Forty-six members of the St. Martin 4-H Shooting Sports Team traveled with their parents and coaches to Grand Cane, La. and Shreveport, La. to participate in the State 4-H Shooting Sports State Match on April 29 - May 1, 2011. These participants qualified for the state event by attaining high scores at the southern regional competition held in Lake Charles, La. at the end of March. The state competition involved shooters from all over Louisiana.

The 2010-2011 St. Martin Parish 4-H Shooting Sports Team is comprised of boys and girls from across the parish. They practice throughout the year to improve their skills. In order to compete at regional or state competitions, the participants must first attend a safety class. If they are older than 10 years old, they must acquire a Hunter’s Safety Card and have a minimum of eight practice hours on the range. The majority of these youth had more than the eight hours required.

Friday, April 29 Results:

Junior Bare Bow
1st Place – Elliott Bernard

2nd Place – Erin Blanchard

6th Place – Braelon Taylor

7th Place – Peter Harris

10th Place – Dagan Cope

Other Participants were: Kaitlyn Bienvenu and Logan Smith

Senior Bare Bow
1st Place – Courtney Poirier

3rd Place – Matthew Ashley

4th Place – Aiden Thibodeaux

5th Place – Chelsie Frederick

9th Place – Tyra Mouton

Junior Compound
10th Place - Andre Marks

Other Participants were: Craig Guidry, Hailey Hayes, Caitlyn Champagne, Jace Knott, Ashtin Mouton, Nicholas Guttry, Tristian Castille

Senior Compound
1st Place – Ian Serrette

6th Place – Luke Boyer

9th Place – Luke Patin

Junior Genesis
Participants were: Bailey Poirier and Madia Smith

Senior Genesis
1st Place – Chelsie Frederick

6th Place – Laural Blanchard

Junior Recurve
1st Place – Elliott Bernard

2nd Place – Logan Angelle

4th Place – Hailey Hayes

5th Place – Erin Blanchard

6th Place –Kaitlyn Bienvenu

7th Place – Carmen Calderon

Senior Recurve
1st Place – Bailey Marks

2nd Place – Seth Gauthier

3rd Place – Aidan Thibodeaux

BB Gun
Overall

7th Place Alexis Louviere

10th Place Kaitlyn Bienvenu

Other Participants were: Ashtin Mouton, Austin Mouton, Miranda Kidder, Tori Hayes, Hailey Hayes, Craig Guidry, Bailey Poirier, William Scrantz, Kimberly Louviere, Jace Knott, Austin Latiolais, Peter Harris, Ethan Horn

BB Gun Team
3rd Place – St Martin Team1 – Participants include: Alexis Louviere, Kaitlyn Bienvenu, Bailey Poirier, William Scrantz, Kimberly Louviere, Peter Harris, and Craig Guidry.

This BB Gun Team qualified to go to National’s in Arkansas this coming July. They are as follows: Alexis Louviere, Kaitlyn Bienvenu, Bailey Poirier, William Scrantz, Kimberly Louviere, Craig Guidry and Ashtin Mouton.

Junior .22 Smallbore Rifle - CMP
7th Place – Wade Scrantz

Senior .22 Smallbore Rifle – CMP
6th Place – Jordan Guidry

Saturday, April 30 Results:
National .22 Smallbore Rifle – CMP
Participants were: Eric Melancon, Jonathan Johnson, Dustin Hayes, Courtney Poirier, and Robert Burkhardt

National .22 Smallbore Rifle – NRA
Participants were: Eric Melancon, Jonathan Johnson, Dustin Hayes, Courtney Porier, and Robert Burkhardt

National .22 Smallbore Rifle – Silhouette
2nd Place – Dustin Hayes

Other Participants were: Eric Melancon, Jonathan Johnson, Courtney Poirier, and Robert Burkhardt

National .22 Smallbore Rifle Overall
4th Place – Dustin Hayes, which qualified him to go to National’s.

Other Participants were: Eric Melancon, Courtney Poirier, Jonathan Johnson, and Robert Burkhardt

Advanced Shotgun – Seniors
Participants were: Robert Burkhardt, Cody Melancon and Luke Patin

Sunday, May 1Results:
Shotgun Modified Trap – Seniors
8th Place – Brilan Degeyter

Other Participants: Aidan Thibodeaux

Advanced Shotgun – Seniors
Participants were: Robert Burkhardt, Cody Melancon and Luke Patin

National Air Rifle – Standard 3 Position
Participants were: Eric Melancon and Tyra Mouton

National Air Rifle – Silouette
3rd Place - Eric Melancon

Other Participant: Tyra Mouton

National Air Rifle – Sporter Standing
Participants were: Eric Melancon and Tyra Mouton

National Air Rifle – Overall
7th Place - Eric Melancon

Other Paricipant: Tyra Mouton

National Archery - Fita
1st Place – Dustin Hayes

4th Place – Codey Angelle

Other Participants: Delaina Guidry

National Archery – Field
3rd Place – Dustin Hayes

Other Participants: Codey Angelle and Delaina Guidry

National Archery – 3-D
Participants were: Dustin Hayes, Codey Angelle, Delaina Guidry

National Archery – Overall
2nd Place – Dustin Hayes, which qualified him to go to National’s.

7th Place – Delaina Guidry

11th Place – Codey Angelle

St. Martin Parish 4-H Shooting Sports program is very fortunate to have outstanding volunteers. This program is based on volunteers. The volunteer coaches that attended were: Codey Angelle, Leon and Liz Angelle, Glenn Bienvenu, Byron and Donna Blanchard, Danny Guidry, Eric Melancon, Lynwood Melancon, Alina and Rodney Perro, Barry and Ericka Poirier, Steve Bernard, Dale Melancon, Mark Scrantz, and Donnie Romero. St. Martin Parish parents also did a great job in helping out at the shoot by scoring targets. Shooting Sports would not survive without outstanding volunteers and parents. Anyone interested in becoming a coach, please contact the St. Martin 4-H office at 337-332-2181.

The St. Martin 4-H Shooting Sports program is funded by membership fees and counts heavily on National Rifle Association grants. Without these grants we would not be able to afford the equipment needed for the growing number of participants in our program. Please support the NRA program; it helps our Shooting Sports program survive. We are very proud to announce that we have received a letter of approval for $4,609.99 of merchandise from the NRA Foundation, Inc. This merchandise will help our program teach safety skills and proper techniques to our youth.

We also would like to thank the Fuselier Complex Gun Range for allowing us to use the facility for our 4-H Shooting Sports .22 Smallbore Rifle and Shotgun.