South Carolina 4-H shooters shine on national stage

South Carolina 4-H shooters shine on national stage

Four high school students are chosen each year to represent South Carolina in the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, and Palmetto State team included Cameron Huston (Edgefield County/Strom Thurmond) Walker Kelly (Abbeville County/Rocky Knoll), Chase Land (Pickens County/Clemson 4-H) and Makayla Porter (Saluda County/Richland Creek).
Image Credit: Clemson University

By: Steven Bradley, Media Relations

August 8, 2019

 

GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska — Cameron Huston of Edgefield County nabbed the first High Over All score ever for a South Carolinian at the 2019 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships with a near-perfect 99/100 score to take first place in the Shotgun Trap Individual competition.

Huston, a recent graduate of Strom Thurmond High School, picked up shooting when he started high school and heard about the competition from a friend who had taken part and shared how much fun it was with him.

“I said I would give it a try and go and I’m so glad that I did because I met some good people, had a lot of fun and it was just an overall good experience,” Huston said. “My grandparents took me out there (to Nebraska) over the summer one year and that’s the place to live for me. I just really enjoyed it. It’s just the flat openness and you can see for miles in every direction.”

Four high school students are chosen each year to represent South Carolina in the event, and Huston was joined on this year’s Palmetto State team by Walker Kelly (Abbeville County/Rocky Knoll), Chase Land (Pickens County/Clemson 4-H) and Makayla Porter (Saluda County/Richland Creek).

To qualify, shooters must fill out an application that shows their involvement in the community, leadership, grades, as well as shooting scores, making it an “extreme honor” to be chosen for the team, according to South Carolina 4-H Shooting Sports coordinator Richard Willey.

“Every year four new shooters are chosen, so no one can go more than once,” Willey said. “This allows other shooters to experience this wonderful opportunity. All four members of this year’s team members have represented South Carolina very well both on and off the shotgun fields, and all four of them kept a positive attitude and worked hard for every target. Their sportsmanship, manners, fellowship and teamwork have been outstanding.”