninger demonstrating outstanding performance in both speed and precision matches.
The State 4-H Air Rifle Competition, held at the Central Illinois Precision Shooters indoor range near Bloomington, was dominated by DeKalb County. Lillie Harper, Mark Pritchard, and Reese Harper swept the top three individual spots, underscoring the county’s strength in marksmanship.
The Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports program continues to foster responsibility, focus, and leadership among youth participants. Congratulations to all competitors for their dedication and achievements. You truly exemplify the 4-H motto: “To Make the Best Better.”
Photo Credit: Cloninger Photography
About Illinois 4-H:
Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Through hands-on learning and life-changing experiences, Illinois 4-H prepares youth to be Beyond Ready — ready for college, career, military service, entrepreneurship, and more. Young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. Independent research and national surveys confirm the powerful outcomes of 4-H: participants are 40% more likely to pursue a college degree, twice as likely to obtain technical training, and two times more likely to serve in the military. With a legacy of cultivating leaders, Illinois 4-H continues to grow the next generation who are equipped to thrive in life and work today and beyond.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.