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Right on target
Local 4-H’er Kaitlynn Vincent competed in the 2017 4-H Shooting Sports National Championship in Grand Island, Neb. the last week of June and brought home eight medals — one silver medal and seven gold medals.
“I was the highest overall individual,” Vincent said.
Vincent, only in her third year shooting pistols competitively, is one of four 4-H shooters selected last October to represent Missouri at the national level.
This is Vincent’s second trip to the national stage. In 2016, she competed in small-bore pistol at the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championship finishing 17th individually, her team finishing fourth overall.
This year, Vincent finished first in air pistol rapid fire, silhouettes and was the overall top shooter in air pistol. She finished second in slow fire by three points due to a single misplaced shot into the five-ring.
Vincent’s team of McKenzie Branson, Trevor Burrows and Ethan Crist finished first in all three events and first overall. Individually, Crist finished fourth, Branson finished 12th and Burrows finished 13th.
Day one for the Missouri team was a record-breaking day. Vincent posted a score of 327 in rapid fire — the previous best score being a 315 out of 400.
Only time will tell how long Vincent’s record will stand, shooters are only allowed one trip to nationals in each discipline. Although Vincent will continue to compete in pistol competition locally, she will be making the switch to air rifle when she sets her aim on 4-H national competition again.
The results of the 2017 Vernon County Youth Fair shooting sports competition will be announced during the fair Tuesday, July 11.
“I expect to do fairly well,” Vincent said.
Humble words from a young lady who has twice qualified for the Junior Olympics, along with the rest of the Missouri air pistol team — a team Vincent said her coach, Bob McCollum described as a “dream team.”
“It was a pleasure to be able to coach her this year,” Missouri air pistol coach Bob McCollum said, describing Vincent as a dedicated, goal driven young lady. McCollum said Vincent was the top shooter on the team from selection through national competition.
Prior to the 4-H Shooting Sports National Competition, Vincent competed at the Junior Olympics in Colorado Springs, Colo., in April where she finished 11th in 10-meter women’s air pistol, 17th in 25-meter women’s sport pistol and 15th in the 25-meter women’s sport pistol selection match.
In the 25-meter women’s sport pistol selection match, Vincent finished with a score of 1005, just 129 points behind the leader, Katelyn Abeln, of Georgia. The top finisher in this event represented the USA in Germany in June.
Vincent placed 23rd in the 2016 National Junior Olympic Championships 25-meter pistol competition on April 23, 2016.
Her success has reportedly attracted the attention of four-time Olympian Elizabeth “Libby” Callahan, national pistol coach for USA Shooting, who is said to have taken interest in Vincent’s potential.
“I have to get to that higher level of shooting scores,” Vincent said.
“Practice makes perfect,” she said.
Vincent entered 4-H as a Clover Kid when she was six, her shooting career began later with air rifles before switching to pistols almost three years ago.
“I felt I am more capable at pistol than rifle,” Vincent said in a November 2016 interview.
In addition to shooting sports, she also competes in swine and poultry. Academically, she is sitting at a 3.8 GPA going into her junior year of high school. Although she has not chosen a college yet, it will most certainly be one with a shooting sports team.