Kansas State University

2017 4-H Western Heritage Nationals

Submitted by Ken Wilk, 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor

The 2017 4-H Western Heritage Project National Competition was held August 1-3, in Fort Benton, Montana.  Nationals is a competitive event that culminates the year long work 4-H members put into the project.  In Kansas, there currently is only one club that competes in Western Heritage.  Members of this state-wide project are currently made up of 4-Hers from the Frontier District and Coffey County.   Eight of the 14 project members competed in this year’s Nationals were:  Audrey Durst, Caleb Durst, and Isaac Durst (Coffey County); Bradley Livingston, Emily Livingston, Erin Livingston, Nathan Livingston, and Addison Smith (Frontier District).  Members compete in 3 components of the project:  shooting – includes learning the safe handling and firing of period specific firearms (shotgun, lever or pump action rifles, and revolvers); clothing and persona – includes creating a person from the period and accurately portraying that person in front of a panel of judges; history – includes learning and taking a written test on the knowledge of West during the late 1800’s.

This year 270 attendees represented 13 states at the Nationals.  Of those, 85 participants represented 5 states (California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Montana) in the competition.  Awards were given in three age groups (Junior, Intermediate, and Senior) and six categories:  girls clothing/persona, boys clothing/persona, history test, rimfire shooting, big bore shooting, and top hand (cumulative score of all categories).  The Kansas competitors did an outstanding job with seven of our eight members receiving 15 of the 80 possible awards.  However, it was a true team effort that allowed our members to do so well.  All members supported, coached, and cheered on their fellow teammates.

The Kansas results are:

• Audrey Durst – Intermediate Champion Girls Clothing/Persona; 3^rd Place Intermediate History Test

• Caleb Durst – 2^nd Place Junior Boys Clothing/Persona; 2^nd Place Junior History Test; 4^th Place Junior Top Hand

• Isaac Durst – Junior Champion Boys Clothing/Persona; Junior Champion Shooting; Junior Champion Top Hand

• Emily Livingston – 5^th Place Junior Shooting

• Erin Livingston – 2^nd Place Junior Girls Clothing/Persona

• Nathan Livingston – Intermediate Champion Boys Clothing/Persona; Intermediate Champion History Test; 2^nd Place Intermediate Shooting; Intermediate Champion Top Hand

• Addison Smith – 4^th Place Junior Shooting

These members are excited to use the experience they gained this year to help other interested Kansas 4-Hers prepare for the 2018 National 4-H Western Heritage Competition in Deer Lodge, Montana.

Photo from left to right: Addison Smith, Isaac Durst, Nathan Livingston, Erin Livingston, Emily Livingston, Erin Livingston, Audrey Durst, Caleb Durst, and Bradley Livingston.