Burnet County rifle team has bullseye season
At the state championship are Burnet County 4-H Rifle Team members Klein Stanley (left), Maggie Moore, Harper Sitra, and Morgan Stanley. Courtesy photos
The Burnet County 4-H Youth Rifle Team barreled through another successful year of competition, culminating in several stellar finishes for the season.
The young guns shot their way through Olympic-level challenges, local competitions, state contests, and more. Here are some of the top achievements from the squad:
USA Shooting Junior Olympic Qualifiers and State Championships
One of Burnet County 4-H’s first strong showings of the year was at the USA Shooting Junior Olympic Qualifiers and State Championships held in November and December 2025.
Bringing over 130 athletes across the country to Fort Worth, El Paso, Granbury, and San Antonio, the qualifiers and championships give young marksmen and women the chance to test their skills against the best of the best.
Burnet County’s own Elaina Marr claimed first in the under 15 years old category in women’s small bore; brothers Adler and Klein Stanley took second and third in men’s small bore respectively; and Klein also finished third in men’s air rifle.
The team’s first paralympic athlete, Esther Frayne, shot a high enough score to qualify for the Junior Olympics in Alabama. There, Esther received a gold medal.
Evan Kaspar also qualified in the air pistol division, moving on to the Junior Olympic National Championship.
Texas Youth Shooting Sports
Burnet County 4-H tallied several first-place finishes at home at the Texas Youth Shooting Sports Facility in Burnet.
With nearly 30 athletes present, several Burnet County shooters hit the bullseye, claiming first and second place. Elaina Marr, Klein Stanley, and Riley Smith each finished first in their categories, and Adler Stanley and Harper Sitra claimed second.
4-H District 7 Match
The team also had a strong showing at the 4-H District 7 match in San Angelo, competing against 27 other counties.
At the competition, 15 first-place awards were given out to team members and individuals across three divisions. Of those awards, Burnet County swept the competition and claimed all 15 for the third time in the last five years.
Overall, two Burnet County teams finished in first and third place in the competition, qualifying for the state championship in Victoria.
State 4-H Championship
At the 4-H State Championship, the two teams battled round after round to make their ways to top-five finishes.
Falling just short of first place by eight points, one of the Burnet County 4-H rifle teams claimed second place, and the other team finished in fourth.