Big Sky State Games muzzleloading event held In Havre

Press release

Twenty-one shooters participated in the 37th annual Big Sky State Games Muzzleloading event held in Havre on July 9 at the Havre Police Department Shooting Range south of Havre.

Shooters from Havre, Buffalo, Harlowton, Fort Peck and Glasgow participated.

The 47 assorted events of the Big Sky State Games will be held in Billings on July 15-16-17 with opening ceremonies and parade of athletes at Daylis Stadium Friday, July 15, at 7:15 p.m. with torch lighting by Brad Wilson.

Wilson is a three-time Olympian in Freestyle Skiing. He placed 20th in moguls at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi; 18th in moguls at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang; and 25th in moguls at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. In addition to his Olympic skiing experience, Wilson is a five-time U.S. champion and earned silver medals at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. Although his status and accomplishments are recognized globally, Wilson will always be known as a small town legend in the eyes of Montanans. We are thrilled to have him as our special guest athlete at this year's Opening Ceremonies.

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. The Games are 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 thirty-six years over 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 is the Muzzleloading Commisioner/Coordinator for the shooting event. Bob Doney was the range officer. Kathy Doney, Christy Owens and Linda Griggs were the scoring and recording officials.

The shooting conditions were excellent with temperatures in the high 80s, high humidity and a little wind. Aggregate events included 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, x indicating a bulls-eye:

Women's Aggregate: Gold, Christy Owens, Havre, 127; Silver, Lacey Huseby, Havre, 119; Bronze, Kathy Lynch, Havre 106.

Junior Aggregate: Gold, Caleb Huseby, Havre, 119x; Silver, Sidney Griggs, Havre, 116; Bronze, Gabby Bender, Havre, 98

Senior Aggregate, 62 yrs. and older: Gold, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 131x; Silver, Darwin Reynolds, Buffalo, 124xx; Bronze, Randy Owens, Havre, 121.

Percussion Aggregate: Gold, Pete Huseby, Havre, 133x; Silver, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 128x; Bronze, Mike Otterberg, Fort Peck, 128.

Flintlock Aggregate: Gold, Tom Brown, Havre, 125x; Silver, Kent Morehouse, Glasgow, 117x; Bronze, Pete Huseby, Havre, 115xx.

Benchrest Aggregate: Gold, Tom Brown, Havre, 139xxxx; Silver, Bob Doney, Havre,136; Bronze, Pete Huseby, Havre, 135xx.

One Gun Aggregate: Gold, Tom Brown, Havre, 136; Silver, Pete Huseby, Havre, 134; Bronze, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 132.

Pistol Aggregate: Gold, Pete Huseby, Havre, 157; Silver, Tom Brown, Havre, 143x; Bronze, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 137xx.

Curley Wolf (1 target 6-bull, 50-yard offhand): Gold, Steve Martin, Harlowton, 43 (a record score) ; Silver, Tom Brown, Havre, 37; Bronze, Kendall Griggs, Havre, 33.

First Time Shooters: Gabby Bender, Havre, Gold, Womens Aggregate, 88, and Caleb Huseby, Havre, Bronze for participation award.

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