(Left to right) Bryer Erickson, Kordell Kraft, Zach Jaeger, Kaden Jaeger and Seth Jaeger pose with their shotguns and awards.

The North Dakota State Shoot was held at the Minot Gun Club July 20-24.

The Rugby Shooting Club participated this year, with the youth team taking third place overall with a total score of 457/500 on Wednesday. There were 21 teams total, with two teams out of Grand Forks placing in first and second.

Bryer Erikson shot 99/100, the highest score for the youth team. Kordell Kraft shot 90/100, Seth Jaeger shot 92/100, Zach Jaeger shot 83/100, and Kaden Jaeger shot 93/100.

Randy Knain, Rugby Shooting Club Board Member and one of the youth instructors, said that he was glad a youth team could attend this year. “Some years we don’t have hardly any kids,” he said. “This year, we took the top five averaging kids that we have.”

Kraft, age 12, attended the state shoot for the first time this year and felt he did a pretty good job. In addition to shooting with the youth team, he also shot on his own throughout the rest of the week. He shot his first 25/25 in trap shooting and also shot a 92/100 on Friday.

“It felt really good,” Kraft said. “I’ve been doing this my whole life, so it’s always been something I’ve liked.”

Erikson did exceptionally well during the shoot, receiving the highest junior score of all the youth there. He originally tied with another shooter, both with scores of 99/100. However, Erikson surpassed the other shooter in a shoot out with a score of 50, making his total 149/150.

Seth Jaeger, 16, felt he could have done better at the shoot. In only his third year shooting, and his second year attending the state shoot, he said he felt nervous when it came down to it. “It was fun, but I could have done a lot better,” he said. “I think we did very well for having two younger people and losing a lot last year.”

Jaeger likes shooting because it prepares him for hunting season. “I just love shooting. It’s good practice for hunting, and it helps me get my confidence up,” he said.

Vince Mattern, another youth instructor for Rugby’s Shooting Club, said that this year’s shoot had some of the best shooters he has ever seen and that he’s proud of Rugby’s youth team.

“The rest of us go, too,” Mattern said. “We compete Thursday through Sunday in singles, handicap and doubles. The adults compete against individuals, we don’t have teams.”

About eight adults competed from Rugby this year. Knain was one the winners at the state shoot, winning in Class C Doubles.

Competitors this year came from all over the state of North Dakota, as well as from Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Arizona.

The Turtle Mountain Trap League Shoot will be held at the Rugby Shooting Club Sunday, July 31, at 10 a.m.