Big Sky State Games muzzleloading event held in Havre

Press release

Sixteen shooters participated in the 36th annual Big Sky State Games muzzleloading event held in Havre July 10 at the Havre Police Department Shooting Range south of Havre.

The 41 assorted events of the State Games will be held in Billings on July 16-17-18 with opening ceremonies and parade of athletes at Daylis Stadium. The Big Sky State Games is an Olympic-style amateur sports festival for people of all ages and abilities who reside in the state of Montana. Residents in bordering states are invited to participate. Big Sky State Games is a member of the National Congress of State Games and recognized by the United States Olympic Committee.

The Big Sky State Games has grown since the inaugural year in 1986, when 3,376 athletes participated in 12 sports, to 10,000 athletes competing in 41 sports last year. During the past 35 years more than 300,000 athletes from more than 250 Montana communities have participated in the Games. The Big Sky State Games rank number one in the nation in per capita participation.

The state games concept was developed in New York in 1978 with the Empire State games. Last year, more than 400,000 athletes competed in state games in 30 states across the nation. State games feature the sports of the Olympic and Pan-American Games, as well as emerging sports and local favorites. They attract athletes of a wide variety of ages, backgrounds, and skill levels, bringing out future and former Olympians as well as athletes for whom state games are a real career highlight.

Jim Griggs was the muzzleloading commissioner/coordinator/range officer for the shooting event. Christy Owens and Linda Griggs were the scoring and recording officials.

The shooting conditions were excellent with temperatures in the low 90s and very little wind. Aggregate events include three targets shot at 25, 50 and 100 yards in various positions offhand, cross sticks and bench. Pistol aggregate is a two-target event with 10 shots per target at 25 and 50 yards. Event medalists going along with the Olympic style placing are gold, silver and bronze for the aggregates were:

Women's Aggregate: Gold, Christy Owens, Havre, 125x; Silver, Lacey Huseby, Havre, 112; Bronze, Kathy Lynch, Havre 105x.

Junior Aggregate: Gold, Sidney Griggs, Havre, 103x.

Senior Aggregate (62 yrs. and over): Gold, Darwin Reynolds, Buffalo, 135xx; Silver, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 133xxx; Bronze, Jim Griggs, Havre, 109.

Percussion Aggregate: Gold, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 133; Silver, Cliff Plum, Havre, 132; Bronze, Tom Brown, Havre, 130.

Flintlock Aggregate: Gold, Pete Huseby, Havre, 124; Silver, Tom Brown, Havre, 112; Bronze, Kathy Lynch, Havre, 82.

Benchrest Aggregate: Gold, Tom Brown, Havre, 140xx; Silver, Pete Huseby, Havre,140; Bronze, Brad Bender, Havre, 130. First time shooter at the State Games Junior Division, Gold, Sidney Griggs, Havre, 103.

One-Gun Aggregate: Gold, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 133; Silver, Brad Bender, Havre, 127xx; Bronze, Pete Huseby, Havre, 123.

Pistol Aggregate: Gold, Pete Huseby, Havre, 164x; Silver, Tom Brown, Havre, 162x; Bronze, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 146x.

Curley Wolf (1 target 6-bull, 50-yard offhand): Gold, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 39x; Silver, Brad Bender, Havre, 37; Bronze, Tom Brown, Havre, 35.

A special thanks goes to the city of Havre and Havre Police Department for allowing this event to take place in Havre again this year. Normally the event would be held in Billings, but nearly 90 percent of the shooters participating over the years have been from north of the Missouri River.